Oh boy, another vitamin to take

Parent Cafe
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<p>However I think it will help

[Vitamin</a> D Supplementation May Offer Arthritis Pain Relief](<a href=“http://arthritis.about.com/b/2008/07/09/vitamin-d-supplementation-may-offer-pain-relief.htm]Vitamin”>Arthritis: Overview and More)</p>

<p>I have been asking my allopathic physician about multiple symptoms for several years and she has run various tests but attributed my complaints to the fact that I was seeing a psychiatrist ( for ADD), although she doesn’t seem to remember that and thinks I am seeing him for depression.
Depression is blamed for quite a lot.</p>

<p>But since my arthritis is getting worse even though I am fairly young ( * very early 50’s*, and older relatives didn’t get it until much older- I asked for a referral to a Rheumatologist.</p>

<p>While my primary physician apparently didn’t check me for Vit D deficency , because I am often outside year round 10+ hours a day ( albeit in the Northwest- although I do have pale skin- but I try to use sunscreen), the Rheumatologist did check me & I am quite lacking.</p>

<p>I am kind of excited , it sounds like this is something that should help, plus it isn’t a horrible pain killer that is going to cause more problems than it solves.</p>

<p>I think every one should be checked- especially if they have symptoms and use sunscreen.</p>

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<p>I was recently diagnosed with Vit D deficiency (no symptoms whatsoever). I thought it was a bunch of cr*p until I read up on it. I took the prescription dose for 10 weeks and am now on over-the-counter. I get more sunlight than most people, I suspect, and have a healthy diet with lots (too much, probably) of exercise.</p>

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<p>Just curious… how do they check for vitamin D deficiency? And what leads them to do so?</p>

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<p>Vitamin D is measured via a blood test. My gyn says that ALL of her female patients (in rainy Seattle) are vitamin D deficient. I take 3000 units a day at her advice. (Yes, I measured deficient on a blood test.)</p>

<p>My orthopedic oncologist, who has actually seen my femur and drilled into it… says that my bone density is excellent. I drink vitamin D milk and OJ, lots of it, and have never used sunscreen (it gives me a rash).</p>

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<p>Along with my multi vitamin and fish oil, I take vitamin D everyday. I’ve read that a lot of today’s children are vitamin D deficient. They just don’t play outside like we used to as kids.</p>

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<p>Does anyone know the difference between a standard Vitamin D supplement and Vitamin D3 supplement? I read on a breast cancer site that D3 is the recommended one, but I don’t know the difference.</p>

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<p>I’m curious, MOWC, since you have been taking the D for 10 weeks, if you have noticed any beneficial effects?</p>

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<p>Actually, some very credible long term studies show that vitamin D is the only vitamin any women should take. I think AZKmom has it mostly right–vitamin D and fish oil.</p>

<p>After taking some time to read the latest studies, I stopped taking a daily multi vitamin–these studies show a higher rate for several cancers among women who take them. A major study will also soon be released that’s expected to show most supplements women take are a waste of time and money, and that many have big negatives.</p>

<p>We need all the various vitamins, but food intake is the place to get them. 10 minutes in the sun daily without sun block will give you the vitamin D you need as well. Mostly only works for Californians and Hawaiians though!</p>

<p>Here’s one recent article, but I’m trying to find a better one and will post if I find:</p>

<p><a href=“News Keeps Getting Worse for Vitamins - The New York Times”>News Keeps Getting Worse for Vitamins - The New York Times;

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<p>I have also read conflicting numbers for what is considered to be deficient. Anything over 50 is ok but should be closer to 70? Obviously I don’t know what the unit of measurement is. Anyone have other numbers that have been shared with them?</p>

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<p>From PubMed:</p>

<p>Estimation of optimal serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D for multiple health outcomes. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. </p>

<p>Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D intakes above current recommendations may be associated with better health outcomes. However, optimal serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] have not been defined. This review summarizes evidence from studies that evaluated thresholds for serum 25(OH)D concentrations in relation to bone mineral density (BMD), lower-extremity function, dental health, and risk of falls, fractures, and colorectal cancer. For all endpoints, the most advantageous serum concentrations of 25(OH)D begin at 75 nmol/L (30 ng/mL), and the best are between 90 and 100 nmol/L (36-40 ng/mL). In most persons, these concentrations could not be reached with the currently recommended intakes of 200 and 600 IU vitamin D/d for younger and older adults, respectively. A comparison of vitamin D intakes with achieved serum concentrations of 25(OH)D for the purpose of estimating optimal intakes led us to suggest that, for bone health in younger adults and all studied outcomes in older adults, an increase in the currently recommended intake of vitamin D is warranted. An intake for all adults of > or =1000 IU (25 microg) [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] vitamin D (cholecalciferol)/d is needed to bring vitamin D concentrations in no less than 50% of the population up to 75 nmol/L. The implications of higher doses for the entire adult population should be addressed in future studies.</p>

<p>PMID: 16825677</p>

<p>Yup. Was below 30 ng/mL and got prescribed 2000 IU/day.</p>

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<p>I take the D3. I went from 28 to 51 after the 10 weeks of the Super D the doc prescribed.</p>

<p>I felt fine to begin with and notice no difference. I was hitting my best running times for all distances up to marathon in over a decade before the Vit D supplements.</p>

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<p>“I went from 28 to 51 after the 10 weeks of the Super D the doc prescribed.”</p>

<p>I’d rather go from 57 to 30 - oh, we’re talking serum concentrations not age :(</p>

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<p>My gyn told me at my last visit to start taking 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 every day. </p>

<p>Why are multivitamins bad for you? Honestly, I can’t keep up with what’s good and what’s not.</p>

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<p>Another one here with a Vitamin D deficiency…or almost. I didn’t even know my MD was measuring it. His scale says 30 is the minimum and I measured 32. He said I was utilizing all the D I take in, mainly via supplemented milk which is more than the RMD. I’ve been taking 50,000 IU once a week. He says it usually takes 6 months to show improvement. I have been smothering myself in sunblock for many years because of problems with my extremely fair skin. Sigh…What’s a woman to do?</p>

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<p>I gave up 8 vials of blood for the tests, but the Vit D is the only one that was a concern</p>

<p>I don’t eat much dairy cause of allergies, but I do take calcium/magnesium.
I have soy or rice milk but it isnt always fortified.</p>

<p>*I’d rather go from 57 to 30 - oh, we’re talking serum concentrations not age *</p>

<p>snort :wink:
my scrip is 50 MU of Vit D ( once a WEEK)</p>

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<p>Silverstersmom: I am concerned with you saying you are taking 50,000 IU/week of vitamin d…Did your Doctor prescribe that amount and is he/she doing follow up blood work…that seems excessive…Vitamin D is one of those fat soluable vitamins so can build up to a toxic level if taken in excess…it’s not recommended to take more than 2,000 IU/day unless your doctor has prescribed more.</p>

<p>I’m not a doctor or nutritionist but am an RN and this topic was presented on another web site I visit so I had done some reading on the subject…these are some of the things I found…(I’ll just copy what I wrote before)…Don’t take it as gospel…there could be mistakes :)</p>

<p>One report I read stated that 85% of the patient’s one Dr. tested were Vitamin D deficient… </p>

<p>Vitamin D is inactive in it’s original form…after vitamin D enters your body either by skin exposure to the sun or dietary it then is taken to the liver where it is converted to the 2nd form calcidiol.(which is a pre-hormone)…which then travels to the kidneys to be converted into the active form calcitriol…(I guess there are a few other organs that can help with this conversion…but mostly it’s done in the kidneys)…The form that is measured by the blood test at your doctors office is calcidriol…(converted in the liver)… The calcidiol takes 2 pathways…1st to the kidneys to be converted to the active form calcitriol which is one of the most potent hormones in the body…it controls the blood regulation of calcium…only if there is enough calcidiol to satisfy the kidney’s needs does the 2nd pathway get used…this is where all the excitement recently has been as studies are showing that when the extra calcidiol goes down the 2nd pathway…to the tissues where it can also be converted to calcitriol then it has potent anti-cancer agents…they are still doing studies on this </p>

<p>If there is a glitch with any of these systems then you will probably become deficient. (intake-whether dietary or sun exposure…liver…or kidney function) </p>

<p>The active form of Vitamin D is important in immune function, mood stabilization, blood pressure regulation, weight loss (insulin resistance), of course…bones, </p>

<p>The old DRI (dietary Recommended Intake) for vitamin D was 200 IU for 19-50y.o. 400 IU for 51-70 and 600 IU >70 y.o.
However, studies are starting to show that much more than that is necessary…some recommend 3000-5000 IU daily…However recommended safe levels are 2000 IU a day…so unless you are under a DR. care probably should not take more than the 2000 IU a day. </p>

<p>One study showed that if you go into the sun in a swim suit just until you turn pink then your skin will manufacture between 10,000-50,000 IU of the inactive form of Vitamin D…Darker skinned people will produce less (more around the 10,000 level) However, because of the body’s protective mechanism you are not at risk of vitamin D toxicity…if too much is manufactured then the skin will also break it back down…this is not the case with a vitamin D supplement/dietary consumption which you can take too much of as this safety mechanism is bypassed (vitamin D is not water soluable…DEKA vitamins are fat soluable and therefore do not readily pass out of the body if you take in too much) </p>

<p>Those of you living above the 35-40degree horizontal latitude line (just below NY) then the sun is not as strong and will take longer to produce the same effect…glass blocks most UVB as does sunscreen above 15…UVB is necessary to produce the vitamin D </p>

<p>If your supplement happens to list the vitamins as MCG instead of IU then the conversion rate is 5mcg = 200IU for vitamin D…In a supplement you might see it listed as D or D3 (same thing) </p>

<p>I find it interesting that dogs/cats produce vitamin D in their fur…as the sun cannot reach their skin (except for my dogs-which I shaved)…when they groom themselves they are then orally ingesting the Vitamin D…</p>

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<p>My 10 week stuff was once a week. The pharmacy would only give me 4 of the stupid pills at a time- which maximized the deductibles I had to pay.</p>

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<p>Are there good OTC vitamin D supplements or are the effective ones by prescription only?</p>

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<p>My doctor prescribed 50,000 IU once per week for 8 weeks, then a retest. I have heard that this is becoming the standard protocol for anyone who is deficient.</p>

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<p>Operamom thanks for reminding everyone about fat soluble vitamins. I was checked for vit D level and it was ok-simple blood test. Please remember that an OTC supplement does not have the FDA requirements and testing of a prescription drug. One batch could possibly differ from another, even with same manufacturer. Be careful of what you take. No rx does not necessarily = safe. Natural doesn’t mean safe. I believe arsenic is “natural”. Supplements can interact with each other and drugs.</p>