Vitamin D Deficiency and Respiratory Infections

[roster]

Thanks to howkim for the post below from another thread. I was looking for the study of surfers. Seems they were amateur sidewalk surfers.

Supposedly "they" tested a group of professional surfers in Hawaii and found, despite heavy daily sun exposure, more than half were D deficient.

"They" also published their findings in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Binkley N, Novotny R, Krueger D, Kawahara T, Daida YG, Lensmeyer G, Hollis BW, Drezner MK. Low vitamin D status despite abundant sun exposure. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jun;92(6):2130-5. http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/reprint/92/6/2130

From the abstract: "...51% of this population had low vitamin D status. "

howkim was responding to my post in the thread:

The latest supplement theory around my neighborhood is that most of us are short on vitamin D and get colds and flu because the shortage results in a suppressed immune system. Supposedly "they" tested a group of professional surfers in Hawaii and found, despite heavy daily sun exposure, more than half were D deficient.

My 20-year old daughter was tested and found deficient and prescribed 2,000 IU (OTC) per day.

I had a bad cold in December and then some kind of strange virus in February. So I bought a bottle of 350 x 5,000 IU of D3 at Sam's. I will take that for 350 days and see if I catch any colds or viruses.

Why 5000 IU? Because that was the best deal at Sam's!

DoriC asks if I am taking too much and I am concerned that the doctor did not prescribe a large enough dose for my daughter (whose blood will be retested this summer).

Anyone else using D3 supplements?

[Gia]

I use a 50,000 supplement once a week - and I can only get my D3 level up to 40

Doctors are still fighting over what is an optimum level. Some say 30-80, but others want 80-100.

I will hopefully be getting retested later this month to see if I should increase to 2X week.

FYI - if your doctor gives you an RX for Vitamin D it is generally a waste of money. The form of vitamin the RX version is 'wet' D2 in oil, and isn't absorbed very well. You can get the better absorbed D3 (also called Dry D3) over the counter. Larger doses (like the 50,000) are usually only found on internet sites though.

[DreamStalker]

I use a 50,000 supplement once a week - and I can only get my D3 level up to 40

Doctors are still fighting over what is an optimum level. Some say 30-80, but others want 80-100.

I will hopefully be getting retested later this month to see if I should increase to 2X week.

FYI - if your doctor gives you an RX for Vitamin D it is generally a waste of money. The form of vitamin the RX version is 'wet' D2 in oil, and isn't absorbed very well. You can get the better absorbed D3 (also called Dry D3) over the counter. Larger doses (like the 50,000) are usually only found on internet sites though.

You are wasting it.

Try taking 5,000 to 10,000 IU daily instead of single 50,000 dose weekly. Secondly, make sure you take your D3 (D2 is useless) with some "saturated" fat (like cheese or bacon if you are lactose intolerant) ... D is a fat soluble vitamin.

[echo]

OK, so any other "scientific" evidence that reduction in Vitamin D levels leads to getting sick more often? I've read this often on Dr Mercola's website but haven't found any publications on the topic. Anything else besides the surfer study (which i still need to read) ?

[DreamStalker]

OK, so any other "scientific" evidence that reduction in Vitamin D levels leads to getting sick more often? I've read this often on Dr Mercola's website but haven't found any publications on the topic. Anything else besides the surfer study (which i still need to read) ?

This should keep you busy for a while ...

http://nephropal.blogspot.com/search/label/vitamin%20d

[echo]

awesome! thanks DS!!!

[Captain_Midnight]

D.S., thanks for the good site!

Here is another. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

John Cannell is one of the leading authorities on vitamin D and it's varied applications.

.

[Jersey Girl]

I am taking 1000 IU D3 daily but I am NOT vitamin D deficient and still I get sick at the drop of a hat, but mine usually start out as sinus infections. I have found that the humidity in my cpap treatment seems to help and now that spring has come I am taking Zyzal - a prescription like Zyrtec without the extra ingredients. I was doing a nasal rinse with AYR but am not allowed to put my head down at the moment - due to vertigo treatments at the ENT.

I was surprised that people who were exposed to so much sun were still found to be vitamin d deficient. Interesting study- thanks for posting that info.

Regards to all,

Jersey Girl

[howkim]

OK, so any other "scientific" evidence that reduction in Vitamin D levels leads to getting sick more often? I've read this often on Dr Mercola's website but haven't found any publications on the topic. Anything else besides the surfer study (which i still need to read) ?

Go to http://www.pubmed.com. Put this text in the parentheses in the search box - "Vitamin D Deficiency/mortality"[Mesh] - and click on the search button.

I take Vitamin D supplements - D3. I have been found to be deficient (19 when the lower limit of the reference range is about 30) before. I alternate 1000 and 2000 IU per day, totalling 11,000 IU per week.

[kteague]

I recently started taking a daily multivitamin plus iron (low ferritin), C, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc, Rx Potassium, and a low dose of D3 (rarely see the light of day). Didn't want to take a lot of the D3 since I don't know how much of a need I have. I'm wondering if the increased awareness of the sun's risks and the need for sunscreen is affecting the reported widespread Vit D deficiency.

I glad you all have been discussing this in recent months. I started reading up on it, particularly to see if there are any people or conditions who should not take it. Glad I did, because I ran across some material cautioning those with sarcoidosis about taking large doses. I have a friend who was recently tested and found to be deficient, but I mentioned to her about the warning. Now her primary doc and the doc who treats her sarcoidosis have to decide how to get her level up without causing a flareup of her autoimmune disorder. Anyone have any experience with that?

[Muse-Inc]

Mine was 15 yikes!!! Took increasing doses over 18 months to finally get it to 66. Now, having done the European Stoss Protocol severals times (500 IU of D3 per # wt for just 3 days) to ward off a virus and taking 5,000-10,000 IU D# daily, my levels are finally at 100.

[ozij]

Mine was 12.x.
I didn't have respiratory infections -- but my leg muscles were soooo painful!

O.

[DreamStalker]

Dr. BG's Animal Pharm Bolg has some good suggestions for vitamin D3 dosage here.

[Muse-Inc]

Dr. BG's Animal Pharm Bolg has some good suggestions for vitamin D3 dosage here.

Scary chart at the beginning!!! So happy mine's finally at 100!

[AirBreather]

OK, so any other "scientific" evidence that reduction in Vitamin D levels leads to getting sick more often? I've read this often on Dr Mercola's website but haven't found any publications on the topic. Anything else besides the surfer study (which i still need to read) ?

The November 2007 issue of Scientific American magazine had an interesting and informative article entitled "Cell Defenses and the Sunshine Vitamin." The magazine is widely available in libraries worldwide. The first part of the article is available on-line here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... ne-vitamin