OT: Vitamin D levels a question or two

I know this has been a topic of discussion before but I cannot seem to find the info. I wanted when I did a forum search. I was Dx'd with low vit. D levels over a month ago and was prescribed 50,000 IU's once a week for six weeks. That high dose gave me acid reflux and so I have been taking an otc vit. D at 3-4,000 IU's per day. My doctor said a normal level was around 30 but from what I have read it should be closer to 50. Mine was 20.3. What level is normal? How long did it take to get there and did you see any side effects from taking high doses? At first I noticed that I began to sleep better and feel more alert and so much less tired during the day but over the last 10-14 days that "good" feeling and the better sleep have gone by the wayside!! I may try the 50,000 IU's again just to see if the reflux returns. I had another follow-up blood test today and will get the results in a few days. Any suggestions?? Thanks-"Grumpy"

My rheumatologist says the higher the better. IIRC, he'd like to see mine closer to 80, but after more than six months of taking OTC D3 2000IU daily, my latest levels were in the 50s, up from the low 20s. There's some debate as to what constitutes "normal." It takes quite a while for D levels to increase. I noticed the same benefits you mentioned at first, but I no longer notice. I bet if I stopped taking the vit D, I'd start feeling worse before too long. A limited course of D is not going to be much help, because your levels will drop again once you stop taking it.

Vitamin D (along with A, E, and K) are fat soluble, and as such, are the vitamins that can build up to dangerous levels.

(The water-soluble vitamins are just excreted if too much is ingested.)

So follow your doctor's advice, but don't go nuts.

jdm2857 wrote:Vitamin D (along with A, E, and K) are fat soluble, and as such, are the vitamins that can build up to dangerous levels.

(The water-soluble vitamins are just excreted if too much is ingested.)

So follow your doctor's advice, but don't go nuts.

That's why my doc does regular blood work. I expect that when I get to the range he's looking for, I'll go on a regimen other than daily.

Sounds like you have a prudent doc.

Hi grumpy Girl.

I think my levels of Vit D are OK, but a Dr friend recently told me to include 1000 units of D 3. He had been involved with the NIH with Muslim women who wore the Hijab. According to him they found young women with advanced osteoporosis.
I'm sure it is worry to you to have your levels that low.
"Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
Office of Dietary Supplements • National Institutes of Health"

"Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone. It is also needed for bone growth Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.

Vitamin D has other roles in human health, including modulation of neuromuscular and immune function and reduction of inflammation."

I copied the inform. from National Institutes of Health. couldn't find the amount needed to maintain health, but on another site they said the minimum amount would be 70mg. Since vit D is measured in International Units, I don't know about that information. I have a Health Book that says if you are having bone loss to avoid food with high salt content, and moderate your use of caffeine and alcohol as they contibute to bone loss. My neice was nauseated by Vit D, her dr told he to take it with orange juice. She did and lost the nausea. Good luck in finding the levels you need.

I read in a magazine to increase Vit D levels, get as much sunlight on your skin as possible. They also said not to use sun screen if you are trying to increase the Vit 5, because the sunblock also blocks Vit D. Jan

I just had this conversation with my son(he's an MD) and our Internist told us the same thing a few months ago. The only supplements they recommend besides the multi would be Fish Oil(Omega3s) and Vit D,1000mg/day. We're seniors so I don't know if it would be different for you young folks.

Sunlight on one's skin indeed causes the creation of vitamin D.

I was just diagnosed with low Vit. D levels also. My doctor prescribed Vit D 1.5 mg every Mon, Wed. and Fri. for 4 weeks then 1 x's week for 4 weeks and then 1000mg over the counter. It is amazing what they say Vit D can affect if your levels are too low. Of course we know it is important for bone and tooth health and is associated with scurvy. Now there is evidence that low levels may play a part in breast cancer, heart disease, depression, especially seasonal affect disorder, which may help more than SAD light therapy. Calcium and Vit. D may also play an important part in weight loss. If you do a search on Vit. D levels, you can find out allot of information.

Rosie

grumpygirl wrote:I was Dx'd with low vit. D levels over a month ago and was prescribed 50,000 IU's once a week for six weeks. Did you see any side effects from taking high doses? "

Grumpy,
I was DX with Vitamin D deficiency and prescribed the same regime you were. I had side effects of facial flushing, sweating and restlessness......I reduced the dose down to 1,000 IU's 3 times a week and the follow up lab was in the 30's. Like already mention, Vit D is fat soluble and can become toxic if you get to much. So, monitor with caution. Regarding sunlight and Vit D production. With sunscreen use there has been an increase in Vit D deficiency with protecting the skin from sun. Also, people who live in colder enviromnets may have an increase of Vit D deficiency because of inability to have adequate sun exposure. People with renal disease may have difficulty with Vit D deficiency as well.

elg5cats

Thanks everyone for your responses. After looking more closely on line I noticed that one of the side effects of too much Vit. D can be tiredness and frequent urination both of which I have experienced in the last few weeks. I think to be on the safe side I will lower my dose to 2,000 units a day and see how it affects me. I also noticed that I had facial flushing, sweating and restlessness like elg5cats also experienced. Maybe I'm one of those people who just can't take too much all at once. I am really drug sensitive so maybe the Vit. D side effects should have been expected. Thanks again for all the info, as always this forum comes to the rescue again!!!! "Grumpy"

Oh goshes. There are two forms of vitamin D they can test your blood for. Vitamin D 25 hydroxy and Vitamin D1 25 hydroxy. Vitamin D is sometimes used to monitor individuals with diseases that interfere with fat absorption, such as cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease, and in patients who have had gastric bypass surgery and may not be able to absorb enough Vitamin D. 25-hydroxy vitamin D is often ordered before an individual begins drug therapy for osteoporosis. Parathyroid gland function is essential for vitamin D activation. Occasionally, drugs used to treat seizures, particularly phenytoin (Dilantin), can interfere with the production of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the liver.

I was on 100,000 IU of vitamin D weekly for about a year before being started on Forteo for osteoporosis. I was kept at that level for about 3 years then dropped to 50,000 IU weekly and the last 6 months or so I've been dropped to 50,000 IU every other week. Yep, I had regular blood draws all this while.

I've forgotten most of this stuff, but one form of the vitamin D is active and one is inactive and one of the two actually acts as a hormone if I remember correctly.

Quest Labs was touted as having THE best vitamin D blood test. They were just recently fined and taken to task by the government for their test not being quite up to snuff. Quest Labs has NEVER by one of my favorite labs. In fact, I refuse to use them.

According to my reference (I do medical editing, so I've got all the books for this stuff), normal range is 30-74 ng/mL, slight variation among labs. An adequate daily dose is probably 800 mg if you get some sun exposure, probably 1000 mg with minimal sun exposure (winter, housebound, etc.) Of course, you will need more in order to catch up if you have a diagnosed deficiency. Because it is fat soluble, your body doesn't excrete it readily, which means you can develop problems from too much vitamin D. It's a bad idea to take large doses unless your doctor has recommended it for deficiency.

[quote="Slinky"]Oh goshes. There are two forms of vitamin D .........I've forgotten most of this stuff, but one form of the vitamin D is active and one is inactive and one of the two actually acts as a hormone if I remember correctly.quote]


I was told only to use the Vitamin D in the softgels not the tablet version..can't remember which version it is either.

elg5cats

Diagnosed with extremely low levels last Sept, my doc said my crying jags would likely disappear (they did thank goodness, they were very embarrassing). Rx-ed 50,000 IU ergocalcitrol (D2) for 8 wks, then 1000 IU over-the-counter D3 likely for life as I sunburn in flash & avoid being in the sun (better living thru chemistry ya know *G*). Dec 08 testing showed it barely into normal. Reading the Vitamin D Council, I upped D3 to 2000 IU since Dec 08. Getting tested again in a wk.

EDIT: I had no side effects; I took it mid-meal at dinner (my largest meal).