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Vitamin D question

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Posted 9/23/2009 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
I know we discussed this recently, but I could not find the post.  How much Vitamin D do you take a day?  I just was tested and the only thing my doctor's office said was that it was low.  He said to take 400 units of Vitamin D3 daily and retest in 2 months, but I read that those levels are really outdated now.  I am almost 52 now, so I am thinking about taking at least 1,000 units.  Does that sound about right, and could you also tell me how well you digest it?  I am very sensitive to vitamins, they upset my stomach, and am just curious how others do with this Vitamin.  Thanks for your replies.

Hugs

Gail*Nanners*

Posted 9/23/2009 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
I know that I use Dr. Mercola's Vitamin B12 spray and my last blood work came out great for that. My doctor said to keep diong whatever I was doing.

Having said that, he has a D3 spray as well, and he recommends 5000 units a day, quite a bit more than your doc. The spray bottle isn't that expensive, and I notice a difference (though again, that's B12, not D3). The spray bottle is about $15 and each spray you give yourself is 1000IU. Hope this helps.
Posted 9/23/2009 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
Yes very helpful thank you. Do you notice it upsetting your stomach at all? I am soooo sensitive to vitamins upsetting my stomach, I worry about that alot, but everything I have read is that Vit D could be very helpful to my situation so would like to try it.
Posted 9/23/2009 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Nanners,

I have been on a prescription of Vit D for years. I take 50,000 IU a week, one pill/once a week. When I was tested last year, my levels were still really low, so my doctor wanted me to add a Vit D tablet daily. I now take 1000 IU daily in addition to my weekly dose. When I was tested this spring, my levels were still low. Not sure how much more I could take. I think it just goes through me so fast that there really isn't much I can do. But as far as them bothering my stomach, they don't seem to do any damage, but I don't seem to be as sensitive as you.
Posted 9/23/2009 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks my CD twin!!! I was just reading an article about how Vitamin D3 can really help with people like myself who suffer with chronic pain. Kinda excited to give it a try. Hopefully my sensitive tummy will be ok with it.

Thanks!
Gail*Nanners*
Posted 9/23/2009 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting article I read about Vitamin D, especially those like myself who suffer with chronic pain daily (Fibro etc).

http://pain-topics.org/pdf/vitamind-brochure.pdf

Hugs
Gail*Nanners*
Posted 9/23/2009 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
I take 4000 IU a day which is what is suggested by people working with vitamin D. It is in the form of an emulsion (for better absorption) and it is 1000 IU per drop. You can get stronger stuff from the same source - 2000 IU per drop. The company is Biotics Research and I got mine from my naturopath, but you should phone around to see if you can get it. Avoid fish oil sources of vitamin D as they can cause problems - quite apart from their awful taste. I personally don't notice any upset from taking it, but I am not as sensitive to vitamins either (as long as I take them with food). The spray that ExJohnson talks about sounds interesting, but I don't see it being absorbed directly through the skin like B12 and I wonder about the taste - if you are spraying it into your mouth, you will get the full benefit of the flavor!
Posted 9/23/2009 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
i'd go with a high dose at first, - 2,000 IU/d plus. use that as a loading dose for the next 2 months, or until you get retested then readjust accordingly. 400 IU/d, imho, from what i've read, sounds like a maintenance dose. of course it also all depends on your latitude and amount of sun exposure and what time during the day you get the sun exposure and if you're wearing a sun block with an SPF above 8 as that blocks out virtually all UVB light which is what converts the cholesterol deposits in your skin to vitamin D. i use carlson labs vitamin D3. they are very small pearls. they have never caused me any problems. take it with some fat, like a spoonful of coconut oil or some avocado as vitamin D is fat soluble. take your calcium supplement the same time as your vitamin D it really boost absorption of the calcium.
Posted 9/23/2009 10:07 PM (GMT 0)

Hi

I don't have Crohn's but I do have malabsoprtion issues.  I take 50.000 iu 3 times per week of Vit D3.  I get mine from Vitalady online and have never had any upset from taking it.  Make sure you take the Vitamin D3 and not D2.  I took D2 (prescription strength 50,000 iu) and it did NOTHING for my levels.

Posted 9/24/2009 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
My son's been taking 4000 IU of D3 for about two years now. I take about the same amount, too. Hope it works for you!

According to Dr. Mercola and Dr. John Cannell (founder of the non-profit Vitamin D Research Council), the lab that gives the most accurate blood test for D3 is Lab Corp. Just thought you might want to request it next time you have yours checked!
Posted 9/24/2009 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Ok, I know we are not suppose to  promote products..... I take antioxidant strips that are absorbed in the cheek and right into the blood stream.  My brother got me started on them, my neice has CD like me.  They have vita D and it is absorbed.  if interested email me they are like the listernine strips, they bypass the stomach and go right into the bloodstream.....

only trying to help......

*Sorry had to remove your email so you didn't get hit by spammers*  Please go into control panel and edit your profile and put your email addy there*

Post Edited By Moderator (Nanners) : 9/24/2009 7:15:55 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/24/2009 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
I take calcium citrate because I read that gerd meds reducing our stomach acid make it hard to get the calcium from carbonate which is a typical source of it.
Posted 9/24/2009 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
Well I took 1,000 iu lastnight and so far so good, no upset stomach. I am now taking a total of 1400 iu daily and will continue that until next testing. I hope that I am still low, so that he can see how ridiculous 400 iu is. From what I read yesterday, that is based on a old scale, and is actually low by todays standards. Most naturopaths recommend minimum 1000 i.u. I live in Southern California, but work in a office all day, so really can't get enough from just the sun. Thanks so much for all your thoughts.
Posted 9/24/2009 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
Anyone know recommendations for children and D3?  My daughter's about 70 lb. and takes 700 IU daily. Should she take more due to Crohn's?
Posted 9/24/2009 3:43 PM (GMT 0)

MoobyDoo said...
Anyone know recommendations for children and D3? My daughter's about 70 lb. and takes 700 IU daily. Should she take more due to Crohn's?

You might want to check Mercola's website for dosage for children... A quick, cursory look turned this up with thoughts on how much an infant should be given to avoid T1 diabetes:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/11/17/vitamin-d-diabetes-part-one.aspx

I think it's possible your daughter could need more... Maybe next time you have blood drawn you could request a test. Just remember Lab Corp! Also, you might check out the Vitamin D Research Council's website. Maybe they've done studies with children.

*activated your link*

Post Edited By Moderator (Nanners) : 9/24/2009 9:56:06 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/25/2009 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
Zanne, the prednisone might be blocking absorption of vitamin D.

Posted 9/25/2009 4:43 AM (GMT 0)

MoobyDoo, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation in the US recommends at least 800IU vitamin D daily.

The doctor can test her vitamin D status, to see whether she is low, as well as to track whether supplementation is helping - the link below, from Mercola's site, is explicit about which vit D test should be used...

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-deficiency-part-one.aspx

exJohnson, thanks for the info. I didn't realize there was a nanotechnology-based supplement like this, and tomorrow will contact the manufacturer to ask what research supports the safety profile of these supplements. The problem with nanotechnology is that it is not tightly regulated, and its potential for toxicity has not been fully explored.  

Post Edited (njmom) : 9/24/2009 10:49:53 PM (GMT-6)

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