Vitamin D deficency

I met my new GI last Thursday for my annual visit and blood draw. I noticed on the summary sheet he gave me that he was checking kidney and live function along with vitamin D. I ended up getting a call from my GI's patient coordinator today saying that I'm mildly deficient in vitamin D. I'm supposed to take 2000 IU a day for 3 months and then come in and see him again.
I know A LOT of people are deficient but are vitamin D levels something your GI usually checks? I don't ever remember my previous peds GI checking it so I was a little surprised I guess.

Caly,

Congratulations! You have a fantastic doctor. Google 'vitamin D IBD', Crohn's, or ulcerative colitis and you will begin to appreciate why your doctor tested you. So many other doctors only know about toxic drugs.

While you are at it google 'vitamin d cancer', heart disease, or vitamin d anything.

Oooo that's good to know!!! The place where I see my GI is one big business with clinics all over. When I had to switch I asked my previous dr who he'd recommend and he gave me a list of names. So I choose my GI and he happens to be an IBD specialist within the practice which probably explains the vD levels. I've read that vD levels have a lot to do with the immune system and inflammation.

My gastro, who subspecializes in IBD treatment, has been very big on Vit D testing for ca. 6 yrs now. Supposedly 30 is the lowest acceptable "test" score, below which patients are supposed to get supplements. It's good that your new gastro plans to retest in a few months. Vit D can be toxic at high intake levels. I had an allergic reaction to the 50,000 unit supplement containing calcitriol. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

MY NP always has vitamin D checked with his patients.  He told me it has become so widely found in Americans especially.  Both my husband and I were "mildly" deficient.  Not sure what that means but taking 1000 units a day and feeling much better - more energy and less fatigued which can go along with UC!

ElaineNY

Actually 26.2 is pretty good considering that you did not supplement with D before now. Most surveys show the average American much lower. The rule of thumb is that for every 1000 IU taken as a supplement your number goes up about 10 points. So with your doctor recommending an extra 2,000 IU will put you about 47 which is right in the middle of the optimum range of 40-60. Expect your number to go down a bit in the winter when you are out of the summer sunshine. Lifeguards are typically in the 70's. Nature has built-in safeguards to prevent overdosing from sunshine but there is no protection if you get excess D from pills.

I am always outdoors in the summer and take an extra 3,000 iu per day and can still barely keep my level in the 30's. I don't know why I need so much. Just guessing but maybe because I don't take meds my body needs extra D to control excess inflammation?

I recently found out that I am deficient in Vitamin D as well. I didn't get the # but she said to take a supplement and that I am deficient. I hope it is improving. I've only been taking between 1000 and 2000 iud a day. She actually said I should take a multivitimin but I haven't started yet. I don't like to add anything new while I am somewhat stable.

Interesting post. My daughter's ped GI checks her D levels regularly. She was in the 60s at diagnosis but they wanted us to give her a supplement (which we do) because levels should be in the mid 70s or higher to be in the "theraputic range" for IBD.