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Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,844
Registered: ‎10-03-2011

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

[ Edited ]

 


@hoosieroriginal wrote:

contribute to likelihood of MS - also taking Vitamin D if you have MS can help reduce the recurrence of relapses.  Do you take enough Vitamin D?  The more reports I see on the good effects of Vitamin D, I think it should be something that is routinely checked during annual checkups.  A co-worker was vegan and she went for an annual exam and he said he had never seen anyone with such a low level of Vitamin D in their system.  I take it regularly with my vitamins (800 mg) and then take another 1,000 mg a couple of times a week, plus I'm outside every day walking dogs. 


@hoosieroriginal - are you sure the dose you're referring to is in mg?  My understanding is that Vitamin D is dispensed in International Units (IU's).  The recommended amount of Vitamin D has changed within the last few years.  DH and I supplement 5,000 IU's daily in addition to whatever might be in our food.  People need to be careful not to overdo it though.  I know someone who was of the mindset that if some is good, more is better.  She was taking 10,000 IU's daily and ended up with some "plumbing" problems and kidney stones. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,520
Registered: ‎03-04-2012

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...


@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:

 


@hoosieroriginal wrote:

contribute to likelihood of MS - also taking Vitamin D if you have MS can help reduce the recurrence of relapses.  Do you take enough Vitamin D?  The more reports I see on the good effects of Vitamin D, I think it should be something that is routinely checked during annual checkups.  A co-worker was vegan and she went for an annual exam and he said he had never seen anyone with such a low level of Vitamin D in their system.  I take it regularly with my vitamins (800 mg) and then take another 1,000 mg a couple of times a week, plus I'm outside every day walking dogs. 


@hoosieroriginal - are you sure the dose you're referring to is in mg?  My understanding is that Vitamin D is dispensed in International Units (IU's).  The recommended amount of Vitamin D has changed within the last few years.  5000 IU's daily is generally good.  DH and I supplement 4,000 IU's daily in addition to whatever might be in our food.  People need to be careful not to overdo it though.  I know someone who was of the mindset that if some is good, more is better.  She was taking 10,000 IU's daily and ended up with some "plumbing" problems and kidney stones. 


@JeanLouiseFinch - oh, I'm wrong - IU's -sorry about that.  Yes, I can imagine too much of anything can be bad for you. 

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,930
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

[ Edited ]

@Moonchilde wrote:

Several years ago it was discovered on routine labs that I had extremely low vit D levels. I was given a Rx and checked again in a month. I was WNL (within normal limits) THEN, but not by a lot.

 

I did quite a bit of reading up on vit D and decided that for many reasons I never want to be low again. It's necessary for so many things, and lack of it affects many important brain and body functions. I take 5000 IU per day. It's cheap.

 

And for those who heap scorn on those who are low in vit D and crack "just go out in the sun" - well, hopefully they won't express their ignorance in this thread as they have in similar threads. As we age, the body loses the ability to both hold onto and absorb vit D, whether in pill form or from the sun. Add to that medications one might be taking which might have an effect on absorption, and people can easily be walking around clueless, without symptoms, because they have o reason to suspect anything's wrong.


@Moonchilde Not all of us can get the Vit D from the Sun all times of the year.

 

Latitude and vitamin D production in the skin

Map from Harvard Medical

 

Except during the summer months, the skin makes little if any vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north (in the United States, the shaded region in the map) or below 37 degrees south of the equator. People who live in these areas are at relatively greater risk for vitamin D deficiency.

 

Sunshine Calendar you can Google to see larger & read the print at the bottom.

Sunshine-Calendar.png

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,844
Registered: ‎10-03-2011

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...


@hoosieroriginal wrote:

@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:

 


@hoosieroriginal wrote:

contribute to likelihood of MS - also taking Vitamin D if you have MS can help reduce the recurrence of relapses.  Do you take enough Vitamin D?  The more reports I see on the good effects of Vitamin D, I think it should be something that is routinely checked during annual checkups.  A co-worker was vegan and she went for an annual exam and he said he had never seen anyone with such a low level of Vitamin D in their system.  I take it regularly with my vitamins (800 mg) and then take another 1,000 mg a couple of times a week, plus I'm outside every day walking dogs. 


@hoosieroriginal - are you sure the dose you're referring to is in mg?  My understanding is that Vitamin D is dispensed in International Units (IU's).  The recommended amount of Vitamin D has changed within the last few years.  DH and I supplement 5,000 IU's daily in addition to whatever might be in our food.  People need to be careful not to overdo it though.  I know someone who was of the mindset that if some is good, more is better.  She was taking 10,000 IU's daily and ended up with some "plumbing" problems and kidney stones. 


@JeanLouiseFinch - oh, I'm wrong - IU's -sorry about that.  Yes, I can imagine too much of anything can be bad for you. 


That's OK, @hoosieroriginal.  It's an easy mistake to make.  When doing my supplement research I found there's a lot to keep straight - IU's, mg., mcg.  

Valued Contributor
Posts: 937
Registered: ‎06-24-2010

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

Low Vitamin D levels can affect your thyroid function, also.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

@Nightowlz, I know that - it was my point ;-)

 

There have been vit D threads on the forums before, with smart arthes berating anyone who is low in vit D or needs to take supplements as stupid or lazy because "all they have to do" is go sit outside for an hour or two a day and presto, no vitamin D deficiency.

 

As you say, there isn't sun(light) everywhere all the time. Plus, it's fact that as we age our body starts to lose the ability to absorb and make vit D through the skin. I never knew that until I started reading.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,665
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

Many years ago I was under the assumption I was getting plenty of it because I spend so much time in the sun.  Then it "dawned" on me that in NE Ohio the sun isn't that strong, and in fact we don't see that much of it anyway!

 

I've been taking a 2,000 I.U. gel cap twice  a day for several years (I started with only half that).  I think people are at an even greater risk of being low due to the added use of high SPF sunscreens.  Those sunscreens also block the Vitamin D.

Laura loves cats!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,603
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

Thanks for that map @Nightowlz. It really correlates perfectly with the reports of 70% of US population being deficient.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 644
Registered: ‎09-30-2012

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...

Medicare wouldn't pay for my vitamin D tests unless you had just the right diagnosis code.  There were three tests they wouldn't pay for and the lab wanted to charge me $300.00 for those three tests.  Medicare pays around $9.00 for thr three tests.  If your doctor orders them make sure he uses the right code.  Osteopenia is a reason that medicare accepts.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Report that lack of vitamin D can...


@m0rgan wrote:

Medicare wouldn't pay for my vitamin D tests unless you had just the right diagnosis code.  There were three tests they wouldn't pay for and the lab wanted to charge me $300.00 for those three tests.  Medicare pays around $9.00 for thr three tests.  If your doctor orders them make sure he uses the right code.  Osteopenia is a reason that medicare accepts.


 

 

Very good to know, @m0rgan. Thank you! 

Life without Mexican food is no life at all