dosages

[kelly4545454]

Is anyone concerned about recent articles suggesting that too high of dosages of Vit D is harmful? What I read recommended no higher than 400mg/day???

I was diagnosed with very low Vit D as well. Not so sure I want to take supplements. Concerned about how many people are coming up deficient that should not be. I have had serious cognitive issues, very tired, heavy eyes, depression, sometimes anxiety...a lot of which I see is in this user group.

I also have problems with prebiotic/probiotics, I have serious "die off" symptoms??? I think is what it's referred to.

Now suffering from abdominal pain, bloating, yellow mucous every time have a bowel movement...
Is there a rise in Celiac disease? IBS?

Is it possible to lose the ability to absorb whatever is needed for your body to produce Vit D? What is going on?

[kelly4545454]

That makes a lot of sense, the lifesyle changes and the use of sunscreen. It just seems so drastic with so many people searching for answers to a wide range of symptoms and taking years to figure anything out.

Thank you everyone, this has been really helpful.

[Seattleanne]

I don't think the increase in deficiency is as dramatic as all that... It's happened over time since the start of promoting & using sunscreens and general lifestyle changes. What makes it seem dramatic is that doctors are now testing for it and finding that they've missed it for decades.

The medical community is slow to embrace the vitamin d info/science, but the officials who set daily recommended limits are even slower.  (Particularly, but not limited to, in the US.)
Canada has a much better grasp of what limits should be and even they might be low.
I've taken 10k iu daily for 3 months of d3(dry formula) and my level went from 9 to 38. Still low, but much improved. And although the healing process for vdd is as bad as the original condition and takes 3-12 months to feel better, I'm pretty sure that's the body healing and not adverse effects from taking d.
I'm now taking 5k iu/day and feel no difference.

I know the levels talked about might seem alarming, but what is truely alarming is that both the FDA and the medical community still largely tout 400iu as optimal. Out in the sun for a short period of time, the body produces between 10k and 25k iu.

It is important to know that d3 is far superior to d2 if you are supplementing. Doctors in the US ONLY prescribe d2, so you're better off going to a supplement store.
D3 is 1.7 times more effective, is far more bio-available, and is, I think, easier on your body. (d2 must be converted by your body into d3 before it is of use). D3 is what your body makes in the sun.
Also, look for a dry formula, as opposed to one in oil caps. Bluebonnet makes a really good affordable well regulated product.
Two sites that have been really helpful to me ( besides this one) are:
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/Symptoms-of-Vitamin-D-Deficiency.html#axzz1DQkIyOsT

And

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Welcome and good luck!! :)

[kelly4545454]

What I read is from accessments of current data by the IOM

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D.aspx

[FurballsMom]

If you read Dr. Mercola's website, you'll find the answer to your question.  What you've read is something the FDA puts out.  The FDA's recommendations for daily vitamin D intake are far too low even for young children.  I've been using 5,000 iu D3 gel caps daily.  Right now that is just for maintenance, because I definitely don't want my vitamin D level to drop to the level I started out at, which was only 8.  That nearly killed me.  I had to be on those megadoses each week along with 2,000 iu daily of the D3 just to get the level boosted up to a level near the 30 mark.

Dividing the vitamin D throughout the day hasn't been necessary for me, but some people are sensitive to the vitamin D supplements, so it makes sense to me that the above post talks about dividing the dosages and taking it with meals.  And, too, some people with autoimmune issues are really sensitive to the vitamin D supplements because of the autoimmune issues.

[kelly4545454]

Please forgive my ignorance, I believe it was 400 IUs not milligrams. I am new to all of this. Was just recently diagnosed with low Vit D levels living in one of the sunniest of places in the US. I have very fair skin(Italian and Danish on my mother's side) but on my father's side there is some African American and possibly Native American(Delaware Moor).

I feel that there is an alarming increase of people deficient in Vit D? Has anyone found any genetic or ethnic connections to all of this? I was always thought that darker skin was like sunscreen and was the cause of the decrease in producing Vit D, but for me that is clearly not the case although many of my relatives are African American.

During a big chunk of 1995-1998 I was working on a midnight shift so I didn't get as much sun as I should have. I'm sure a lot of people are seeing less sun these days with technology and other things playing a role. I was just wondering if after time of not getting enough sun, is it possible for your body to lose some of it's ability to make Vit D?

Here is a link to the article I was referring to. After reading most of the dosages being taken in this forum it is just alarming? Also reading in this forum would you say that a lot of people take the high dosages of Vit D to later find that it didn't increase their levels sufficiently or were not able to sustain it? Are they to take it for the rest of their lives? I'm not meaning to alarm anyone, I guess like a lot of you here just looking for answers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40423327/ns/health-diabetes?GT1=43001

ps. I have also read multiple times that people have tested a few times(blood test) for Celiacs and came up negative but there is a panel of tests that would be more accurate and also genetic testing(available online) that determines predisposition since it can develop later in life.

Thank you so much for your help and your answers! Helping me to understand a lot more.

[Phyllis2010]

I've found that 4000 IUs D3 gel caps works for me. My levels are 41 up from 20. I'm now continuing to take 4000 IUs but, if on my next blood test, I've plateaued at 41 then I'll go up to 5000 IUs daily. I've had problems tolerating mega doses of D2; however, I seem to do fine with D3 especially if I divide my dose in 3 and take it with meals. 2000 IUs with breakfast, 1000 with lunch, 1000 with dinner.

[9na]

Hi! I haven't seen any of these articles - could you link to one of them, maybe?

I know I have to take supplements - living in Norway and being deficient in D really doesn't give me much choice... I haven't been on mega doses, that's not done here. My doctor prescribed 800 IUs, which is far from enough to raise my levels as far as I've read. I started taking 2-3000 IUs of D3, then I upped it to 5000, and then again to 7400. I've read that up to 10 000 IUs a day should be safe - but how many IU's would 400 mg be?

I also should say that yesterday I decided to reduce my dosage again. I seem to be getting new symptoms, which I don't like... For the last month or so I've been burping very much, for example, I never had problems with that before. I also wonder if the high dosage could be causing me to be more nauseus and dizzy? Time will show, now I'll be on 5000 IUs for some time.

I do know that VDD can cause IBS, but I also believe that VDD-symptoms can mimic IBS in many ways...so it's hard to tell. I had a blood test to check for celiac, that came back fine.

You ask if it's possible to lose the ability to absorb D - sure it is. Malabsorbation may follow from celiac, kidney disease etc. Also para thyroid (is that what it's called in english?) should be checked. But blood tests will rule those reasons out - they did for me, and the doctor now reckons it's 'just' VDD.

Don't know if I managed to answer any of your questions, but I hope so... :)

9na