Vitamin D3 Deficiency

[Biciclista]

luna, if you read the literature the amount of Vit D that caused overdoses in studies, that was hundreds of times more than the high doses being suggested now.

We have gone from an animal who lives outdoors naked to an animal that lives INDOORS and either covers up or puts sun screen on every portion of their body that is touched by the sun.

Because i have osteo and my sister and mother and aunt (etc, etc) have it, i have been reading all i can about this.
Living where I live, there isn't even enough Vit D producing rays for MONTHS in the winter/spring/fall even if I was outside all the time and wasn't covered up.
Is it a coincidence that diseases like MS seem to be more prevalent in the PacNW?

[OakLeaf]

Is it a coincidence that diseases like MS seem to be more prevalent in the PacNW?

That's not what I said at all. (That would be both reductionist AND defeatist.)

When you don't get enough sun, your vitamin D levels will be lower than someone who does. You will also have disruption to other hormones. Is it vitamin D that's responsible for the health problems? One of the other hormones? Or (most likely) more than one of the hormones in combination? Taking a vitamin D pill won't affect your melatonin levels, your leptin levels, or the levels of any other hormone that's influenced by your sun exposure. (Serotonin and dopamine are suspected, too: from today's NYT http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/0...=me&ref=health ... and dopamine is implicated in many symptoms of MS.)

I just read what was described as the classic example of correlation-is-not-causation: ice cream sales correlate very tightly with drowning deaths. Come to think of it, high vitamin D levels probably correlate very tightly with drowning deaths as well, for the same reason. But I don't think you have to worry about an increased risk of drowning if you take a vitamin D pill.

[KnottedYet]

I take 8,000 I.U. of vit D-3 per day, and I'm still below normal. But then I do have a messed up gut that doesn't absorb nutrients properly. My pale ancestors lived in the gloomy high latitudes and ate massive amounts of fish. I live in the gloomy high latitudes and also eat massive amounts of fish, but I don't absorb the dang vit D right AND I managed to get the evil-est skin cancer (which means no sunshine for ME!)

The take-home message here is to have your blood levels checked as you figure out your dosages. If you have clear signs of vit D deficiency your doc may push you to try to get into the high side of normal. Blood levels are the best indicator, as opposed to intake levels.

(BTW, even with my supplemented levels below normal, my doc says I'm higher than the average Seattlite.)

Did your doc also check your iron levels? B12? Being low in those can also wipe you out pretty good.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My gynecologist had me do a blood test for Vit D levels last year.
I wear plenty of sunscreen usually because I'm very fair skinned.
YAY!- turns out I have excellent blood levels of vit D...must be because I've always taken vitamin supplements and little Norwegian fish liver oil capsules for years.
This is a relief to me also because my grandmother had severe osteoporosis and I fall in the high risk group. I hope to avoid the worst of that with diet and exercise.

[marni]

my doctor has had me on calcium supplements 1000mg along with vitamin D 1000mg for several years because she says that although she knows I am a biker, she knows that I am fair skinned, green eyed, subject to possible skin cancer and compulsive about sun screen. So far I haven't grown a third eye or had any adverse effects.

[Biciclista]

Marni, living in Texas, I imagine you are in pretty good shape.

[limewave]

I take 2000mg of Vitamin D a day, prescribed by my doctor. I cannot believe the difference it makes. I don't need it during the summer. I start it up in October/November and usually go until March or so.