Vitamin D

[Grey Hawk]

I notice a lot of people on here are taking it. Currently I just take a multi vitamin and sometimes a B complex as well. What advantage is there to taking vitamin D? I did read months ago about there may be a link between low levels of vitamin D and auto-immune diseases, but since we all already have it, why take supplements now?

 

[D Bergy]

Some of us have one autoimmune disease, and some have more than one. I do not want any more, and if vitamin D can help prevent that, then it is worth taking a supplement. It also reduces inflammation, and we do have an inflammatory disease.

I take 10,000 iu in the Winter months. Half as much in the Summer.

Low vitamin D levels may play a role in many adverse health conditions, other than Crohn's.

It is cheap insurance.

See the full article in the link at the bottom.


And recent studies suggest low vitamin D may be putting the elderly at higher risk for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and life-threatening falls and fractures.

But beyond bone and muscle problems, some evidence suggests a dearth of vitamin D may be associated with an array of more serious illnesses, including many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and immune-system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43711-2004May20.html

Dan

 

[Grey Hawk]

Some of us have one autoimmune disease, and some have more than one. I do not want any more, and if vitamin D can help prevent that, then it is worth taking a supplement. It also reduces inflammation, and we do have an inflammatory disease.

I take 10,000 iu in the Winter months. Half as much in the Summer.

Low vitamin D levels may play a role in many adverse health conditions, other than Crohn's.

It is cheap insurance.

See the full article in the link at the bottom.


And recent studies suggest low vitamin D may be putting the elderly at higher risk for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and life-threatening falls and fractures.

But beyond bone and muscle problems, some evidence suggests a dearth of vitamin D may be associated with an array of more serious illnesses, including many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and immune-system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.


Dan

10000 ui? isnt that a lot?

 

[Lydia]

10000 IU is not a lot considering our skin can make that spending 15 min in direct sunlight. This is a good link on the benefits of vitamin D. I take 4000 IU per day and my levels are good. My daughter takes 2000 IU per day and she is almost 3 years old.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

 

[CDDad]

I just had a physical and my doc tested Vit D as part of the blood work and I was deficient. She prescribed 50,000 weekly. But, if you read about it, the prescription Vit D is D2, and everything I read says to only take the over the counter D3. So I'm taking 7,000 daily of D3 until I get retested in 8 weeks.

Ask your doc to test for it duing your next blood work.

 

[LOSTnut]

My doc just put me on one 50,000 units of D2 weekly, too.
I haven't researched it but think I remember that D3 is something your body makes with the help of sunlight. Well, HS is quite in the past for me and technology might have marched on ... so I could be wrong

 

[xJillx]

Can you take too much Vit D?

 

[Rebecca85]

www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/vitamin-d some of the research into that very question!

 

[D Bergy]

10,000 iu may seem like a lot, but my blood levels dropped to half of normal last Winter, when I was using less.

It is theoretically possible to overdose, but realistically, one hour in the sun in Florida is going to produce wayyyy more than 10,000 iu.

Since I have never heard of a case of vitamin D over dose, I think the odds are pretty good, it does not happen in reality.

Dan

 

[Grey Hawk]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but quoted from bodybuilding.com(I can't post links yet)

Toxical effects: 5000 IU is the established toxicity line, but usually it is recommended to not exceed 600 IU.
And you guys are saying 10,000iu is okay? And are we talking D2 or D3 here?

 

[Fog Ducker]

D3. There is a TON of conflicting info on the net, but if you look at both sides the anti D side is just trying to be cautious I think.
Lots of good info on here
http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm

 

[Lydia]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but quoted from bodybuilding.com(I can't post links yet)

Toxical effects: 5000 IU is the established toxicity line, but usually it is recommended to not exceed 600 IU.
And you guys are saying 10,000iu is okay? And are we talking D2 or D3 here?

I dont think its a problem if you are monitoring your levels. I have taken that much daily and I am fine as proven by my levels.

D3 is the better of the 2 forms.

 

[soupdragon69]

As has been said here the key is testing your blood levels. I have mine usually done in the autumn so I have baseline pre winter. This time with changing GP, moving house, getting married etc I didnt have it done so tomorrow its being added in with the rest of my blood tests by my GP.

One reason I would also say its good to keep an eye on your blood levels is because I was on D3 supplements with calcium for 18mths - tried 2 different types and just didnt absorb it - my levels still dropped. If nothing else at least my GP, gastro and rheums teams all know I need the injectable format now which is only once a year - hooray!

 

[girlygirl]

Hi Everyone,

One of my Docs checked my Vit D levels a while back, and found them to be VERY low. Mine was at 4%. She advised that vit D is normally absorbed in the Ileum, and that with CD.. a lot of times you will have inflamation there which prohibits the absorbtion of vit D. So, i've been taking 50,000/1x/wk too. She is going to re-test my levels when i go back. But i had my General practitioner check them during my last bloodwork there. and my levels were barely up to 30%(after @ 3mos of wkly vit D), which is on the low end of being in the normal range. And i also read on-line that its rare to have too much vit D. So, the actual prescribed one D2 is pretty safe as long as your dr is checking your levels regularly. I think after your levels are in a standard normal range then you just take a lower dose suppliment. But apparently it is vital to have enough of the vit D in your system.

 

[D Bergy]

I hope you meant vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) because that is the form that naturally occurs from sunlight exposure.

D2 (Ergocalciferol) does not naturally exist in the human body but is in plants in a very small amounts. It is only about half as effective as D3, and has more potential for toxicity if an overdose occurs. There is no good reason to use this form, that I can find.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/vitaminDPharmacology.shtml

Vitamin D experts are all recommending D3 as the supplement to use.

Dan

 

[girlygirl]

Ergocalciferol (Vit D2) 50,000 Unit Capsule - that's the one I take..

From reading about D2 vs D3 - the D2 is the only synthetic vit D available by RX. That's probably why it's prescribed at such large doses when treating deficiency

 

[D Bergy]

It seems odd to me to treat a deficiency of D-3, with a different substance that does not even exist in the body, when the original product is readily available.

Dan

 

[girlygirl]

Not too sure on that one Dan. But maybe it's because if the ileum is very inflamed high dosages need to be prescribed that can be monitored by the Dr. I think I read somewhere that D-2 is higher in those with a vegan diet.. dont know the specifics though. I do know that my pharmacist said that sometimes the dosage I'm taking 1x/wk is prescribed daily for certain conditions.. probably leukemia, and related conditions..

 

[D Bergy]

It would make sense that since plants do contain D2, that eating a plant based diet would result in some D2 in the body. It would still be a very small amount.

I have my D tested once in a while, that is how I knew my lower dosage was not doing the job in the Winter months. Even in the Summer, the sunlight at this latitude is not all that strong. I can see why most anyone living here would be deficient. Especially since most of us do not work outdoors.

My Brothers D level was undetectable when he was tested. He used 50,000 iu just to get it to a deficient level. That can't be good.

Dan

 

[girlygirl]

So sorry about your brothers levels.. mine were at 4% which is why i'm on the 50k IU's.. it was to get them into a very low normal level. My levels were never tested until recently, and that was by my Rheumatologist when the docs thought I had Lupus too. I've been reading here and there and working to educate myself as much as possible on everything. Since CD snuck up on me it's been like a domino effect.. finding one thing after another. low levels, high levels, off labs, inflamation here, there, thyroid nodule, fistula/abscess.. it's amazing to live your life thinking you're healthy to having to visit dr's every week, wondering what your body will do next.
I'm glad you get your levels tested! I would have never thought to do that before.