Agreement with our other Guru poster regarding the prescription Vitamin D2. It has been shown to be not supported well by the body as it’s not a form of vitamin D the body recognizes, hence, it may be why you weren’t feeling well on it. Vitamin D3 is the way to go. Here in the Northeast, 15 min. a day of sunshine is not doable. We are lucky to have 3 days of sunshine a week! I have no fear of skin cancer from the sun. All those warnings just sells more sunscreen. Getting sunburn after sunburn due to over exposure is what increases one chances of skin cancer, not just getting some rays.
I would strongly recommend getting your Vitamin D levels checked. As a Registered Dietitian I thought I was doing everything right and I still tested very low. I am not supportive of the prescription Vitamin D – Vitamin D2 that some Physicians order. I recommend taking the Vitamin D3. Get checked first!!
Per The North American Menopause Society, a daily intake of 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D is recommended, either through 15 minutes of sun exposure daily (without a sunscreen), diet, or supplementation. If you are deficient in vitamin D you may require more. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring), eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. Per the National Institutes of Health “You cannot get too much vitamin D from sunlight, and it would be very hard to get too much from food. Generally, too much vitamin D is a result of taking supplements in too high a dose.” If you take too much vitamin D as a supplement you can get a condition called Hypervitaminosis D. An excess of vitamin D causes abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood, which can eventually severely damage the bones, soft tissues, and kidneys. It is almost always caused by forms of vitamin D that require a doctor’s prescription. Vitamin D is safe when used in the doses natures uses. Great question! Thanks Helen.
Thank you all. I was very low, level 12? I was on 50,000 IU once a week for 2 months (but stopped after a month, did not like how I was feeling), now I’m on 1,000 IU/day to maintain. I do try to sit in the sun, for 15 minutes each day without sunscreen, but it’s normally morning sun.
If you were taking prescription 50,000 IU you were taking Vitamin D2. It is of course easier to take but I don’t recommend it. I like the Vitamin D3. When I make recommendations to MDs I always suggest the Vitamin D3 in divided doses. Also be sure to take with meals with fat in them – Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is absorbed with fat in the meal. Sunscreen will block conversion of Vitamin D (actually is a precursor of cholesterol) on the skin.
I was recently diagnosed with very low D and once I get thru the initial build-up, I’m told I need 1000unit per week. The drawback to the daily sunshine concept (says my Doc), is that you cannot wear suncreen to get the full benefit of the suns rays; I’d rather take a supplement than risk skin cancer.
Yes, I’ve heard that too much vitamin D is toxic. I know that a lot of buzz about low vitamin D and what it can cause. The best thing that you can do is to get at least 15 min. a day of sunshine.
0 Answers
Barb Steadman wrote on :
I take 2,000 units of D3 per day. My doctor indicated that at that level, it’s hard to “overdose.”
gardencoach wrote on :
It may be hard to overdose at that level, but it may or may not be enough! The only way to know is to get tested.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
AGREE!!!
Tami Abiuso wrote on :
Agreement with our other Guru poster regarding the prescription Vitamin D2. It has been shown to be not supported well by the body as it’s not a form of vitamin D the body recognizes, hence, it may be why you weren’t feeling well on it. Vitamin D3 is the way to go. Here in the Northeast, 15 min. a day of sunshine is not doable. We are lucky to have 3 days of sunshine a week! I have no fear of skin cancer from the sun. All those warnings just sells more sunscreen. Getting sunburn after sunburn due to over exposure is what increases one chances of skin cancer, not just getting some rays.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
I would strongly recommend getting your Vitamin D levels checked. As a Registered Dietitian I thought I was doing everything right and I still tested very low. I am not supportive of the prescription Vitamin D – Vitamin D2 that some Physicians order. I recommend taking the Vitamin D3. Get checked first!!
Staness Jonekos wrote on :
Per The North American Menopause Society, a daily intake of 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D is recommended, either through 15 minutes of sun exposure daily (without a sunscreen), diet, or supplementation. If you are deficient in vitamin D you may require more. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring), eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. Per the National Institutes of Health “You cannot get too much vitamin D from sunlight, and it would be very hard to get too much from food. Generally, too much vitamin D is a result of taking supplements in too high a dose.” If you take too much vitamin D as a supplement you can get a condition called Hypervitaminosis D. An excess of vitamin D causes abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood, which can eventually severely damage the bones, soft tissues, and kidneys. It is almost always caused by forms of vitamin D that require a doctor’s prescription. Vitamin D is safe when used in the doses natures uses. Great question! Thanks Helen.
Helen Kenney-Poore wrote on :
Thank you all. I was very low, level 12? I was on 50,000 IU once a week for 2 months (but stopped after a month, did not like how I was feeling), now I’m on 1,000 IU/day to maintain. I do try to sit in the sun, for 15 minutes each day without sunscreen, but it’s normally morning sun.
Staness Jonekos wrote on :
Happy to hear you are on a daily program of 1,000 IUs per day to maintain a healthy level, and enjoying a little sunshine.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
If you were taking prescription 50,000 IU you were taking Vitamin D2. It is of course easier to take but I don’t recommend it. I like the Vitamin D3. When I make recommendations to MDs I always suggest the Vitamin D3 in divided doses. Also be sure to take with meals with fat in them – Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is absorbed with fat in the meal. Sunscreen will block conversion of Vitamin D (actually is a precursor of cholesterol) on the skin.
recordsclerk wrote on :
I have been taking approx 10,000 IU per day all winter and have not been sick at all. I got this amount from an article I read.
DawnMarie Helin wrote on :
I was recently diagnosed with very low D and once I get thru the initial build-up, I’m told I need 1000unit per week. The drawback to the daily sunshine concept (says my Doc), is that you cannot wear suncreen to get the full benefit of the suns rays; I’d rather take a supplement than risk skin cancer.
deborah weed wrote on :
Yes, I’ve heard that too much vitamin D is toxic. I know that a lot of buzz about low vitamin D and what it can cause. The best thing that you can do is to get at least 15 min. a day of sunshine.