Vitamn D supplements - how much to take

[KatyMac]

I have diagnosed Vitamin D deficiency & the version the GP gave me upset my tummy. So he asked me to find some that agreed with me & work out what dose helps me - I have found a reasonable one (a spray) which seems to be working - but I'm not sure what dose

Currently I'm on 3000 IU a day but I've seen 20,000 twice a week as a recommended dose - which I could do by doubling up, so morning & night - but I didn't understand the twice a week thing rather than the everyday thing

If you supplement how much do you take?

[KatyMac]

Bump

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I take 5000IU a day when I remember. Have never had levels checked. This is a useful site:
www.vitamindcouncil.org/

[Kittykat7]

A pharmacist should be able yo advise you. I have osteoporosis & take a Vit D & calcium high dose tablet twice a day. It's absorbed better splitting the dose am & pm..
I am in Australia so I'm not familiar with UK brands now. I did have a highly strength tablet that I took once a month. I don't see that Dr anymore now. The tablet had to be made at a compounding pharmacy so I do t know if that option is available in the UK.

[DayLillie]

I am not sure about IU. Mine have ug (u = greek letter mu, ie micrograms). One IU is supposed to be 0.025ug

5-10ug per day is ok for every day, 25ug/day to get levels back up to normal. I take a cheap sainsbury's 25ug.

If your levels are seriously low, the doctor should be able to give you an injection. One gp I saw seemed a bit disappointed mine wasn't that low

[RockinD]

How much you need to make your levels replete will depend on your starting point. However, I could get no real help from the NHS when my level was 10 ie 40 points below the beginning of the range, and I found 5,00ius a day raised the level pretty quickly and now, like a previous poster, I take 5,000iu when I remember.

If you’re in the UK, Google vitamin D protocol plus your area and see what comes up. That should give you good up to date guidance.

I had an injection at one point, but it was D2, not D3 and my already perilous level actually went down!

[LollyLondon]

Good question, but don't know the answer I'm afraid. I'm on 20,000iu three times a week, but it's a pain trying to remember. I have reminders on my phone, but a daily dose would be easier to fit into a routine IYSWIM.

I am going to check with GP at next appointment.

[KatyMac]

I'm thinking maybe 3000 every morning and an extra 3000 every other day would be closest to 5000 a day

Pharmacist Suggested RDA which is tiny & even the GP agreed was too low - the GP just suggested messing around with amounts until I was happy

I wasn't that low at 27 so I guess I can be a bit generous for a while to get me up to normal levels - the GP said they wouldn't retest for at least a year, so I won't know if it's working

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I think its pretty hard to overdose in vitD, so you can safely experiment a bit. The vit D council website (above) lists a lab that will test your levels privately.

[KatyMac]

Off to buy some more

DH has decided he needs some too, he might be might as he is Jamaican

[Rikalaily]

When my vit D was low my GP prescribed me Pro D 20,000, I was told to take one a day for 14 days then one a month.

[KatyMac]

Thanks

[Miiaaoow]

I was diagnosed with a severe Vit D deficiency a while back. My level was 10 and i was prescribed 10,000iu a day for a month, then 5000iu a day for 2 weeks after that. Then 2000iu for ages. When I eventually had my levels retested about 12-18mo later - my level was 117!

When I was diagnosed, the factory had burnt down(?) so I was told to buy some from holland and barrett which gave me no side effects.

Anyway, I now take 3000iu a day (if I remember). I think 3000-5000iu daily/every other day is a safe enough amount to keep your levels optimal. I believe the biggest risk is kidney stones, but you'd have to be taking a ridiculous + prolonged dose for that.

I would definitely suggest that you DH takes some. Many white people are deficient, so I would bet money that his levels are pretty low too.

Waffle Waffle. Sorry :)

[Icyblue]

My vitamin D level was deficient at 21 so my GP prescribed 2 weeks of 20,000iu daily and then 3 months of 800iu. After completing the 3 months course I had my blood retested and my vitamin D level went up to 63. I'm now taking 1,000iu as maintenance.

[RockinD]

The protocol I am looking at says 1,000iu once the level is over 75.

I take 5,000iu when I remember (so effectively about three times a week) and like to keep my level over 100.

I am a different person from when it was 10!