Vitimin D, can it have this effect?

[SistersofPercy]

We had a discussion over on AIBU last week about being pale and someone mentioned vitamin D if you don't get in the sun much. Now, I don't go out a great deal it has to be said and if I do I avoid sunlight.
I have Hypermobility and scoliosis so take 30/500 codeine, Diazepam and Nortryptilene daily for this. It's tended to leave me pretty lifeless as well as the painkillers affecting my bowels (TMI, apologies)

Anyway, just over a week ago I started to take vitamin D supplements. This week my bowels are as normal and regular as they were before the painkillers, my joints are a lot less clicky and I have double the energy. I've been in the garden all morning, pottering and moving plants around etc, something I've put off for the last 4 months because I didn't have the energy.

Whats going on here? Have I found something I was lacking with the Vit D or am I just having a good week lol

[perfectlybroken]

Vitamin d deficiency can have an enormous effect on your physical and mental state. I'm surprised you saw an effect so soon but lets hope it continues!

[DayLillie]

I found it improved my joints (had a lot of neck pain) and I felt like I was enjoying things more. It wears off if I do not take it for a couple of weeks.

No joy on the bowel front though

[MadameJulienBaptiste]

I had a vital d deficiency the other spring after a terrible summer meant I didn't get much sun/daylight on my skin.
Tiredness but couldn't sleep, bones aching, weight gain etc etc.
vi d on a high doSE from the doc for a few months but I felt better for taking them with 10 days.
I am naturally very fair skinned so don't sunbathe, but that year I'd hardly been out without a coat on!
You don't need to sunbathe or be in direct sunshine, just bare some skin and sit out in the shade lunchtimes - I go sleeveless or short sleeved and take my cardi off for a bit, and I'm bare legged between May and October.
We neeeeed daylight on our skin so if the only bit of you not coVerde with clothes is a face with spf on it then you will become vote d deficient.

[MadameJulienBaptiste]

Daylillie you need to keep taking it for ages at a decent dose to make up any deficiency and build up stores to get you through winter when days ate shorter and we are more covered up in the cold.
Don't just rely on supplements, get some daylight on your skin.
vitd also affects calcium levels so in long term osteoporosis is a risk.

[SistersofPercy]

It's been about 8/9 days since I started taking them. Wasn't sure whether it was all psychosomatic or whether I am seeing benefits but I really do feel 'better'.

I don't tend to bare skin, I wear trousers all the time and feel the cold so I'm usually in long sleeves (DH jokes summer is here when I'm down to one layer). My foundation has spf in it and after the thread I sat and thought about how much natural light I absorb and concluded very little.

Bowel is the biggest difference for me. The codeine tend to make you constipated but I've been fine since a few days after starting.

Yay for vitamin D! I'm now wondering whether to raid Holland and Barratt for a good multivitamin.

[SistersofPercy]

Interesting you mention osteoporosis as that runs in the women on my Dads side. DH is always nagging me to take a calcium supplement because of this but I can't face the chewy ones. Not actually looked for a regular calcium tablet.

I guess its a knock on effect, the vit D has given me more energy to get outside and absorb natural sunlight too. I'm going to jetwash the patio now!

[misscph1973]

That's great for you! I haven't experienced this myself, but I have heard similar stories before.

How much do you take? You can safely take up to 5000 IU daily. Make sure it's D3. I get mine from Amazon, cheapest.

[SistersofPercy]

It's D3 and the bottle said up to 2 a day so I figured I'd start with the higher dose. Each tablet is 400 IU so I'm taking 800 IU in all.

These are Holland & Barratt ones, only because I was passing at the time. I'll shop around next time and have a look on Amazon, thank you.

[DayLillie]

I take 25ug (1000iu). I have tried the spray but found that it did not work as well for me.

[Sallycinnamum]

A woman I work with recommended vitamin d as I was complaining I felt anxious and down in the dumps more and more these days. Within two weeks I felt much better and yes, I was actually going to the loo more often rather than once a week!

I stopped taking them a couple of weeks ago because I'd run out and bam the anxiety came back with a vengeance. It's only just occurred to me reading this thread that it maybe down to the vitamin d as it just slipped my mind that I'd stopped taking them.

[GatoradeMeBitch]

You just reminded me to take mine! I take the Healthy Origins ones.

[Bettertobehealthy]

As many of you know I do promote Vitamin D for our bodies.

I have posted here many times about it, have a look at some of my old posts and threads. I try and give an overview of the latest research/ knowledge about this really important subject. Many people think Oh well .... its just a vitamin everybody keeps on about it ...! Not realising that Vit D is actually a vitally important hormone, lack of it means you are short of an essential nurtrient which allows your body to function as it should.

Vitamin D has only 1 known effect. When it becomes converted (in our bodies by 2 hydroxy groups - to the hormone form ) it allows our cells to read genes in our DNA. At least 2000 genes are affected , that is 10% of all your chromosomes. Lack of vitamin D can lead to a reduced response of those cells to normal signal like body hormone/chemical signals.

For instance sallycinnamum , Vit D affects your mood , .... Why ? Well, vitamin D turns on the gene that converts an amino acid called Tryptophan into Serotonin, in the brain , that's why , when you take anti -depressants which boost your serotonin levels ( SSRIs) you feel less anxious less depressed etc. Vitamin D naturally allows you to make more serotonin and you feel better. Now that is just one gene. Imagine what bad effects could occur if 2000 different genes for hundreds of body functions can't get enough Vit D. Of course, if you have some Vit D those functions won't just stop , but they will be compromised to a greater or lesser extent. A situation like that is a recipe for long latency disease. Such as cancer, cardio vascular , MS, osteoporosis and so on.

Vitamin D enables your body ( or more precisely your cells ) to operate at their full potential. You must have enough Vitamin D available to those cells.
Throught our evolutionary history , we have had levels of approx 120 to 140 in our blood. but now , because we avoid sources of vitamin D , we have levels about 1/3 to 1/2 of that , ( in this country - UK )

sistersofpercy It is great that you are now taking some , as supplementation , or sunbeds are really the only way us Northern people can get enough. Summer sunshine ( without burning ) is great and to be encouraged, BUT you can only make Vitamin D in your skin between about 10 and 3 in the summer months. In the winter months Nov - Mar you cannot make any , UVB is absent from sunlight.
SPF suncream of factor 15 or more stops your skin making vitamin D, even in the summer, Leave it off for 20 mins at least. !


Hope all this helps , sorry to go on about it ....but it is desparately important. For instance many many kids are short of vitamin D , leading to infections which could be fought off by their
own immune system. Many auto immune diseases are linked to Vit D deficiency. Even the government have guidlines to top up kids, but it seems only about 1 in 7 are receiving their recommended amount.

In order for most adults to get their levels up to a more acceptable level you will need at least 1000 , and more than likely 2000 to 3000 IU per day. If you have measured your level, then you can work it out. A dose of 1000 IU , will , in general, raise your level by 25 nmol/l.

[BishopBrennansArse]

I have fibromyalgia, hyper mobility amongst other things. My symptoms are greatly alleviated by vitamin D supplements and sunshine.

I also find a light box beneficial in winter.

[43mumof2]

may i just jump in if thats ok as i to have been diagnosed low Vit D , im on Fultium D3 800 iu one a day for 3 months ,

iv had a whole host of symptoms for months , joint pain, mild fluy feeling off and on (not sure related ) so tired all the time , depressed , anxiety , brain fog , to name a few , thats the only thing that came up in bloods , my level 27

i had no idea how important it is , i do feel bit better been on them for a month , doctor didnt seem to bothered to re test just said everyone is low in vit D these days ...

very interesting to read more about it .

hope you feel better soon OP sister x

[BellMcEnd]

Better thank you very much - fascinating post. This thread is so interesting, many thanks to Sisters for starting it.

Massive apologies for hijacking but I was wondering if you could recommend a good supplement, Better? My Vit d level is 40 and I feel crap: low in mood which is not normal for me to the point where I've wondered if I'm depressed - again, not normal for me. I also ache all over, I feel like I've aged about 50 years in the last 6 months. I'm a shift worker with 3 small children and I try to get outside as much as possible but not always easy. Sun beds would be difficult with my toddler who is a poster child for the terrible twos .

[BellMcEnd]

And YYY to everything you say, 43, especially the "brain fog", fluey feeling and GP

[43mumof2]

butting in again , BellMcEnd , good to hear your thoughts to, and symptoms , my doctor was very little help , just said Vit D can cause a whole host of symptoms difficult to say if mine were related .... but talking with others seem they are very related !
do you have similar to mine ? has your doctor given you tablets to help you ?

[BellMcEnd]

My GP just said "hmmm, yes. It is low. Take some vitamin d from the chemist. Anything else I can help you with? No? Jolly good!" .

It was a friend of mine that suggested I look into Vit d levels when I moaned (normal for me) at work about all my aches and pains. She'd had the exact same thing last year and has been taking vit d for several months now. She says that she's gone from feeling 98 to feeling like she could rule the world.

I so hope this is what a bit of a supplement will do for me!

[yongnian]

I've discovered the major benefits of vit d lately...biggest difference is that it pretty much sorts out my chronic insomnia. Love it for that and am recommending it to all and sundry. Cheap too! Great stuff.

[yongnian]

Ps bettertobehealthy what are the recommended amounts for kids? Think my DD1 would benefit...

[MarchLikeAnAnt]

I was recently diagnosed with vit D deficiency, my levels were 12.5nmol. I've been prescribed 3000 IU daily and 20,000iu once per week, which works out as 41,000 IU weekly. I feel like a new woman! Less aches and pains, clearer skin, no more brain fog and I feel so much happier. I wish I had been tested a long time ago.

[43mumof2]

yes i only got mine checked and asked for it to be done , as a friend of a friend had all my symptoms to ...if i hadnt had the conversation id be none the sizer ...!! my doctor was quite reluctant to do it saying everyone has low Vit D and everyones always comes back low ....but im glad i did as least i got an answer kind of for how crap i was feeling ..

hope everyone feels better soon !

[43mumof2]

• wiser i mean ..oops

[SistersofPercy]

Hijack away! Fascinating reading all your experiences.

better fascinating about the absorption of vitamin d, given what you have said I'm now 100 certain I've had low levels (and probably for a few years ) and thinking about it I'm adamant dd (17) also has low levels. She's also hyper mobile but also tired all the time with no get up and go about her. Of course this could be because she's a teenager but it could also be low levels.
I had a chat with her about it earlier and she's started to take them so it will be interesting to see if she has similar results.

I've always kind of pooh poohed vitamins theorising you'll get what you need from a healthy diet, but actually when you stop to think about it you can eat all the healthy food in the world and it won't make a jot of difference if you arent getting sunlight.

[Wheretheresawill1]

I was severely deficient partly due to working in a medium secure unit and partly because of a bowel problem that I can't bear to get investigated :) I had to take 100000 iu of vitamin d once a week for 5 weeks then I'm now on a maintenance of 1600iu daily. It took a good 3 months for me to feel better in terms of energy which my medic bfriend said was normal. It had no effect on bowel or muscle pain