Anyone know about Vitamin D levels?

[gower4]

I was told yesterday by receptionist that my levels have come back as too low (29). Everything else normal.

Does anyone medical know whether this level can be boosted by over the counter supplements alone, or would it require a boost from a prescribed dose? Doctor not available to discuss until next week.

[nethunsreject]

Former nurse here, but not my specific area. However, from dieticians I worked alongside, supplements are recommended for most people in the UK, doesn't need to be expensive ones, as it's easily absorbed. May as well take one while you wait? Won't harm you. Any D3. We just take the Wilkos one. Dead cheap.
Hope you feel the benefit soon. Doc will probably give you a high dose. But under supervision only.

[nethunsreject]

And yeah, definitely speak to doc!

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

Love your username Nethunsreject would you say there's enough vitamin d in regular multivitamins to be sufficient? Thanks

[nethunsreject]

Ha! Cheers! It depends, just check the label for % of recommended daily intake. You'll get some from food and, hopefully, sunlight too! NHS choices is pretty good on amounts for specific groups. Anecdotally, dieticians I worked with all took it and gave their kids it too. It was usually the only supplement they recommended, for otherwise well fed people.

[gower4]

Thanks for this advice. Bumping in case anyone else has a view on the specific level

[Hecateh]

I take these
<a class="break-all" href="https://smile.[[//amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-Maximum-Strength-Supplement-Softgels/dp/B072L235Z5/ref=sr_1_5?s=gateway&crid=FRNI4DFEPXP4&keywords=vitamin%20d&sprefix=vit%2Caps%2C242&qid=1556201901&sr=8-5&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">https://amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-Maximum-Strength-Supplement-Softgels/dp/B072L235Z5/ref=sr_1_5?crid=FRNI4DFEPXP4&keywords=vitamin%20d&qid=1556201901&s=gateway&sprefix=vit%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-5&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21]]
I I have been taking these for 3 years now and have my vitamin D tested every 6 months to a year a my vitamin D was low.
These have brought it up to mid range

[avocadochocolate]

I had a hospital appointment a few days ago and was advised to take under the tongue vit D spray. Apparently, it is more easily absorbed than tablets . Prior to that I was taking supermarket tablets. I'm not really quite sure why I was told to take the spray because after I took the tablets (initially prescribed by GP) my vit D level got up to normal.

[NicoAndTheNiners]

Mine came back at 33 recently. Dr told me to get stuff over the counter. You can buy it cheaply from amazon which I've done in the past. GP told me to take 1000iu a day but I'm actually taking 3000 for the first month or two to boost it quicker. Then I'm going to use 1000 as a maintence dose,

[NicoAndTheNiners]

Dd takes the spray. She has malabsorption issues so the spray works better for her. Her spray dose I think is 5000, might be 3000.

[NicoAndTheNiners]

And no there isn't enough in regular multi vitamins I don't believe. Go said I needed a specific vit d one,

[FixTheBone]

Depends on when and why the sample was taken, and why the level is low.

You need to talk to your doctor about whether you need supplementation, by what means and how quickly. Rapidly replacing vitamin D can result in fatal electrolyte disturbances if done without monitoring and care if you don't know what you're doing.

[schnubbins]

My DS aged 20 was so unwell both physically and mentally at the end of last year that I got him checked out by the Dr.He had a very low level of Vitamin D at just 8 . He has since been on high dose Vit D tablets and his last blood result was 29 .I am still not clear on how a very healthy sporty, well nourished young man could have such low levels.He spent last summer outside most of the time as the sun shone almost every day here He was lactose intolerant as a baby and was milk free till three years of age but no problems since.He is doing better now since taking supplements but when his levels were low he was so unwell.

[gower4]

I had the test because of joint and general aches and pains after all my other tests were normal

[TakeAChanseyOnMe]

Agree on the spray. I use this one.

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/betteryou-dlux-3000-vitamin-d-oral-spray-60012895

Tastes of mint so pretty pleasant. NHS tablets are usually only 800 units. In the UK we just don’t get enough sun to make sufficient vitamin d all year round, everyone should take supplements IMO (and I’m generally anti supplements).

[BestIsWest]

Mine was 29 and I was given 4500 for 10 weeks. Have continued to self supplement at the same level.
Mine was 8 a few years ago but there was an underlying cause - among the usual ones are coeliac or parathyroid disease which I had.

[EllieBow]

I was given a loading dose by my GP of 50,000 units once a week for 7 weeks. Now I take a 1000 unit daily maintenance dose.

[SpoonBlender]

Recent research has come back to say that the D levels are an indicator - fixing the levels with supplements doesn't help anything much. What you actually want to do is get out in the sun more, which does a lot more than just raise your D levels.
sciencebasedmedicine.org/vitamin-d-supplements-do-not-reduce-the-risk-of-cancer-or-cardiovascular-disease/ for a reasonable writeup.

[EllieBow]

Interesting article, but I don't need take the vitamin D to prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease, I need it for my muscular skeletal issues. I can't get enough from the sun or diet.

[avocadochocolate]

@SpoonBlender I'm out in the sun all the time, have pale skin and I still had v low vit d. The sun in Britian is not up or the job.

[BestIsWest]

We can’t get vit D from the sun in the UK between October and March.

[Deadheadstickeronacadillac]

Mine was 7, injection did nothing.
Did take 20,000 u per day for 3 months, this worked though not necessarily advisable.
Normally order 5,000 u softgels and take appropriate number; mostly 2 per day in divided side.

[Notanidiot]

A blood test showed my vitamin D level was 25. So was prescribed high level dose to take once a week for 7 weeks.

Tested later on and found to be a little higher but still too low. Was prescribed some more to take for three months.

Need to get another blood test to see if any improvement.

[SpoonBlender]

@avocadochocolate I discovered I was low D when I got tested a couple of days after spending a week in Greece on the beach. Still doesn't make taking a pill efficacious in any way apart from passing the "how much vit D is in your bloodstream" test.

[avocadochocolate]

Very interesting @SpoonBlender. So how do we get enough vit D?


(And I've just been laughing to myself because my DD has just told me how tanned I am, even though I have not been abroad since October)

[NGC2017]

I was virtually deplete of vitamin D so am on them for life.
They were initially prescribed but I found them much cheaper to buy in store or online and has done a fantastic job for me