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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is vitamin D stopping me from catching everything like usual?

78 replies

Butterflypattern · 26/08/2021 12:34

I’ve been taking vitamin D3 everyday since last March.
I’m usually catch everything going as I work in a school and I have a toddler who goes to nursery. He’s just got over a very nasty virus (not Covid) but he had a high temp, cough etc and was ill on and off for over a week. Usually I would catch something like this, but I didn’t.
I haven’t actually been properly ill since around September of last year when I had a generic virus that was mostly sore throat, fever and snotty.

I also haven’t had either vaccine because I’ve got a severe phobia of needles.

So I guess I’m just wondering is vitamin D3 helping my body warn off infections and viruses?

OP posts:
Mummadeze · 27/08/2021 07:44

I want to say no to this. I take vitamin D. I am vaccinated. And I have just had the nastiest virus I can remember having which wasn’t Covid. Bad cold which attacked my chest, throat, sinuses, gave me a headache, sneezing, cough, lost my taste. Have had PCR tests and it isn’t Covid. It is a nasty Summer cold. On top of Vitamin D I also take other immune system boosting vitamins and iron tablets. Am shocked by how ill I have felt.

DrNo007 · 27/08/2021 07:44

I’ve had exactly the same experience as you, OP, since beginning to take vitamin d at start of pandemic. I also take high dose c and zinc.

Piggywaspushed · 27/08/2021 07:48

I mean this is it, isn't it? Most healthy people think they never get ill, until the y get ill! My DF has no spleen and is 82. Fit as a butcher's dog but every so often gets a mystery virus which he can't fight off and ends up very ill in hospital. There are very few people who think they are ill all the time, unless they have a condition which weakens their defences.

frumpety · 27/08/2021 07:49

I haven’t actually been properly ill since around September of last year when I had a generic virus that was mostly sore throat, fever and snotty

Did you get tested for covid when you had this generic virus ?

Ticksallboxes · 27/08/2021 07:58

Well I've been the complete opposite strangely since Covid started - about 15 times now over the past year and a half I've had flu-like symptoms for a couple of days, convinced it's something nasty, but then it just goes.

Until I was double jabbed I was taking Vitimin D, Vitimin C and some other expensive stuff which was meant to protect your respiratory system. I was also doing the 20 second hand-wash whenever I returned home (still do), wearing a mask out and social distancing.

Very odd.

Ticksallboxes · 27/08/2021 08:00

I should mention that I also had three negative PCR tests during that time.

doublemonkey · 27/08/2021 08:08

Yes, definitely OP. Most people nowadays are Vit D deficient.

onelittlefrog · 27/08/2021 08:09

@Butterflypattern

I’ve been taking vitamin D3 everyday since last March. I’m usually catch everything going as I work in a school and I have a toddler who goes to nursery. He’s just got over a very nasty virus (not Covid) but he had a high temp, cough etc and was ill on and off for over a week. Usually I would catch something like this, but I didn’t. I haven’t actually been properly ill since around September of last year when I had a generic virus that was mostly sore throat, fever and snotty.

I also haven’t had either vaccine because I’ve got a severe phobia of needles.

So I guess I’m just wondering is vitamin D3 helping my body warn off infections and viruses?

No.

The reason people are not getting ill this year is because we've been isolating, wearing face masks, using hand gel and generally being a lot more careful due to Covid.

Vitamin D does help support your immune system but the majority of people will get enough through just being outdoors anyway. It's not a magic pill.

GoodnightGrandma · 27/08/2021 08:11

I take vit D in the winter only, and I haven’t had a cold.
However, I know that the HV’s saw a big drop in D&V when we first started wearing masks and washing hands. And flu cases were a lot lower last year.
And I’m still wearing my mask, so I believe that that’s why I haven’t been ill. Not because of the vitamins I take.

TheWoleb · 27/08/2021 08:13

@Balonzette

And what are you talking about?

I said exactly that. I said vitamin d boosts your immune system. Not sure why you think I didnt?

SexTrainGlue · 27/08/2021 08:26

Better hygiene, mask wearing, and keeping away from people for a day or two (awaiting test) when you have new symptoms will have made the most enormous difference to transmission of many diseases

Cocomarine · 27/08/2021 08:37

What are you doing about the needle phobia?

OpheliaOpholia · 27/08/2021 08:38

Whenever somebody says they haven't been vaccinated there will always be a bunch of bossy posters that come along and demand the OP gets the vaccine.

The vaccine is not mandatory.

The posters reasons for not wanting it are relevant to her, mocking a severe needle phobia isn't going to make her change her mind and run along to get the vaccine.

Similarly trying to persuade people with severe allergic reactions and a history of anaphylaxis, that they'll probably be ok, isn't going to force them to get the vaccine either.

Worry about your own vaccination status for goodness sake. I'm sick of seeing it.

Foghead · 27/08/2021 08:45

Possibly op. Vitamin d is being recommended by many drs as it does help the immune system.
It might not stop you from getting ill but it could help with better recovery.

phishy · 27/08/2021 08:49

@OpheliaOpholia

Whenever somebody says they haven't been vaccinated there will always be a bunch of bossy posters that come along and demand the OP gets the vaccine.

The vaccine is not mandatory.

The posters reasons for not wanting it are relevant to her, mocking a severe needle phobia isn't going to make her change her mind and run along to get the vaccine.

Similarly trying to persuade people with severe allergic reactions and a history of anaphylaxis, that they'll probably be ok, isn't going to force them to get the vaccine either.

Worry about your own vaccination status for goodness sake. I'm sick of seeing it.

Actually people are annoyed at OP for trying to imply she hasn’t had COVID because of Vitamin D tablets.

She’s peddling myths.

Billandben444 · 27/08/2021 09:12

The posters reasons for not wanting it are relevant to her, mocking a severe needle phobia isn't going to make her change her mind and run along to get the vaccine
Didn't see any mocking. Needle phobias are a bit of a bummer for blood tests as well as vaccinations so I wonder how that works out. Nobody cares if the OP has the vaccine or not but to mention covid in a post about vit D supplements is irresponsible when you see how many gullible people there are on MN.

BIWI · 27/08/2021 09:19

No other posts in this OP's name. I wonder why that is?

TheWoleb · 27/08/2021 09:21

@OpheliaOpholia

Nope. That's not the problem. The problem is saying that she hasn't been I'll since taking supplements (good for her, she must be feeling a lot healthier) and then slipping into the post that she is unvaccinated, and since she just said she has not been sick at all we know she is unvaccinated and has not had covid.... and she is trying to link that to vitamin D supplements.

Dangerous, irresponsible and totally wrong.

Like I said, I eat watermelon every day. I only got my first vaccine a few weeks ago. I never had covid before that, despite having kids back in school and also back at all their clubs and using public transport. Did the watermelon stop me getting covid? No. It didnt. Improved hygiene measures did.

It's fine if OP does not get the vaccine. As long as enough people in the population get it, then that's fine.

What is not fine, is writing a post about how a supplement has kept her from getting any illnesses and mentioning being unvaccinated.

If she hadn't mentioned the vaccine at all, then this would just be a post about general health and wellbeing. But she mentioned the vaccine because she wanted it to be a "look at me; I dont need to vaccine because of vitamin D... hint hint hint".

It's an anti tax post, peddling a mythical alternative. That is not ok.

middleager · 27/08/2021 09:21

*Actually people are annoyed at OP for trying to imply she hasn’t had COVID because of Vitamin D tablets.

She’s peddling myths.*

This.

Mollymalone123 · 27/08/2021 09:21

I think it’s unlikely- I work with children and all staff have been healthier this last year.
It’s due to hand washing and air circulation and masks etc

smileandsmilesooooooo · 27/08/2021 09:27

Surely if you are as healthy as can be, not deficient in anything your immune system will be functioning as best it can. However my kids were ill with a bad virus and I was all smug about not catching it despite being coughed on and sneezed on them wham. I was surprised to get it or something very similar a week later. My DH didn't catch it, so maybe he was immune as had it in the past or he didn't get sneezed on.

Go and get your vaccine, explain at the door you have a needle phobia and they will sort you out, lie you down in a screened off bit and you look away. Honestly it no problem.

RantyAunty · 27/08/2021 09:28

It's mostly to do with how complacent and dirty people are but then with covid, people starting taking better care of their hygiene.

Take someone with you to get the shot if you're afraid. Needles must have improved as I didn't feel a thing. I was waiting for it after she wiped the area and she told me I was all done.

ConstanceGracy · 27/08/2021 09:31

This is tempting fate if ever I’ve seen it!
Vit D does not prevent covid, go speak to your local Vaccine hub, they deal with needle phobes every single day and have your jab ..

ConstanceGracy · 27/08/2021 09:32

@RantyAunty

It's mostly to do with how complacent and dirty people are but then with covid, people starting taking better care of their hygiene.

Take someone with you to get the shot if you're afraid. Needles must have improved as I didn't feel a thing. I was waiting for it after she wiped the area and she told me I was all done.

I had the same experience as I genuinely thought she hadn’t done it, was bizarre to not feel anything at all
HazelBite · 27/08/2021 09:48

Supplements do have their place but you cannot rely on them completely because they are just that "supplements"
There was a very interesting programme on BBC1 some months back about the immune system and if any of these supplements have been scientifically proved to help.
The only ones that were proved to help were Vitamin D and Echinacea.
I have been taking Echinacea since 2015 as my colds would last weeks and cause me all sorts of problems so I tried it when someone suggested it (I was unconvinced but couldn't see any harm in trying)
I haven't had a cold since I started taking it!
After seeing that TV programme I've been taking Vit D, but I've also had my 2 jabs, and wouldn't suggest to anyone that supplements could be used "instead of" only as an extra!
As an aside can someone explain "Needle phobia " to me?