Vitamin D - widespread deficiencies and evidence of serious consequences

[Druzhok]

As featured on The Food Programme this afternoon (R4: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t66nr#synopsis )

The UK guidelines are far lower than those in most other northern (i.e. fewer hours of daylight and sun) countries. Apparently, it's a particular problem for women (esp. in pregnancy) and babies/small children, and ethnic minorities with darker skintones. The melatonin in the latter's skin offers protection against UV light that, whilst beneficial in sunnier locations, can lead to a deficiency in a northerly country like the UK.

My Dutch friend has given her children vit D drops since they were tiny: I have asked a GP, HV and pharmacist and told there was no need at all. The UK has apparently been very slow to react to the issue.

The best sources are oily fish, meat and egg yolk. If you have a darker skin tone and/or are vegetarian (or eat low quantities of the above sources), you should consider supplements.

Conditions triggered / exacerbated by Vit D deficiency include multiple sclerosis, muscle wastage, type A diabetes and loss of bone density (I assume that's Ricketts).

Who knew???

Apologies for any errors: working mainly from memory.

I give my kids the liquid form and only give them 2 drops which is equivalent to 200iu, and I have 4 or 5 drops which is around 500iu. The box suggests taking no more than a max of 1000iu (for an adult).

I've just looked on the NHS website and they advise that supplement levels of up to 25mcg a day are unlikely to do any harm (not specifying whether this is just with respect to adults or includes children, although I know that recommended amounts for children are lower than for, eg, pregnant women, the elderly, etc...). As always, that will be playing on the extremely safe side, but without constant blood tests, it probably is better to be safe. If you have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency it's better to insist on being tested and have someone monitor the taking of mega doses that would be dangerous to everyone else until you've caught up (ie well over 2000 iu a day for a while, then maybe less than that eventually, depending on the reasons for the deficiency and whether other changes to lifestyle can improve intake of vitamin D through other means).

Less than 2000iu I mean, rather than less than mega doses!

I'm sure the benefits of high doses of vitamin D are being hyped up somewhat at the moment, but at least we know that there are most definite risks associated with deficits and there seems to be a general consensus that most of us are deficient in vitamin D during the winter, if not all year round, so the taking of vitamin D supplements for at least half the year is not at all a silly thing to do!

I give my kids 1000iu, I have 5000iu (bf at mo), and my husband has 4000iu. Vitamin D council website has lots of useful info. I've read up on it a lot and toxicity only becomes an issue when you start to get into the really high doses (tens of thousands for sustained periods). Great to get your levels tested if you can. Then you know what you need to top up.

I was taking 2000iu per day at start of pregnancy. Got tested and saw I was deficient. It was great that I got this info as I was able to increase my dosage but the system is really unfair as not every midwife or GP agrees to let you be tested, even when pregnant.

It would be great to change this for mums to be. Please could you sign the Downing Street e-petition on the subject and help get it in front of the House of Commons?

There are only 24 signatures so far. There must be more folks out there who would support this idea.

Thanks for signing and passing it on.

hiho........ xx

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/28536

Details:
Check Vitamin d levels as part of routine blood testing during pregnancy

Responsible department: Department of Health

Vitamin D has been shown as a major player in maternal & foetal health. Linked to numerous vital health issues, vitamin d deficiency is now known to be prevalent. In the last three years an increasing amount of research suggests that some of the damage done by vitamin d deficiency is done in-utero while the foetus is developing. Much of that damage may be permanent, that is it cannot be fully reversed by taking vitamin d after birth. This research indicates vitamin d deficiency during pregnancy endangers the mother's life & health & is the origin for a host of future perils for the child, especially for the child's brain & immune system. Pregnant women undergo a number of routine blood checks. It would be prudent to check vitamin d levels at the same time. This preventative care would empower women with knowledge so they can supplement for their health and that of their unborn baby. We call for ante natal screening to include the simple check of vitamin d levels known as 25 (OH)D.

www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Some info...
HTH x

Here's some info from the VitD council website about the right kind of test for checking VitD level:

Ask your doctor for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D, test. One may also refer to it simply as a ?vitamin D test." In the past, doctors have been known to order a 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D test. This is the wrong test as it cannot determine vitamin D deficiency. Make sure your doctor orders the correct test.

And here's some info from VitD council website about toxicity levels:

Toxic doses
What exactly constitutes a toxic dose of vitamin D has yet to be determined, though it is possible this amount may vary with the individual.

Published cases of toxicity, for which serum levels and dose are known, all involve intake of ≥ 40000 IU (1000 mcg) per day. 1 Two different cases involved intake of over 2,000,000 IU per day - both men survived. 2 3
Serum levels: upper limit and toxicity threshold

Upper limit for a substance is the amount up to which is considered safe and without risk of adverse effects in the majority of the population.

Toxicity threshold for a substance is the amount beyond which over-saturation occurs and symptoms of toxicity manifest.

These values for 25(OH)D are as follows:

Toxicity threshold level - 200-250 ng/mL (500-750 nmol/L) 4 5 6 7 8
Upper limit - 100 ng/mL (250 nmol/L)

The large range between 25(OH)D?s upper limit and its threshold value implies a degree of safety at serum levels up to 100 ng/mL (250 nmol/L), since concentrations twice this amount have yet to ever be associated with toxicity. 4

In animal models, serum concentrations have reached as high as 400-700 ng/mL (1,000-1750 nmol/L) before toxic effects (severe hypercalcemia) were observed. 8 9

It's very difficult to overdose on vitamin D and sadly, most people are seriously deficient in it, leading to all kinds of other health issues :(

Just been out to boots and given them all my money in return for some pills...

Here's hoping!

You may be interested in our new blog post on vitamin D deficiency and how it affects UK babies.

That's interesting, and very strongly worded. Also interesting that the headline on the Cancer Research website still reads "whether you're at home or abroad, use shade, clothing and at least SPF 15 sunscreen to protect yourself". The bit about vitamin D lessening the risk of bowel cancer (a far greater killer than melanoma) is in a confused section hidden away in a corner.

So I got multivits for DH and ! which are 5micrograms a day, doesn't say what sort of D, and a syrup for the kids with 2.5 micrograms in it of D3.

Looking at the figures on here I'm thinking that's not enough and maybe not the right sort?

Thanks for the blog post link royalpharmaetc

Seems like my multivits are too feeble to do any good. Or will every little help?

I've bought some of the Haliborange liquid multivitamins for the DDs (5 and 12m) but looking at the ingredients it doesn't look like they'll be having enough VitD. Any suggestions as to what I'm looking for with regards strength etc. if I were to buy some liquid Vitamin D for them (and where to get it from).

Looks like we're in the same boat mejon with dosage bafflement.

On the upside the children liked teh syrup!

I give my kids 1000iu, I have 5000iu (bf at mo), and my husband has 4000iu.

We use Nutri D3. 1 drop = 1000iu. We mix it into our juice at breakfast every morning.

I get it from www.barnes-chiropractic.co.uk/index.html

This place (legit) sales it online (beware of dodgy sites) www.revital.co.uk/Nutri_D3_Drops_1000

P.S.
Please sign 10 Downing Street e-petition calling for 'Check Vitamin d levels as part of routine blood testing during pregnancy'. Pass it on! Thanks.
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/28536

Thanks hihosilver - I'll have a look for some tomorrow.

I signed the petition.

Thank you Abra1d.

Help mumstobe - please sign 10 Downing Street e-petition calling for 'Check Vitamin d levels as part of routine blood testing during pregnancy'.

Pass it on! Thanks.

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/28536

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There may be a link between vit D dificency and SIDS.... listen to this audio..

news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9687000/9687020.stm