Anyone know anything about Vitamin D

[booboo57]

Been feeling really exhusted lately so had some bloods done by the Dr. Just checked with the surgery about my results and everything is OK apart from Vit D which is a bit low, which fits with exhustion. I was told the Dr recommended an over the counter supplement. BUT I have been taking high dose (25 micro gramms) Vitamin D since it was recommended as part of protection from Covid so for at least a year. Should I just take more or could there be something going on which means I'm using it up too quickly or not absorbing it well enough. I asked the receptionist to pass on to the Dr that I was already taking a supplement.

Mine was about 9 when tested so I got a high dose prescription and now take 4000 daily (these)
I get the standard ones as my multi vitamin has K2 in. My achy shins have gone!

@bettertobehealthy sorry for the confusion it's 100 micro grams. Had been taking 25 micro grams a day, with water, for about 18 months prior to diagnosis. Dr advice, via text, was to continue to take 10 micro grams only as recommended by NHS, ie less. Hence the decision to try a bit more.

I take the Pharmanord one, and buy the Better Me spray for my kids. I feel better for it, had also been told my levels were low.

I think you need to discuss this with GP over the phone first before you simply self prescribed an increased dose.
When he checked your vit D did he also request a calcium level. If your vit D was low while you were already taking the recommended daily dose then You probably need to rule out more underlying and potentially serious issues with the parathyroid. Ask him if he checked your calcium and what the vit D and calcium together are telling him .
You can google the link between calcium and vit d

These Pharma Nord Vit D are really good because they are suspended in fat and high dosage. Also taking them with Vit K2 can help with the absorption of Vit D in the body.

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One other thing to mention is that, because vitamin D is fat soluble, it tends to get "stored" in overweight people, meaning higher doses are needed to reach the same blood levels as leaner people. 1,000iu daily wouldn't really be enough to boost levels for anybody though - Canada now recommends 2,000iu daily over winter just to maintain levels. More is needed to raise them.

Glad you're feeling better with 4,000iu, OP.

Glad it's helping you feel better. There are receptors for Vit D all over the body and being low in it can cause a whole host of issues.

Shame you weren't given the advise to take Vit D with whole dairy, eggs or other K2 rich fatty food sooner, but the guidance around supplementing it is on research that's still in the works when it comes to best dosages and which work best for absorption. You may find it useful to look for supplements that include 100-200 micrograms of K2 for every 1000 ius of Vit D taken as there is some research that it can help with absorption and help prevent issues that can come from higher dose supplementation (which is more at the 4000ius+ daily level so I don't think you entirely need to worry yet).

Some also recommend Vit A at similar levels to Vit D and magnesium at similar levels to K2 as they also work together (I know who love magnesium sprays), but that's in much newer territory and if you're already feeling better, it's probably more to look for those in food which Vit D is really hard to do.

Really, I found nurse practitioners far more helpful when it came to supplementing when I tested severely deficient repeatedly than the GP who pretty much just said take a multivitamin after the prescription dose (nurse was not impressed with that advice).

Sorry, that got scrambled - I meant that high dose concerns are at more than 4000 IUs daily rather than at the 4000ius+ daily level. Usually at over 4000ius daily, regular testing is recommended to keep an eye on things as there can be issues of potential overdose, but the real concerns don't usually start until well above that for most people, especially if previously deficient.

It's hard to overdose on vitamin D. You'd need to take 14000iu or more daily for a prolonged amount of time to overdose.

4000iu is therefore optimal.