04-03-2017, 08:27 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-03-2017, 08:29 PM by Texas Chemist.
Edit Reason: grammar
)
I supplement with 10,000 iu's of vitamin d3 per day. I try to get at least 10-15 minutes direct sun exposure per day as well (when the sun is out). The truth is supplementing with a fat soluble vitamin D is that it takes months for the levels of vit D in your blood to increase. I forget what the normal level is but remember the golden number is 80 ng/dL and higher.
Many docs will say that is way too much vitamin D but when I was still doing research in graduate school I read numerous articles about once patients entered that range above 80 and below 100, all of the purported benefits truly started coming to fruition. I don't remember all of them off the top of my head but would be willing to back through my research paper USB sticks to find them if someone is truly interested. The most important for me was improved mood and I stopped getting sick-like haven't been sick since 1 flu in high school over 15 years ago.
The one thing people have to worry about is actually overdoing vitamin D because it is fat soluble so everybody's body will 'store' it differently. I am very lean, so doses of 10,000 iu per day is absolutely fine and I have blood tests done every 6 months, my levels range from 50-80 ng/dL. I actually switched my GP (who I rarely see anyways) because a few of them thought I was insane for taking that much vitamin D everyday and was uneducated and following some voodoo internet recipe. The only thing one really needs to worry about when supplementing with vit D is their levels of what is called C-reactive proteins.
This C-reactive protein (CRP) is aprotein that increases in response to general inflammation as well as too much vitamin D in the human body. So generally speaking, a doc can only confidently say an individual is taking TOO MUCH vitamin D if their CRP levels are done in the same test AND are above the normal limit. Though most docs don't ask for this test to be done when you get a blood test checking vit D (though I have no idea why, they have a strong correlation), YOU, the patient, HAVE TO TELL your doctor to include that in your test as well. I know some very in-shape people who supplement with 20,000 iu's daily and their CRP levels are normal so they're clear to continue supplementing at those levels. Many are also Caucasian too. I know different races or people with differing levels of melanin react to vit D3 supplements very differently.
My mother listened to her quack general practitioner who told her once she found out she was taking 10,000 iu's daily " HOLY COW! STOP NOW, YOU COULD GET VIT D POISONING!!!" Of course she's going to listen to her MD even though I have my doctorate in chemistry and am rather knowledgeable. Well she went down to 2,000 iu per day and had her blood test 4 months later. Her vit. D levels were about 22 ng/dL, lower than what they were initially. I was nice and didn't say, told ya so. The doc also didn't know about the C-reactive protein test.....oh boy.
Many docs will say that is way too much vitamin D but when I was still doing research in graduate school I read numerous articles about once patients entered that range above 80 and below 100, all of the purported benefits truly started coming to fruition. I don't remember all of them off the top of my head but would be willing to back through my research paper USB sticks to find them if someone is truly interested. The most important for me was improved mood and I stopped getting sick-like haven't been sick since 1 flu in high school over 15 years ago.
The one thing people have to worry about is actually overdoing vitamin D because it is fat soluble so everybody's body will 'store' it differently. I am very lean, so doses of 10,000 iu per day is absolutely fine and I have blood tests done every 6 months, my levels range from 50-80 ng/dL. I actually switched my GP (who I rarely see anyways) because a few of them thought I was insane for taking that much vitamin D everyday and was uneducated and following some voodoo internet recipe. The only thing one really needs to worry about when supplementing with vit D is their levels of what is called C-reactive proteins.
This C-reactive protein (CRP) is aprotein that increases in response to general inflammation as well as too much vitamin D in the human body. So generally speaking, a doc can only confidently say an individual is taking TOO MUCH vitamin D if their CRP levels are done in the same test AND are above the normal limit. Though most docs don't ask for this test to be done when you get a blood test checking vit D (though I have no idea why, they have a strong correlation), YOU, the patient, HAVE TO TELL your doctor to include that in your test as well. I know some very in-shape people who supplement with 20,000 iu's daily and their CRP levels are normal so they're clear to continue supplementing at those levels. Many are also Caucasian too. I know different races or people with differing levels of melanin react to vit D3 supplements very differently.
My mother listened to her quack general practitioner who told her once she found out she was taking 10,000 iu's daily " HOLY COW! STOP NOW, YOU COULD GET VIT D POISONING!!!" Of course she's going to listen to her MD even though I have my doctorate in chemistry and am rather knowledgeable. Well she went down to 2,000 iu per day and had her blood test 4 months later. Her vit. D levels were about 22 ng/dL, lower than what they were initially. I was nice and didn't say, told ya so. The doc also didn't know about the C-reactive protein test.....oh boy.