Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

How much vitamin D is recommended?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    How much vitamin D is recommended?

    My kids came back from MS Kids' camp with a few bits of information they recalled. Was really funny to have them tell me, "Mom, you need to be taking Vitamin D!" Of course, I already am doing so b/c my own PCP told me it was low some time ago after a regular bloodwork screening.

    I asked them, "Well, how much do I need to take?" They didn't know. Actually, I don't either. I thought my doc's office told me to take 1,000 IUs, so that's what I take every morning. Nobody has questioned it when they ask the loaded question, "What medications are you taking?"

    Is that the appropriate amount for an MSer or should I be taking more? I practically hide from the sun, once the summer heat gets to be too much for me, so unless I'm getting some from the foods I eat, too, that's all I'm getting.

    What is your advice?

    #2
    I imagine your doctor told you it was low but did not tell you the actual number. That's not good service. Your numbers should be between 50 and 80 ng/mL. That's the scale that is used... ng/mL. You should then be supplementing with enough vitamin D to normalize your values.
    I take 5000 iu's daily. Some people on this site take 10,000 iu's daily. The USRDA is around 600 iu's daily, I think. Those RDA numbers are determined as minimums. As a person with MS, I believe that one has to find out what levels my systems need to run and 'normalize' or exceed those values. Oh, my levels, when last I checked, were 49 ng/mL.

    Comment


      #3
      The amount of vitamin D3 that's recommended is the amount that allows a person to maintain some minimum blood level. The intake amount different for everyone and can be different in the same person from season to season.

      In the general population, a minimum blood level [serum 25(OH)D] of 30 ng/ml is the general recommendation. For MS, research has shown that people do better (e.g., fewer relapses) with a minimum level of 50 ng/ml. Some people can do that on 1,000 mg of vitamin D per day, other people need 5,000 or 10,000 mg per day.

      The maximum recommended blood level from various sources is 90 to 100 ng/ml -- maximum because undesirable side effects occur above that. So for folks with MS, the general recommendation is to keep blood levels between 50 and 80 ng/ml.

      To find out how much vitamin D you should take, you'll have to have your blood level tested periodically and start making adjustments based on that testing until your blood level gets into, and stays, in your desired range. For me, it takes 2000 mg of D3 in the winter and 3000 mg in the summer to maintain a blood level of about 70 ng/ml.

      Note: In the US (and maybe Canada?), the measurement unit used for serum 25(OH)Dis ng/ml. In Europe and other parts of the world, nmol/L is generally used. The quickie conversion factor is 2.5. To convert ng/ml to nmol/L, multiply by 2.5. 50 ng/ml = ~125nmol/L. To convert nmol/L to ng/ml, divide by 2.5. 200 nmol/L = ~80 ng/ml. When reading research papers, it's important to pay attention to the measurement unit used.

      Comment


        #4
        Oops -- correction

        Oops -- I hit send instead of preview! My last post should say that it takes me 2000 mg of vitamin D in the summer and 3000 mg in the winter to maintain my blood level. That corresponds to the reduced hours of sunlight, and less vitamin D from sunlight exposure, in the winter.

        I live in sunny southern California, and there's a seasonal difference for me. For folks living in less-sunny latitudes, the difference in the need for vitamin D supplementation might be even greater.

        Comment


          #5
          Sherry, do you remember what you levels were?

          Several years ago, my blood levels of Vit. D was 23. My doctor put me on a once a week prescription dosage of 50,000 IU of Vit. D3 for ten weeks.

          After that, I started taking (at her advice) 2,000 IU of Vit. D3 a day. When I had it checked back in December of last year, it was up to 36, but my doctor said that was still too low and told me to take 10,000 IU a day. I've been taking that since December, and when I got my levels checked last week, it was 63!

          I've felt worlds better since my levels have gone up, and have fewer and milder symptoms less often. (I recently read a study that was done which determined in younger people with MS, taking Vit. D3 can reduce exacerbations.)

          Check with your doctor, but you should probably taking more than you are if your levels are low.

          Hugs,

          Lisa
          Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.
          Cut aspartame from my diet in 2012 and my symptoms have slowly disappeared. Interesting!
          Alpha Lipoic Acid (200 mg) + Acetyl L-carnitine (1,000 mg) = No more fatigue for me!

          Comment


            #6
            vit D and Magnesium

            I have patients on 10 -20,000 iu's of vit D3 until their levels get are in the 70s.
            Thats my desired range for all my patients.

            side note:
            My clinical experience with patients, when I'm not getting a fast enough rise, is to add magnesium.

            vit D will help absorption of calcium but then there is not enough magnesium and that can create similar symptoms of vit D toxicity....

            In my opinion and professional experience most people are not getting enough magnesium.
            Magnesium is reguired in almost every cellular reaction; B-6 being #1. And for that reason I rarely find a patient that is consuming enough magnesium rich foods....GREENS

            I use an equal ratio of calcium to magnesium in several situations: diabetes, pain, spasticity!, osteoporosis
            NutritionTara
            Eat better, feel better and be richer for it.

            Comment


              #7
              Kept forgetting to check; then to check on here

              Originally posted by Shashi View Post
              Sherry, do you remember what you levels were?

              Several years ago, my blood levels of Vit. D was 23. My doctor put me on a once a week prescription dosage of 50,000 IU of Vit. D3 for ten weeks.

              After that, I started taking (at her advice) 2,000 IU of Vit. D3 a day. When I had it checked back in December of last year, it was up to 36, but my doctor said that was still too low and told me to take 10,000 IU a day. I've been taking that since December, and when I got my levels checked last week, it was 63!

              I've felt worlds better since my levels have gone up, and have fewer and milder symptoms less often. (I recently read a study that was done which determined in younger people with MS, taking Vit. D3 can reduce exacerbations.)

              Check with your doctor, but you should probably taking more than you are if your levels are low.

              Hugs,

              Lisa
              Lisa,
              When I called and asked, my Vitamin D levels were at 26, so I guess I really should be taking a higher dosage. Kept forgetting to get on here and find out what my levels were supposed to be. Just now making sure to do that. Thanks!

              Comment


                #8
                Will def. check with my pcp on how much more I should take

                Originally posted by nutritiontara View Post
                I have patients on 10 -20,000 iu's of vit D3 until their levels get are in the 70s.
                Thats my desired range for all my patients.

                side note:
                My clinical experience with patients, when I'm not getting a fast enough rise, is to add magnesium.

                vit D will help absorption of calcium but then there is not enough magnesium and that can create similar symptoms of vit D toxicity....

                In my opinion and professional experience most people are not getting enough magnesium.
                Magnesium is reguired in almost every cellular reaction; B-6 being #1. And for that reason I rarely find a patient that is consuming enough magnesium rich foods....GREENS

                I use an equal ratio of calcium to magnesium in several situations: diabetes, pain, spasticity!, osteoporosis
                Tara,
                Thanks! I already take a calcium supplement, so that's not a big deal to me. Have taken magnesium supplements in the past, so still not a big deal. Also, never have minded eating my greens!

                I will call tomorrow, but I am now CERTAIN that I've not been taking enough vit. D. When originally tested, it was at 26.

                Comment

                Working...
                X