The All-Encompassing Vitamin D Thread

[anaconda]

I think that's the big one. If you've only got your hands and face exposed, I don't think I'd expect much in 2 hours. What would that be, maybe 5% of your body exposed? But I don't know. I mean, if you could synthesize 20,000 IU in an hour, 5% would still be 1,000IU so a couple of hours could net you what a lot of guys are supplementing with in this thread.

Personally, I just think that vit D is so ridiculously cheap and so many people have been found to benefit from it that if you have to question whether you get enough sun light or not, just supplement.

I agree with you completely, and I generally do take it if nothing more than a CYA. But I just ran out and went on a week long trip and I was wondering if I should trouble myself to get some more while I'm here or not, especially considering I'm getting good sun exposure. I have been training a lot so I wanted to make sure I don't over train and get sick.

More than anything the question just popped in my head and I was curious.

 

[Monger]

Right, I've thought about that as well. But, it seems "X" I.U.'s of vitamin D from supplements do more to increase measured D levels than "X" I.U.'s synthesized from sunlight. I have no idea what mechanism that can work through, but I don't see how 2000-5000 I.U.'s via supplements could actually be useful any other way. Yet, most of the research says 2000-5000 I.U.'s is indeed useful as far as raising measured D levels. Embedded in this observation might actually be a decent counterpoint to the observation I made about D from food above...maybe our bodies somehow "waste" a lot of the D synthesized from sunlight, but not so much from supplements/food. Pure speculation on my part.

I haven't seen anything that would suggest that 2,000IU from sun exposure would be different than 2,000 from supplementation but who knows. I think for the most part people don't realize just how much they aren't exposed to the sun. Today, my exposure was about 2 mins of only hands and face (the time it took me to walk to my car, to the office, and back). I think that's typical of a lot of people, sadly.

 

[Henry Swanson]

I haven't seen anything that would suggest that 2,000IU from sun exposure would be different than 2,000 from supplementation but who knows. I think for the most part people don't realize just how much they aren't exposed to the sun. Today, my exposure was about 2 mins of only hands and face (the time it took me to walk to my car, to the office, and back). I think that's typical of a lot of people, sadly.

Yeah, and as mentioned already, the intensity of the sunlight you're getting also is a factor. I walked for about 20 minutes today at lunch, only hands and face exposed, but a shitload of cloud cover as well.

 

[XTrainer]

I haven't seen anything that would suggest that 2,000IU from sun exposure would be different than 2,000 from supplementation...

Just my speculation based on the fact that 2000 I.U.'s supplemented seems to be effective for a lot of people is getting measured D levels ups, but the little extra sun exposure that would allow you to synthesize 2000 I.U. does not seem nearly as effective. But you're right, I could be overestimating the amount of time people are outside and exposed....Where we live, as you know, it's long sleeves and long pants 8 months or so out of there year, gloves and hats for probably 4 of those, lots of cloud cover and precipitation...even if you are outside, there's a good chance not much radiation is getting though.

 

[MikeMartial]

Thanks for the update...what about the wifey?

Still waiting for her results from Grassroots. Checked today, nothing yet.

 

[GhostDog]

Now Foods, Vitamin D-3, Highest Potency, 5,000 IU, 120 Softgels - iHerb.com

$12 USD shipped to Canada

Nice, I've been looking for a good deal for 5000 IU Now Food Vit-D softgels. Some of the other 5000 IU brands have soybean oil in them. I want no part of that (NOW uses olive oil as an extra ingredient).

Here's a very good article on Vitamin D, and flu vaccinations. He recommends 10 000 IU's a day.

Vaccination Controversy: Drugs You Don’t Need – And the Best Natural Alternatives | Toronto Canada alternative health natural medicine green living

 

[BerserkPanda]

very interesting thread, thanks. Going to get more sun.

 

[MikeMartial]

Thanks for the update...what about the wifey?

Wife's 25(OH)D levels came in today: 51ng/mL, on 2400iu/day. Perfect.

 

[Cooz]

Wife's 25(OH)D levels came in today: 51ng/mL, on 2400iu/day. Perfect.

Thanks again for the update.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Wife's 25(OH)D levels came in today: 51ng/mL, on 2400iu/day. Perfect.

I apologize if I missed this, but I assume your wife's 25(OH)D levels are responding to lower dosages(than yours) because she's smaller than you?

 

[MikeMartial]

I apologize if I missed this, but I assume your wife's 25(OH)D levels are responding to lower dosages(than yours) because she's smaller than you?

Well, she is smaller than me, but going on the 1000iu per 25lbs BW, she should be at around 5000iu. Dosing in relation to 25(OH)D levels is a very individualistic. Men, for whatever reason, generally require more. Dr. Davis has some input on this here:

Vitamin D dose needs to be individualized. Factors that influence vitamin D need include body size and percent body fat (both of which increase need substantially); sex (males require, on average, 1000 units per day more than females); age (older need more); skin color (darker-skinned races require more, fairer-skinned races less); and other factors that remain ill-defined.

But these are “rules” often broken. My office experience with vitamin D now numbers nearly 1000 patients. The average female dose is 4000-5000 units per day, average male dose 6000 units per day to achieve a blood level of 60-70 ng/ml, though there are frequent exceptions. I’ve had 98 lb women who require 12,000 units, 300 lb men who require 1000 units, 21-year olds who require 10,000 units. (Of course, this is a Wisconsin experience. However, regional differences in dosing needs diminish as we age, since less and less vitamin D activation occurs.)

Let me reiterate: Steroid hormone-vitamin D dose needs to be individualized.

There’s only one way to individualize your need for vitamin D and thereby determine your dose: Measure a blood level.

Nobody can gauge your vitamin D need by looking at you, by your skin color, size, or other simple measurement like weight or body fat. A vitamin D blood level needs to be measured specifically─period.

I'd actually like to get her into the 60-70ng/mL range, but she's already bitching about taking a "handful" of pills a day.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Thanks.

LOL @ 'handful' of pills.

Every morning I put 1 multi, 1 fish oil cap, and 1 vitamin d cap on the table for my wife to take and she bitches every single time.

 

[scottm]

Anyone know at what levels of supplementation calcium being deposited in the arteries and organs could become a concern if is even more than scientific speculation?

 

[MikeMartial]

Anyone know at what levels of supplementation calcium being deposited in the arteries and organs could become a concern if is even more than scientific speculation?

Post #181

 

[Henry Swanson]

Why vitamin D may prevent H1N1 | Prevention | Get Healthy | Best Health

Nothing new there, but right when I saw the headline I knew it would be about Vitamin D. This stuff is like the new fish oil or something. Everytime I open the newspaper or go online it seems there's something pushing it.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Any of you guys experiment with the Stoss method of dosing? Basically one mega-dose per week?

 

[MikeMartial]

Any of you guys experiment with the Stoss method of dosing? Basically one mega-dose per week?

Since the half-life of D3 is between 30-60 days, technically you could mega-dose at farther intervals; the rise and fall of one's 25(OH)D levels would be more acute, versus smaller daily dosing, though.

 

[Henry Swanson]

Since the half-life of D3 is between 30-60 days, technically you could mega-dose at farther intervals; the rise and fall of one's 25(OH)D levels would be more acute, versus smaller daily dosing, though.

I think that problem I discussed with you is actually a mild chest cold or something. After I workout it seems to worsen. I called my doctor but he's pretty much booked up solid for a while and the walk in clinics are insane.

 

[MikeMartial]

New post by Dr Davis on optimal 25(OH)D levels:

So do we really know the truly ideal level of vitamin D to achieve? I believe that, given the above observations, it is reasonable to extrapolate that the ideal vitamin D blood level likely lies somewhere above 50 ng/ml. We also know that vitamin D toxicity (i.e., hypercalcemia) is virtually unheard of until vitamin D blood levels approach 150 ng/ml, and even then is inconsistent. The health benefits of vitamin D supplementation are so tremendous, that I am not willing to wait for the prospective data to explore this question fully. For now, I aim for a blood level of vitamin D of 60-70 ng/ml (150-175 nmol/L).

The Heart Scan Blog: What is a healthy vitamin D blood level?

 

[Rauta]

So without blood analysis one can not be sure about how much they should take vitamin D?
1000 IU of vitamin D is 25 ug.

I get about 5 ug from milk daily. I just bought some 10 ug D-vitamin pills. So if I take 2 of those every day I get the 1000 IU. That may be a bit low?