Vitamin D level and Immune System

[bertiedog]

I thought it might be useful to post my experience of building up my Vitamin D3 level and the beneficial effect it has had on my immune system. I first had the level of Vitamin D3 tested in late December 2010 when it showed a low level of 27. Consistent with this my immune system was very poorly functioning and I had throat infection after throat infection which would always need antibiotics, sometimes I would need 2 different ones in order to feel better. Most winters I was nearly always taking antibiotics.

So from December 10 onwards I started with 4000 iu drops daily of Vitamin D3 by Nutri in the UK and I also tried to use a sunbed each week for just 6 minutes. Once the Spring and Summer came I tried to sit in the sun for a short time as much as possible and stopped using the sunbed.

I have carried on in this way and have retested my level with the following results

In September 2011 the level had risen to 59 and this month (April 2012) the level had again risen to 74. My immune system is much improved, I had a bad patch between December and January this year when I did need antibiotics to get rid of a bad throat infection but apart from that when I have had the odd virusy feeling with a sore, red throat I just take herbs like thyme and sage with lemon and ginger in hot drinks and my immune system takes care of things often within 2 days.

This is a massive improvement for me because throughout my life I have suffered with severe throat infections and I really didnt expect to have this improvement. I have been taking supplements to help methylation since 2007 but they didnt help this immune system problem in the way the Vitamin D 3 has. I feel it is a very important area to get checked and to raise ones level in order to help our immune systems function more effectively.

Pam

 

[bertiedog]

I am a bit surprised that nobody has responded about the importance of Vitamin D. Don't others regard this as important in this illness?

Pam

 

[Googsta]

I think you may need to wait a bit longer than 8 minutes for a response, especially on an ME/CFS site :Retro tongue:

Vitamin D is extremely important for everyone & deficiency is an increasing problem, even here in sunny Australia. People tend to underestimate it's importance amongst the general poulation. It's a shame doctors do not run it as a standard test more often also, I had to prompt our doctor to test my husband & his levels were particularly low.

I supplement D3 but continue to have infections despite that fact. What works for one with ME/CFS will not always work for another unfortunately.

I'm really glad you had so much success with your treatment

 

[Waverunner]

Hi Pam,

there are lots of other Vitamin D threads in this forum. Vitamin D is important but there are PWCs who don't tolerate it.

 

[bertiedog]

Hi Waverunner and Googsta

I didn't realise that some people don't tolerate it but understand if you are feeling very unwell you wouldn't be able to stand the sun at all, I used to be like that before my adrenals and thyroid were treated, now I love a small amount of it.

I didn't mean for it to sound like it was the answer for me because it certainly isn't and I am keen on trying Immunovir to see if it can module my immune system because I still cannot do physical things for anything more than 20 minutes which I find so frustrating.

Pam

 

[Waverunner]

Hi Pam,

it's good that you let us know what works best for you. We are all different of course but many PWCs share some form of treatment that work for them. It's true, some PWCs can't stand the sun but if it's because of Vitamin D or something else, I don't know. CFS is still a mess and I wish the CFS/ME puzzle would be solved by now.

 

[SOC]

I'm looking into what affect vitamin D, or more specifically, the lack of vitamin D has on my illness pattern. About a year ago, I received a notice that the CaMag supplement I was taking, which had a small amount of D in it, was improperly manufactured to have something like 10,000 times the listed amount of D. My GP tested my vit D level and advised me to stop taking D supplements. The odd thing is that I felt much better than usual during that time I was unknowingly taking huge amounts of vit D.

Because I can't tolerate any direct sun -- I get a rash anywhere direct sun touches for more than a couple of minutes -- I kept taking my multivitamin which has the minimum RDA of vitamin D.

Now, a year later, my vitamin D level is low so my specialist recommended 3000IU of vitamin D sublingually. I'm eager to see if I feel much better with the additional D.

 

[Charles555nc]

The marshall protocol can explain why some people get worse (like me) because of vitamin d supplements or excessive sun exposure.

 

[*GG*]

I have been doing high Vitamin D for a couple of years now, hasn't helped my sore throat, not infections.

GG

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

I wonder what explains why some people feel better after moderate sun exposure (about 20 mins on a sunny day) which is enough to create I think 10,000-15,000 of Vit D ..... but any Vit D3 supplementation makes them worse?

Does sun exposure and the natural D our skin makes produce endorphins in some?

.

 

[Sallysblooms]

Yes, Vit D is so important. It is one of the things that helped me so much. My doctor does blood testing twice a year for that, Thyroid, Cortisol, hormones, b12 and the reg. testing. I am doing very well.

 

[cat65]

I had my vitamin D tested about 8months ago and it came back at a level of 10. My doctor was shocked it was so low an dthought for sure this would be the anwer for many things including my mucle weakness and fatigue. I got it up to 32 and I have not noticed any differenc. Someone told me that it needs to be taken with a little fat like peanut butter and also supper K. I am going to try these things. I will post back if I notice a differenc.

 

[taniaaust1]

I have improved some eg sleep improved itself, the non specific abnormalities of my EEGS have disappeared and now my POTS since is now being treated so things are much better there too.

Then the other day I found out my D3 is suddenly (thou just) now in normal ranges (Ive been very low deficient in that the whole time Ive had the ME). Whatever wrong with my D3 with something using it up?, has suddenly fixed itself. Something to do with our whole illness must really affect D3 (thou my D2 levels were always normal range). Im getting the same amount of sun as I was before.

 

[mellster]

I had my vitamin D tested about 8months ago and it came back at a level of 10. My doctor was shocked it was so low an dthought for sure this would be the anwer for many things including my mucle weakness and fatigue. I got it up to 32 and I have not noticed any differenc. Someone told me that it needs to be taken with a little fat like peanut butter and also supper K. I am going to try these things. I will post back if I notice a differenc.

32? Try 60-80 or even more for a noticeable effect. Keep going!

 

[Sallysblooms]

I hope you can keep getting your Vit. D up. Even if you don't feel a difference right away, you will be much better off since it is so important for so many things.