How does vitamin D absorption work?

[maryb]

@MeSci
ah now that sounds more like it - I've heard about these studies.
I've just ordered another vit d cream but think the light sounds a better idea and more natural, I always feel better when I've been in the sun.
Where did you get your lamp from and how do you position the lamp?
have you had your vit d levels since using it?

 

[acer2000]

I found most Vitamin D supplements to be ineffective - i.e. they don't raise my blood levels. It has been suggested to me that it needs to be taken with food (or fat), although I'm not sure there is consensus on that. Pretty much the only one that would raise my levels in a way that was measurable is the Nature's Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte. It comes in a dropper. I don't know why it works better for me, but it does. Might be worth a shot.

 

[xjhuez]

I would think the key is that it would probably be best in limited time frames.

Sunlight and even lamplight is better than nothing, I understand that. Stating that that the lamp is "NOT the wavelength for tanning, nor for skin cancer" is misleading.

 

[MeSci]

@MeSci
ah now that sounds more like it - I've heard about these studies.
I've just ordered another vit d cream but think the light sounds a better idea and more natural, I always feel better when I've been in the sun.
Where did you get your lamp from and how do you position the lamp?
have you had your vit d levels since using it?

I got my lamp from Amazon, I think, but you can also buy it direct from the manufacturers Androv Medical. I couldn't find any others of the appropriate type except the one used in the study that I linked to, and that was only available from the US (at least when I was looking) which meant that postage to the UK (e.g. on ebay) was uneconomic.

I just use the lamp on my side, alternating sides each day (as my house is too cold in winter to expose more than that!) at a distance of about 12 inches/30 cm.

I haven't had my Vitamin D levels checked at all as it is too much hassle going to the doctor. I already get oral Vit D from a couple of supplements (a multivitamin/mineral and a bone mineral supplement), so am just acting on the assumption that it may do some good and hopefully no harm!

There's an interesting discussion about Vitamin D here. Unfortunately, if we have a variation in the VDR gene, we may have enough Vitamin D but still not be able to use it properly. I don't know whether anything can help to remedy that problem, but if there are solutions they may be found here or through searches from that page.

 

[UM MAN]

Yes but I've been supplementing since last September!!!
Obviously not enough - I have osteoporosis as well so a double worry.

We reversed my wife's osteopenia by getting her D3 level to 60-80 (range 30-100) and 5000mcg of K2-M4 a day.
It is that easy....

 

[maryb]

@UM MAN
thanks I know about vit K - I just don't seem to be able to tolerate it in supplement form - I've been trying to eat a lot of broccoli and blending romaine lettuce and fresh parsley several times a week, but its difficult to get it every day in meal form.

Glad to hear your wife reversed her diagnosis of osteopenia - great news.

 

[UM MAN]

@UM MAN
thanks I know about vit K - I just don't seem to be able to tolerate it in supplement form - I've been trying to eat a lot of broccoli and blending romaine lettuce and fresh parsley several times a week, but its difficult to get it every day in meal form.

Glad to hear your wife reversed her diagnosis of osteopenia - great news.

You do not get Vitamin K2-M4 from VEGETABLES.

 

[maryb]

@UM MAN
now I didn't know that - so what is it then? I thought vitamins from food were always superior to supplements?

 

[UM MAN]

@UM MAN
now I didn't know that - so what is it then? I thought vitamins from food were always superior to supplements?

The YOUTUBE video covers K2-M4 better than I can. USA industrialized food production, limits our access to K2-M4. Supplements worked.

 

[maryb]

@UM MAN
thanks I'll look at it when I feel up to it.

@MeSci
thanks I'll check it out - the lamps seem quite pricey £300?
a lot of interesting discussion on those links, I'm not up to reading them all at present but will go back to them, thanks for taking the time to include them.

 

[Calathea]

If you don't get Vitamin K from vegetables, why are patients on blood thinners given detailed instructions on what vegetables they should eat in order to keep their Vit K stable?

 

[xjhuez]

If you don't get Vitamin K from vegetables, why are patients on blood thinners given detailed instructions on what vegetables they should eat in order to keep their Vit K stable?

K1 is in vegetables. It's used by the liver to activate blood clotting proteins.

 

[whodathunkit]

@maryb, I use Thorne liquid MK-4. I've been using it for over a year, and it seems to have improved the integrity of my skin a great deal. I can tell from the soles of my feet.

It comes in a dose of 1mg/drop. It's very easy to take. A little pricey but there's like 800 drops in the bottle so it lasts a while.

 

[maryb]

@whodathunkit
thanks - how much do you take a day?

 

[MeSci]

@MeSci
thanks I'll check it out - the lamps seem quite pricey £300?

Yes, they are expensive. I thought it would be worth it if it improved my health. I haven't really noticed any effect specifically from the lamp, but it's impossible to tell as I have been doing other health-improving things too.

Maybe a good way to look at the £300+ is to compare it with the costs of other ways of getting Vitamin D, e.g. supplements, over the lifetime of a lamp, then it doesn't seem as bad.

 

[maryb]

@MeSci
it probably does work out cheaper in the long run - depends on how much longer I live for though?!!!
Re supplements I quite like the look of this one @acer2000 suggested
Nature's Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte
only 1 drop a day to give 2000ug

 

[whodathunkit]

@maryb -- I take 15 mg because I read that's a good dose, LOL. I started taking it because it supposed to help with the integrity of veins and arteries, and it helps calcium go where it's supposed to go (bones, teeth, etc., or be excreted) instead of depositing in inappropriate places (like veins, arteries, hair follicles, etc.). I actually plan to do some real research on MK4 in the near future to learn more about it and see if I should reduce the dosage. One good thing about this is that it seems remarkably benign. No toxicity apparent and no sides.

 

[ahmo]

@UM MAN, thanks for this excellent vid.

 

[yarnee]

I would think the key is that it would probably be best in limited time frames. Like my doctor has recommended that I spend at least 15 minutes per day outside without sun block. We know sun exposure damages the skin, but small amounts of it passing through is needed for D3. If you can't get it outside, then it's a possibility, but should be used carefully to ensure that you don't cause serious long term issues - like skin cancer.

I have osteopenia as well as chronic vitamin d deficiency. Thankfully I tolerate D3 oil drops pretty well. Now if I could just find a way to tolerate a magnesium supplement. I can only tolerate short epsom bath soaks, which does help my chronic muscle pain - so I believe I am magnesium deficient. But I break out in hives from magnesium oil/lotion and severe gut reactions to anything in supplement form.

keep us updated cause I can't tolerate magnesium either

 

[jess100]

I would think the key is that it would probably be best in limited time frames. Like my doctor has recommended that I spend at least 15 minutes per day outside without sun block. We know sun exposure damages the skin, but small amounts of it passing through is needed for D3. If you can't get it outside, then it's a possibility, but should be used carefully to ensure that you don't cause serious long term issues - like skin cancer.

I have osteopenia as well as chronic vitamin d deficiency. Thankfully I tolerate D3 oil drops pretty well. Now if I could just find a way to tolerate a magnesium supplement. I can only tolerate short epsom bath soaks, which does help my chronic muscle pain - so I believe I am magnesium deficient. But I break out in hives from magnesium oil/lotion and severe gut reactions to anything in supplement form.

Hi

Can you say if you've been successful raising Vit D levels using the drops? And if so which brand of drops?
I have SIBO so I can't imagine the vitamin D pills are being absorbed
Thanks