Low Vitamin D Levels Even With Supplementation (5000 iu)

[PennyIA]

I tolerate Vitamin D supplements, but can't tell that I'm taking them. I did take the prescription level once for about two years before I finally tipped the balance to test as negative for deficiency. 5000 IU's once a week was the prescription. What the doctor didn't get told is that I started to take it twice a week at the end of that period to see if that would get me out of the really low test range (I think I was averaging 4 - 9 and the goal was 19). Which btw - no impact on symptoms even when I was at 19 (I had hopes, which is why I increased the dosing). Part of me keeps coming back to some of the stuff I'm reading on PR about the test levels. I truly believe that 90% of all the 'deficiency' tests are scaled too low. I think it's the 'proven range' that will definitely have a serious negative impact on your life that gets the 'cut off'. And I think that there is almost always a higher 'optimal' range that leads towards a healthier life free of some of the symptoms.

So, of course, once I hit 19 I was told I couldn't have the prescription any longer - because I no longer needed it (sigh).

Next time I tested? I was low again (big surprise face here... really? You mean the medicine that got me level that got taken away meant I wasn't level any more? Geez).

I just started the D3 drops, so we'll see if there is any benefit to going that direction instead of the gel pill form.

If you've noticed my signature - you see I also have tons of MTHFR genes and there are other Detox genes I don't think I remembered to include as well... so I'm thinking it comes down to getting all of the methylation and detox going as well as supporting my D3 processes that will help me in the end.

/side track rant/
And, yes. I've been told by multiple doctors that I just needed to try a new form of magnesium. Or, that the quality must not have been good enough. Ummm... pretty sure ALL magnesium supplements I've ever seen list diarrhea as a potential side effect. After two doses (one per day) I get explosive diarrhea. EVERY TIME. I stop it, it goes away. I take it again, it comes back. And yet, I can explain that to the next doctor and they'll suggest, "Oh, but try this one, you should be fine on it.". The last one? Was upset with me after they made me try some and then after I did try it and didn't tolerate it.... was upset with me. Like I chose to have the bad experience. I told her that I didn't think I could tolerate it and she just didn't believe me. Of course, she was also irritated that by just adding basic nutrition that my symptoms would be dramatically improved within a month. I think that the problem is that her assumption was that I must be eating like a teenager before she started to treat me. And when there wasn't any improvement then I automatically must have been doing something wrong. As opposed to the reality of I was already eating fairly healthy foods and improving my diet slightly would be unlikely to make a major impact immediately.

 

[roxie60]

when you say 'variant' do you mean risk allele ?

 

[Sherlock]

PennyIA There is transdermal Mg, called Mg Oil (though it's not an oil). Also epsom salts bath, or foot bath.

But yes, Mg glycinate is supposed to be non-laxative, that was not true in my case but Mg Citrate or tartrate is better for me. Or just reduce the dosage.

I know someone with low D who was just advised by her doc to take 5000iu every day, level was at 12.

 

[NilaJones]

After all my posts asking you folks' help, I am happy to see a thread where I might be able to contribute something useful .

@Lotus97

5,000iu is not much more than the amount healthy people use up in a day. Sick folks might need more. And, of course, even healthy people don't absorb D very well when taken orally. The studies I've seen on supplementation use a dose of 10,000iu daily. Have you tried that?

Another option is to use a light. You can buy one for humans, for $600 -- or you can do what I did, and buy one made for lizards, for $25. I did a bunch of research and chose the Reptisun 5.0 because it seemed to have the maximum amount of output at the vitamin D- creating wavelengths, while minimizing the sunburn and cancer-causing wavelengths. (Yes, they are all different, and the tanning wavelength is separate, too. This light will not make you tan.)

I use the light on my bare skin (under the blankets when I am in bed is most convenient in winter, and this also shields my eyes form the uv light, which they do not like). I put it so the bulb is nearly touching my skin, and keep it in one spot until it feels hot, about 10-15 minutes. In winter I aim for 1 hour each morning and night, but I get positive effects from anything over 30 x 2.

Oral vitamin D made me one step better, and the light brought me up another step. They were 'miracle drugs' for me.

@PennyIA

The idea that magnesium won't cause diarrhea seems silly to me. Is your doc kidding? What I do is take iron or calcium, at a different time of day. Those plug me up, so it all balances out . Eating figs works, too, for me. It takes some experimentation to figure out how much of one balances how much of the other. (I also find that my gut adapts, if I ramp up the magnesium slowly.)

HTH .

 

[Sherlock]

NilaJones That's a clever improvised solution with the lizard light

 

[NilaJones]

Aw, thank you, Sherlock .

I can post links to data I used, if people want it.

 

[Lotus97]

In 2010 my hydroxy 25 was 50.4 even though I was taking less vitamin D than when I was tested this year. I don't know what's different now although I appreciate the suggestions. I decided to increase my vitamin D up 15000 iu. I did this partially because my dihydroxy 1, 25 was also low, partially because there was a sale on vitamin D drops, and partially because I started taking vitamin A in the form of retinol (cod liver oil) which is supposed to block vitamin D at higher levels. I was taking only beta carotene, but I wasn't sure if I was converting enough into retinol and I've read that vitamin A can help with inflammation. I'm taking 3750 iu of vitamin A, but I think I'm going to go up to 6250 iu in a couple weeks.

 

[kisekishiawase]

5000iu seems like a high dose :O
just found out my vitamin d 25 oh was really low (wonder if its true)
also my calcium and magnesium blood lvl was normal?? if i intake much vitamin d what if the calcium goes high and it will caused bad effect also magnesium?

about the sun. theres a controversy about the best time about exposure to the sun. some said noon some said morning :/

@Lotus97 theres some article saying vitamin a blocks vitamin d? so that means taking vitamin a or food high in vitamin a will decrease vitamin d?