Vitamin d3 supplement?

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gottagetitoff11
gottagetitoff11 Posts: 122 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was wondering how many members take a vit d3 supplement. I suffer from extreme Agoraphobia and am obese. So i get no sun and i read obese people are naturally low in vit d3.

What supplement do you recommend and is there any side effects to them.

Thanks
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Replies

  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
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    I would check with your doctor before starting a supplement to be sure you actually need it.

    I have a severe deficiency and take prescription D3 supplements.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    At your next physical, have your doctor run a blood panel to determine any deficients. I'm deficit in a couple of things and take OTC supplements under doctor care. Most OTC supplements won't hurt you, but it's quite a waste of money if you don't need them.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    Blood tests showed that I had a vitamin D deficiency. I take the Kirkland brand (Costco) D3 supplement (2000 IU) each day and it has kept my numbers on the low end of the normal range. No side effects. I think if you do 1000-2000 IU a day it wouldn't hurt you even if you are not deficient, but you should check with your doc.

    I did take the heavy-duty prescription D supplements for a little while (50,000 IU, I think?). Those are just for a confirmed severe deficiency, and even with those I didn't have side effects.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    I have a severe deficiency and take OTC supplements, prescribed by my doctor. I have been retested every so often to adjust the dose.

    Talk to your doctor about a blood test. Too much vitamin D in supplement form can be dangerous to your liver.
  • readytobeatfat54
    readytobeatfat54 Posts: 91 Member
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    Most people in the northern half of North America have a deficiency because we don't get the proper UV rays up here. But checking with your doctor makes the most sense.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
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    I decided to take d3 because, I don't do winter well and realise that living in the UK we do not see as much winter sun as would be good for us. I think it is helping. Having "silly" things like vitamin levels tested is out of the norm in the NHS.
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
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    I take d3 with calcium because other medication I'm on puts me at risk of osteoporosis.
    I agree with others: get your levels checked first,as too much can also be harmful
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    If going out to the doctor is too stressful for you due to the agoraphobia, look into a visiting nurse service. They can come to your residence and draw your blood for you. They can also check for other health issues.


    I would also suggest seeking out some professional counseling if you aren't already. Check around, there are home based therapy options to get you started.
  • arya8
    arya8 Posts: 316 Member
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    I have a vitamin d deficiency and I've tried to take supplements but no matter which I take, they make me sleepy and extremely drowsy. I haven't tried the liquid ones, that's next on the list. It's so strange because I've never heard anyone else having this.
  • croftie4
    croftie4 Posts: 221 Member
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    I take one. I'm in the West Country, UK and my doctor said everyone would benefit from taking some. Best thing I ever did.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    arya8 wrote: »
    I have a vitamin d deficiency and I've tried to take supplements but no matter which I take, they make me sleepy and extremely drowsy. I haven't tried the liquid ones, that's next on the list. It's so strange because I've never heard anyone else having this.

    Have you talked to your doctor? There are injected versions too. And make sure it's D3.
  • arya8
    arya8 Posts: 316 Member
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    cmtigger wrote: »
    arya8 wrote: »
    I have a vitamin d deficiency and I've tried to take supplements but no matter which I take, they make me sleepy and extremely drowsy. I haven't tried the liquid ones, that's next on the list. It's so strange because I've never heard anyone else having this.

    Have you talked to your doctor? There are injected versions too. And make sure it's D3.

    I have, she gave me a vitamin d2 (since I'm reacting to d3) in capsule form, 50000 units to take once a week. I haven't had courage to take it yet haha I've been taking a multivitamin that has 1000 units and that works for some reason. It's just when I take it alone that it affects me.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    arya8 wrote: »
    cmtigger wrote: »
    arya8 wrote: »
    I have a vitamin d deficiency and I've tried to take supplements but no matter which I take, they make me sleepy and extremely drowsy. I haven't tried the liquid ones, that's next on the list. It's so strange because I've never heard anyone else having this.

    Have you talked to your doctor? There are injected versions too. And make sure it's D3.

    I have, she gave me a vitamin d2 (since I'm reacting to d3) in capsule form, 50000 units to take once a week. I haven't had courage to take it yet haha I've been taking a multivitamin that has 1000 units and that works for some reason. It's just when I take it alone that it affects me.

    Bodies are strange.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,979 Member
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    I was also diagnosed as Vit D deficient.

    Took the prescribed 50k IU supp for a week or so, then took OTC 10k IU caps 1x a day for a year which raised levels a little too high, so started taking the same 10k IU caps every other day (for an ave of 5k IU daily) instead.
  • goldengirl111
    goldengirl111 Posts: 684 Member
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    Moving toward 2000 IU per day
    Dr prescribed
  • Slasher09
    Slasher09 Posts: 316 Member
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    From working as a nurse in family practice...I have personally only ever had to call two people ever to stop taking any D supplements because the levels were too high (over 100). That's out of...literally thousands. Usually if it is high is it because of something else in your body. HOWEVER, it's always good to get a test done first. Most people are low or on the low end of acceptable (30 is the cutoff, most people's labs where I was in NY came back about 15-40), so you should make sure that you are taking enough to correct it. Some people need a 50,000iu a week dose for a few months, other people need 5000 a day, some need 1000 a day.
  • Bettina_Will
    Bettina_Will Posts: 1 Member
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    I’ve had gastric bypass surgery so D and B12 are musts in my supplement plan. After I began the D, the sides of my mouth stopped cracking. I take a chewable 5000 IU D3 daily. It tastes like a little peppermint (also in cinnamon). The brand is KAL and I get it from The Vitamin Shoppe (I’m not associated in any way). As stated with other posts, check with doc.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    My blood panel showed low vitamin d levels. I order D3 from Vitacost, their brand. No side effects.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,979 Member
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    I was diagnosed as Vit D deficient based on blood tests 5 yrs ago.

    Took 1k, then 2k and then 3k IU of D3 daily for a couple of years w/virtually no effect on my Vit D level.

    At the start of the 3rd yr, I was prescribed high dose 50k IU vitamin D2 pills daily for a week and then took one 10k IU D3 pill daily for a year, which put me at the very high end of the "normal" range.

    Switched to taking the 10k IU pill every other day, which put me right in the middle of the normal range for the past 2 yrs.

    So, it takes an average of 5k IU of D3 daily to keep my Vit D level on track.

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