Vitamin D
misslottski
Posts: 1 Member
Why is there no way to track Vitamin D intake on MFP? Surely, given it's one of the key vitamins recommended in the fight against Coronavirus, it should be in the list of "important" vitamins. Does anyone know why?
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Replies
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It's not among the nutrients commonly included on food labels (even when present in the food). Since the food database is crowd sourced, and most entries there come from users typing in what's on the label, it wouldn't have a prayer of being accurate, unfortunately.
MFP seems to base its database design on food labeling regulations (USA ones, I assume).2 -
senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.7 -
6 months or so after I moved back to Massachusetts in 2011 I got my vitamin D levels tested and was deficient. My doctor recommended 2,000 IU. I started supplementing and have been fine ever since.2
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senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Didn't used to be required. It's showing up on the new label designs that drop vitamins A and C, so I assume it's required in the new rules.2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Didn't used to be required. It's showing up on the new label designs that drop vitamins A and C, so I assume it's required in the new rules.
It's in the MFP database structure as displayed in the Android app ("Create Food" page), too. But, as you know, Lynn - OP might not - no one is going to go back to the gazillions of old database entries and add it (using what as a source, even if they wanted to? 😉). MFP doesn't seem to be changed the web version's pages to reflect all the new labeling regs, either - so far (as of last time I checked) they were just showing up on my phone.1 -
senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.1 -
How did you track Vitamin D before you started using this site?
Here are some suggestions for you to help evaluate your Vitamin D levels:
1) Have your Vitamin D values drawn from a physician to determine your levels.
2) Spend time in sunshine.
3) Take a Vitamin D supplement.
I sincerely hope this helps you. As far as your question on asking why Vitamin D isn't listed as a vital nutrient on this site, I'd have to reiterate what @senalay788 said.
I wish you luck.1 -
I was also diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency several years ago. Its down again with my recent annual physical so instead of 1000 iu, I have to take 4000 iu. When it happened a few years ago the corrective dose was 50,000 once per week for 6 months. Apparently, building it up with foods and sunshine is not a quick process.2
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How did you track Vitamin D before you started using this site?
Here are some suggestions for you to help evaluate your Vitamin D levels:
1) Have your Vitamin D values drawn from a physician to determine your levels.
2) Spend time in sunshine.
3) Take a Vitamin D supplement.
I sincerely hope this helps you. As far as your question on asking why Vitamin D isn't listed as a vital nutrient on this site, I'd have to reiterate what @senalay788 said.
I wish you luck.
There is vitamin D in some foods though.2 -
I was also diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency several years ago. Its down again with my recent annual physical so instead of 1000 iu, I have to take 4000 iu. When it happened a few years ago the corrective dose was 50,000 once per week for 6 months. Apparently, building it up with foods and sunshine is not a quick process.
I don't take a supplement but living in Texas keeps me up on the Vitamin D levels. Sun is out and shining and hot even today in November. Some people's skin and body's intake of Vitamin D is also different as I have a friend who says she has to take excessive amounts of Vitamin D because her body doesn't process it well. So there's that!1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.
To add to this, salmon's a great source, and some foods (like dairy or dairy subs) are often fortified.
I log at Cronometer where I can see D, but don't worry so much about it as in warmer parts of the year I get it from sun, and otherwise I supplement. Some days I hit my goal from food, some I don't.1 -
I was also diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency several years ago. Its down again with my recent annual physical so instead of 1000 iu, I have to take 4000 iu. When it happened a few years ago the corrective dose was 50,000 once per week for 6 months. Apparently, building it up with foods and sunshine is not a quick process.
I don't take a supplement but living in Texas keeps me up on the Vitamin D levels. Sun is out and shining and hot even today in November. Some people's skin and body's intake of Vitamin D is also different as I have a friend who says she has to take excessive amounts of Vitamin D because her body doesn't process it well. So there's that!
As my oral surgeon says, "You're not out in the sun naked." Or you might be. Who knows?
I tested normal but I don't heal very well so I'm taking 5000 ui a day and it's helped.2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Didn't used to be required. It's showing up on the new label designs that drop vitamins A and C, so I assume it's required in the new rules.
It's in the MFP database structure as displayed in the Android app ("Create Food" page), too. But, as you know, Lynn - OP might not - no one is going to go back to the gazillions of old database entries and add it (using what as a source, even if they wanted to? 😉). MFP doesn't seem to be changed the web version's pages to reflect all the new labeling regs, either - so far (as of last time I checked) they were just showing up on my phone.
I haven't even noticed that there was a vitamin D field in the app database records.
Yeah, I wasn't saying MFP should or would or reasonably could reformat all the existing records and/or add the fields for new/existing records. Given the mess when they tried to create gram and milliliter serving unit options for all records created with ounce and fluid ounce unit options and vice versa, I really don't want them even trying something that apparently is such a stretch beyond their capabilities. I don't need anymore 1,000 calorie cloves of garlic.
2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.
To add to this, salmon's a great source, and some foods (like dairy or dairy subs) are often fortified.
I log at Cronometer where I can see D, but don't worry so much about it as in warmer parts of the year I get it from sun, and otherwise I supplement. Some days I hit my goal from food, some I don't.
I have been tempted to create an entry for "10 mins of NZ sun" at Cronometer, just because it irks me to not be hitting something
4 -
If you are deficient in Vit D as determined by blood testing, I doubt you can get enough of it from eating any specific food.
FWIW, after I was determined to be Vit D deficient, I was given a super dose of Vit D 4 aweek and have been taking an average of 5k IU of it everyday for the past 5-10 yrs.
I have had my Vit D level blood tested everyyr since then and the only reason it is now at recommended levels is because of the daily Vit D supplement that I take, regardless of the food that I eat
So, if you don't know what your current Vit D level is, get tested and if you are deficien take a supplement.
BTE, the "evidence" that Vit D supposedly helps mitigate the effects of C-19 are far from definitive.
Dr. Fauci reportedly takes Vit D and C supplements but I sure he'd be quick to say that, while doing so should help to strenghten your immune system, doing do will NOT necessarily prevent you from catching C-19 nor necessarily mitigate the effects of C-19 if you catch it.
So, I don't think it is necessary to take any Vit D supplement beyond the amount necessary to bring your Vit D levels up to "normal."1 -
Getting tested is important. I live in the southern US with light skin. I was outside every day for at least an hour, and, as my dermatologist would tell you, lazy about sunscreen. I was having severe joint and muscle pain - to the point of being tested for autoimmune disorders. My doctor threw in a vitamin D test "just to check" and my blood levels were extremely low. 6 months of supplements and the pain was gone. I now take a 5000 IU pill every other day and my blood tests come back normal.
I worry a bit about this vitamin D Covid-19 info since (1) they are observational studies, not double blind placebo and (2) some of us need to be able to buy vitamin D and would be in trouble if it's unavailable due to a run on it.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.
To add to this, salmon's a great source, and some foods (like dairy or dairy subs) are often fortified.
I log at Cronometer where I can see D, but don't worry so much about it as in warmer parts of the year I get it from sun, and otherwise I supplement. Some days I hit my goal from food, some I don't.
Yes, I tend to think of fish as a type of meat, but I should have specified -- there are several fish, including salmon, that are good sources of vitamin D.0 -
senalay788 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »How did you track Vitamin D before you started using this site?
Here are some suggestions for you to help evaluate your Vitamin D levels:
1) Have your Vitamin D values drawn from a physician to determine your levels.
2) Spend time in sunshine.
3) Take a Vitamin D supplement.
I sincerely hope this helps you. As far as your question on asking why Vitamin D isn't listed as a vital nutrient on this site, I'd have to reiterate what @senalay788 said.
I wish you luck.
There is vitamin D in some foods though.
Yes, but unless its an add-on, its very little amounts for how much you would have to eat. Thats why best way to get those in is supplement. Just like vegans and the B12. Yes its added in some food but still take the B12 pill and move on.
3.5 ounces of wild salmon can be almost 70% of the DV and even farmed salmon can have about 30%. 3.5 ounces of canned tuna is about 35% of the DV. Mushrooms grown under UV light can vary, but can have as much as 50% of the DV per 3.5 ounces.
I'm not against supplementation (I do it myself in the winter), but let's not deny reality. There are foods with appreciable amounts of vitamin D, especially if you also consider that dairy and other foods are often fortified with it as well.
Everyone should choose the best solution to get their D and supplementation is the best way for many of us. But you can also get it through food. Many people will want to take the supplement and "move on," but is a supplement required, especially given that many people do have year-round sun exposure? No.
I'm not sure how veganism and B12 relate. Vegans supplement B12 because it isn't present in plant foods.2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.
To add to this, salmon's a great source, and some foods (like dairy or dairy subs) are often fortified.
I log at Cronometer where I can see D, but don't worry so much about it as in warmer parts of the year I get it from sun, and otherwise I supplement. Some days I hit my goal from food, some I don't.
Yes, I tend to think of fish as a type of meat, but I should have specified -- there are several fish, including salmon, that are good sources of vitamin D.
Oh, of course fish is a type of meat, but given that meat varies a lot in how much D it has, I figured it was worth pointing out how much salmon has. I never thought about it before (I usually figure sun takes care of it in the summer and otherwise supplement, at least when I remember), but I've been eating a lot of wild caught salmon lately and logging on Cronometer and was surprised that when I do I always hit my D goal.2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »How do you track sun exposure? Vitamin D does not come from food. And this is a good tracking site.
If you take the pills then you know you hit 100%
There is vitamin D in lots of foods - you don't see it listed on food labels because it is not required by the FDA.
Which ones?
Some meat, egg yolks, a wide variety of fortified foods, mushrooms that are grown in ultraviolet light.
To add to this, salmon's a great source, and some foods (like dairy or dairy subs) are often fortified.
I log at Cronometer where I can see D, but don't worry so much about it as in warmer parts of the year I get it from sun, and otherwise I supplement. Some days I hit my goal from food, some I don't.
Yes, I tend to think of fish as a type of meat, but I should have specified -- there are several fish, including salmon, that are good sources of vitamin D.
Oh, of course fish is a type of meat, but given that meat varies a lot in how much D it has, I figured it was worth pointing out how much salmon has. I never thought about it before (I usually figure sun takes care of it in the summer and otherwise supplement, at least when I remember), but I've been eating a lot of wild caught salmon lately and logging on Cronometer and was surprised that when I do I always hit my D goal.
Absolutely, when I was looking it up I was surprised how much vitamin D some fish has.1
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