Vitamin D deficient?

roadchic18
roadchic18 Posts: 128
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
I just found out that I am vitamin D deficient and have been given a Rx by my doctor for this. It may be a long shot but just wondering if any one here on MFP is familiar with this problem. I don't really understand why since I take calcium-D supplements every day, I drink milk. I do work at home and don't go out in the sun a whole lot. I'm very fair skinned so I'm cautious of the sun. I have had a lot of joint problems and what I feel is "severe" fatigue for the last couple of years which I have read can be caused by a vitamin D deficiency so I'm just wondering if anyone else ever had this problem. Just looking for some insight. Thanks for listening.

Replies

  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    I'm also Vitamin D deficient but it comes up in the form of eczema for me. I get really bad dry patches all over my face, hands, arms, legs, shoulders, anywhere basically. It usually takes 2 weeks of taking 2,000IU of Vitamin D & 2 Cod Liver Oil pills daily for them to clear up and 2 weeks of NOT taking it for them to reappear. I've just started re-taking them. I also was advised by my doctor to spend 20 minutes in the sun unprotected in a short sleeve shirt and shorts (no sunscreen - I usually wear a tank and my everyday cardio of 30 minutes is when I do this...I figure the 10 extra minutes can't hurt. I never burn so until I do, I'll continue doing this). If my skin gets really bad, I do use the prescription cream my doctor gave me on the dry spots but this last time they reappeared, I haven't had to.

    I also try to eat off this list that is supposed to help with my skin:

    - Asparagus
    - Broccoli
    - Red Pepper
    - Kelp
    - Sage
    - Parsley
    - Garlic
    - Canteloupe
    - Apricot
    - Peaches
  • Behavior_Modification
    Behavior_Modification Posts: 24,482 Member
    I was also diagnosed with Vit D deficiency about a month ago. Doc gave me a supplement as well. I take one a week for 8 weeks and then she'll do labs again. Not sure if it is the Vit D I'm feeling or just feeling better from the lifestyle changes.
  • luv2run4fun
    luv2run4fun Posts: 92
    Not sure where you are from but most Midwesterners have some form of Vitamin D deficiency...be it mild or severe. The sun is good for you but of course, in moderation. I live in the Midwest and I take 5,000 mg of Vitamin D in the winter months and drop it down to 1,000 mg in summer. And, I spend a lot of time outdoors in summer. I have read a lot of statistics regarding Vitamin D and how many of us are unaware of our deficiency. You should be taking a good brand of supplement--one that is pharmaceutical-grade (Metagenics is a good brand) so that your body is actually absorbing the Vitamin. Also, make sure it's VITAMIN D3!!!
    Hope you start feeling better and I am sure you will notice a big difference in your energy, joint problems, etc. soon. Do a little research if you have time...it's very interesting!
  • roadchic18
    roadchic18 Posts: 128
    Thanks Arielle 0489. I've been suffering with dry patches on my scalp for since last fall (absolutely drives me crazy) and also have been getting some spots on my forearms a couple of times, always the same place, and on my hips for the last 4 or 5 months. So that could explain a lot for me. Thanks so much for the info!
  • shortcake324
    shortcake324 Posts: 3
    I also have Vit D deficiency. I had a baby and she wiped out my stores of D so I have been trying to rebuild my D. I take a liquid supplement I got from my nutritionist. I broke my ankle while pregnant because of this deficiency. It took almost a year before I was able to stand for more than a moment or two. It absolutely causes fatigue. I was so tired physically tired all the time. I was actively losing weight and still am. I noticed that by taking my supplement helped to move along my weight loss progress. I am hoping trying this site will help me along the way
  • bathori
    bathori Posts: 33
    Do you eat any red meat or fatty fish? There's really only 4 reliable ways to get vitamin D - sunlight, red meat, fatty fish and supplements. Fortified breads and other procesed foods generally contain a lot less vitaminD than listed on the label and the absorbion of vitamin D in this manner can often be interrupted by other enzymes in the food.

    I take 2000iu of vitamin D every day because it helps me sleep more soundly and feel more alert, and the recommended dossage of 200iu us way too low for most people. If you live in a place that has dark winters and don't make an effort to get sun when it's around you will continually leech your stores, leading to endless fatigue.
  • missouri_rain
    missouri_rain Posts: 560 Member
    I'm also Vitamin D deficient, since taking the supplements I've noticed a improvement.
  • sunnysmile
    sunnysmile Posts: 1,192
    I didn't realize until recently that Vitamin D is actually a hormone. I believe there is a connection also between vitamin D deficiency and obesity, at least they find people that are obese are more likely to have absorption issues with it too. There is a fine line between spending the time at noon in the sun to get the hormone the natural way and taking a supplement. My Dad had melanoma and so there are concerns with unprotected sun exposure.

    There is a website called The Vitamin D Council where a bunch of doctors make recommendations on it, show studies done. It's not an ad for selling the vitamin but a research site.
  • roadchic18
    roadchic18 Posts: 128
    I didn't realize until recently that Vitamin D is actually a hormone. I believe there is a connection also between vitamin D deficiency and obesity, at least they find people that are obese are more likely to have absorption issues with it too. There is a fine line between spending the time at noon in the sun to get the hormone the natural way and taking a supplement. My Dad had melanoma and so there are concerns with unprotected sun exposure.

    There is a website called The Vitamin D Council where a bunch of doctors make recommendations on it, show studies done. It's not an ad for selling the vitamin but a research site.

    IThanks Sunnysmile. This would actually explain a lot of things for me. I live 5 miles from the ocean in SE North Carolina so we have sun pretty much every day, but my mom has skin cancer so I'm a little sun scared if you will. Plus at 39 I worry about wrinkles so I stay out of the sun for the most part. Thanks for the information. I will definitely check out that site.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    Do you eat any red meat or fatty fish? There's really only 4 reliable ways to get vitamin D - sunlight, red meat, fatty fish and supplements. Fortified breads and other procesed foods generally contain a lot less vitaminD than listed on the label and the absorbion of vitamin D in this manner can often be interrupted by other enzymes in the food.

    I take 2000iu of vitamin D every day because it helps me sleep more soundly and feel more alert, and the recommended dossage of 200iu us way too low for most people. If you live in a place that has dark winters and don't make an effort to get sun when it's around you will continually leech your stores, leading to endless fatigue.

    ITA.

    If you're in the northeast / midwest regions / Canada, you don't get enough sun to naturally produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D. I highly recommend eating wild salmon and/or kippers (fatty, Omega 3 / D rich fishes) several times per week to boost dietary consumption of Vitamin D.

    When you supplement with Vitamin D, it should be in a liquid or gel format (in oil) as it's the best form to take and the most easily absorbed into the body.

    Also, if you wear a very high number sunblock, you may be hindering your skin's efforts to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Try to get some good sun exposure with little to no sunscreen. Unless you burn very easily, getting some sun is good for the skin. I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.
  • ksproston
    ksproston Posts: 6,972 Member
    Thanks for the original post as well as all of the replies. I've recently been diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency. I just picked up some supplements. I'm anxious to get them started to see what, if anything, I notice. Thanks again!
  • roadchic18
    roadchic18 Posts: 128
    Do you eat any red meat or fatty fish? There's really only 4 reliable ways to get vitamin D - sunlight, red meat, fatty fish and supplements. Fortified breads and other procesed foods generally contain a lot less vitaminD than listed on the label and the absorbion of vitamin D in this manner can often be interrupted by other enzymes in the food.

    I take 2000iu of vitamin D every day because it helps me sleep more soundly and feel more alert, and the recommended dossage of 200iu us way too low for most people. If you live in a place that has dark winters and don't make an effort to get sun when it's around you will continually leech your stores, leading to endless fatigue.

    ITA.

    If you're in the northeast / midwest regions / Canada, you don't get enough sun to naturally produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D. I highly recommend eating wild salmon and/or kippers (fatty, Omega 3 / D rich fishes) several times per week to boost dietary consumption of Vitamin D.

    When you supplement with Vitamin D, it should be in a liquid or gel format (in oil) as it's the best form to take and the most easily absorbed into the body.

    Also, if you wear a very high number sunblock, you may be hindering your skin's efforts to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Try to get some good sun exposure with little to no sunscreen. Unless you burn very easily, getting some sun is good for the skin. I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.

    I do live on the SE coast so at least this gives me a good excuse to go to the beach more often, LOL! I have been prescribed 50,000 IU from my doctor to take on some kind of a taper I think. I will also be sure to eat more salmon, my husband will not be happy about this but I love salmon. I plan on doing my bicycling earlier today so I can catch some rays. I normally wait until 6 or so to avoid the high-sun times.

    Thanks for the great advice!
  • sunnysmile
    sunnysmile Posts: 1,192
    Do you eat any red meat or fatty fish? There's really only 4 reliable ways to get vitamin D - sunlight, red meat, fatty fish and supplements. Fortified breads and other procesed foods generally contain a lot less vitaminD than listed on the label and the absorbion of vitamin D in this manner can often be interrupted by other enzymes in the food.

    I take 2000iu of vitamin D every day because it helps me sleep more soundly and feel more alert, and the recommended dossage of 200iu us way too low for most people. If you live in a place that has dark winters and don't make an effort to get sun when it's around you will continually leech your stores, leading to endless fatigue.

    ITA.

    If you're in the northeast / midwest regions / Canada, you don't get enough sun to naturally produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D. I highly recommend eating wild salmon and/or kippers (fatty, Omega 3 / D rich fishes) several times per week to boost dietary consumption of Vitamin D.

    When you supplement with Vitamin D, it should be in a liquid or gel format (in oil) as it's the best form to take and the most easily absorbed into the body.

    Also, if you wear a very high number sunblock, you may be hindering your skin's efforts to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Try to get some good sun exposure with little to no sunscreen. Unless you burn very easily, getting some sun is good for the skin. I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.

    I find it interesting that you find the "avoid the sun" advice as BS, and my family always thought that if you tanned or were more olive skinned that melanoma or skin cancer didn't affect you. We were wrong. My Dad enjoyed the sun all the time, and in his later years had a melanoma that even the dermatologist didn't think was a melanoma. They don't all look like typical melanoma, and they don't always grow where you can see them easily. And politely, may I note there is no such thing as a mild melanoma, just one that is caught early enough and removed. And then after they remove it they operate to dig very deeply around it to remove all edges, and then they watch you and watch you and hope for no recurrence. It is treatable when caught early but it is a very fast killer if not, so be careful what you wish for. A bad burn in your youth has been shown to directly lead to skin cancers when you are older. I just don't wish that on anyone.

    I hope taking vitamin D3 will help me avoid the cancers you discussed, as well as support other vital functions in the body. But for myself, I had enough bad burns from my youth when we would put on baby oil and bake to be concerned about the sun now.

    Peace.
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
    Vitamin D is one of the only things that I feel it is important to take a supplement of (in addition to getting sunlight when possible-can be difficult depending on where you live in the world- and eating foods rich in vitamin D). It is very difficult to get enough vitamin D from food, especially if you are deficient.

    Milk is a good source of Vitamin D (it is fortified with it).
    Egg yolk and fatty fish are basically the only natural sources of vitamin D.
    Red meat contains very low levels of vitamin D, however the form of the vitamin is readily bioavailable.
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member

    I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.

    And politely, may I note there is no such thing as a mild melanoma, just one that is caught early enough and removed. And then after they remove it they operate to dig very deeply around it to remove all edges, and then they watch you and watch you and hope for no recurrence. It is treatable when caught early but it is a very fast killer if not, so be careful what you wish for.

    Very, very well said. I worked in oncology for many years & hopefully you would be "lucky enough" to be able to have huge chunks of your skin cut off to remove a melanoma, but if not then just know that no chemo treatments exist yet to really help you (although many are being researched & hopefully will come to market soon). I just had a dysplastic mole removed from my back & it was very scary to think what "could have been" if I hadn't caught it so quickly.
    (sorry to the OP for changing the subject a bit:flowerforyou: )
  • sunnysmile
    sunnysmile Posts: 1,192

    I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.

    And politely, may I note there is no such thing as a mild melanoma, just one that is caught early enough and removed. And then after they remove it they operate to dig very deeply around it to remove all edges, and then they watch you and watch you and hope for no recurrence. It is treatable when caught early but it is a very fast killer if not, so be careful what you wish for.

    Very, very well said. I worked in oncology for many years & hopefully you would be "lucky enough" to be able to have huge chunks of your skin cut off to remove a melanoma, but if not then just know that no chemo treatments exist yet to really help you (although many are being researched & hopefully will come to market soon). I just had a dysplastic mole removed from my back & it was very scary to think what "could have been" if I hadn't caught it so quickly.
    (sorry to the OP for changing the subject a bit:flowerforyou: )

    Thank you for those words. It is what I thought. May I ask, what is a dysplastic mole? Is that cancer, pre-melanoma? Have you seen any of the research that says taking D3 can help us avoid cancers? I am not familiar with it but perhaps since you worked in oncology you know about it?
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member

    Thank you for those words. It is what I thought. May I ask, what is a dysplastic mole? Is that cancer, pre-melanoma? Have you seen any of the research that says taking D3 can help us avoid cancers? I am not familiar with it but perhaps since you worked in oncology you know about it?

    A mole can basically be normal, dyplastic or cancer. The dysplasia can range from mild to severe. Dysplastic is kinda a fancy word for abnormal...somewhere between normal & cancer. If left alone there's a possibility it can become melanoma & having multiple dyplastic moles usually is a warning that you are at a higher risk for melanoma. Once a dyplastic mole is removed, you watch the spot closely for 3-6 months to see if it comes back. Also once you have a dysplastic mole, it becomes that much more mandatory to get a yearly mole check. The lab that the doctor's office sends the removed mole to will be the one's to give the report if the mole was normal/dysplastic/cancer. As far as D3 & cancer prevention...I can't really offer any insight there, sorry. But I hope it's true!!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    I just found out that I am vitamin D deficient and have been given a Rx by my doctor for this. It may be a long shot but just wondering if any one here on MFP is familiar with this problem. I don't really understand why since I take calcium-D supplements every day, I drink milk. I do work at home and don't go out in the sun a whole lot. I'm very fair skinned so I'm cautious of the sun. I have had a lot of joint problems and what I feel is "severe" fatigue for the last couple of years which I have read can be caused by a vitamin D deficiency so I'm just wondering if anyone else ever had this problem. Just looking for some insight. Thanks for listening.

    Yes, I am too. The doctor told me to get out in the sun more...................He said it does no good to take the pill if you don't have the catalyst to absorb it.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Do you eat any red meat or fatty fish? There's really only 4 reliable ways to get vitamin D - sunlight, red meat, fatty fish and supplements. Fortified breads and other procesed foods generally contain a lot less vitaminD than listed on the label and the absorbion of vitamin D in this manner can often be interrupted by other enzymes in the food.

    I take 2000iu of vitamin D every day because it helps me sleep more soundly and feel more alert, and the recommended dossage of 200iu us way too low for most people. If you live in a place that has dark winters and don't make an effort to get sun when it's around you will continually leech your stores, leading to endless fatigue.

    ITA.

    If you're in the northeast / midwest regions / Canada, you don't get enough sun to naturally produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D. I highly recommend eating wild salmon and/or kippers (fatty, Omega 3 / D rich fishes) several times per week to boost dietary consumption of Vitamin D.

    When you supplement with Vitamin D, it should be in a liquid or gel format (in oil) as it's the best form to take and the most easily absorbed into the body.

    Also, if you wear a very high number sunblock, you may be hindering your skin's efforts to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Try to get some good sun exposure with little to no sunscreen. Unless you burn very easily, getting some sun is good for the skin. I don't know, but I'd rather risk the incidence of mild melanoma than not expose my skin to natural sunlight and have low D levels in my blood (which has been shown to be a precursor for more serious forms of cancer). That's just IMO... I think so much of the "OMG! Avoid the sun!" advice we've been fed for so long is such a load of B/S...LOL.

    I knew that was you when I read the posting further down that someone quoted.........

    I know it is BS too, makes me roll my eyes. Mark Sisson backs this up too. :love: :love: :love: :love:

    My excuse for not going out in the sun is just because it is HOT....................I am making an effort to get out in the sun more, which is helping a little bit.............

    I have to get my blood drawn every 6 weeks until my levels are normal.......................

    So my prescription from the doctor is get more sun.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    Maybe I should clarify though, as I realized my post sounds massively douchebaggish and reeks that I don't care if I get cancer. I'm not advocating reckless abandon in the sunlight, but a good dose of it daily during summer months or peak sunlight - 20-60 minutes if you can.

    I wear a mid-range (15-30 SPF) sunscreen or cover-up, hat if I will be out in the sun for a while swimming, boating, etc.

    I've had a fairly painful cone biopsy performed to remove cancerous cervical cells, so no, I'm certainly not downplaying any cancer risk. That procedure is considerably insignificant compared to most others, to be honest. But I still will aim to get sunlight every chance I can. I still stand by my opinion that moderate sunlight is considerably more healthy than trying to limit or avoid sunlight.

    I can't help but see positivity in new research connecting high serum levels of vitamin D and omega 3 / ALA as a protectionary measure against breast and colon cancers, which, any way you look at them, still have a considerably higher rate of death per year in the US:

    Melanoma (skin cancer) deaths per year (2007): 8,110
    Breast cancer deaths per year (2007): 40,170 estimated
    Colorectal cancer deaths per year: 49,960 estimated

    Sources:
    http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/3/5/1548 (Vit D serum levels and cancer incidence)
    http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/SunandUVExposure/skin-cancer-facts (Skin cancer related deaths)
    http://www.cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/ColorectalCancerFactsFigures/index (Colorectal related deaths)
    http://www.cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/BreastCancerFactsFigures/breast-cancer-facts--figures-2009-2010 (Brest Cancer related deaths, facts)
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member
    Barneystinson: Hey, thanks for that. You know I always say that we need to remember that everyone has their own "crap" going on in life. I should remember that more while on the forums as well. I think for me, it's a product of where I live/grew up. I was born & raised in a beach town in the south. I still live in the south now. I can get a sunburn on my chest & arm if I am in my car all day running errands. In just the past 3 -4 months I've had a spot removed, my sis had a small chunk of her stomach removed, a family friend just last week had to have the tip of her nose totally removed, a lady in my mom's card group had her entire calf removed, my dad's fishing buddy's wife just had to have her hairline shaved in order to remove a very large part of her forehead (2 years ago my mom had to have a spot taken off the top of her head)....so melanoma is a way bigger deal to me than vit D deficiency b/c I know people that skin cancer has affected, but I know nobody personally that has a vit d deficiency. So....maybe we're all correct. Everyone needs a little sun, but nobody needs to get sun burned. For me where I live w/my fair skin, I can get sunburned in about 15 minutes outside at noon! :frown:
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