Does anyone else take an absurd amount of vitamins?
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But what I don't see discussed is the relevance of skin color. Those with darker skin will have a much harder time obtaining adequate vitamin D through sunlight, unless they spend a very long (and potentially damaging) time in the sun.Traveler120 wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »Get your vitamins and minerals from real food and use Cronometer to determine if your diet is nutritious enough. The only thing I supplement is B12 because I don't eat a lot of meat. I even stopped taking D and now make sure to get plenty of sun exposure instead. Will get blood test soon to verify if that's working.
For most people who do not live at the equator, sun exposure is not enough to increase vit D levels.
That may be true if you live in the north or south pole. And possibly true during winter months for those in high latitudes, but for the remaining 8 months, even they can get sufficient levels through adequate exposure. For everyone else, which is most people, you simply need to expose your skin for long enough depending on skin tone.
http://www.direct-ms.org/sites/default/files/Vit D synthesis gradient.pdf
"The results can be confirmed by computer modeling
and generalized to latitudes from 0N to 70N. During the
8 warmer months of the year (March–October), relative
vitamin D UV levels are practically independent of latitude.
We conclude that there is practically no latitude gradient
of relative vitamin D UV for the entire USA during
summer, and indeed during most of the year."
Another issue is that some people try to achieve levels that are way above what's considered sufficient. For them, you're right, no amount of sun will get them there and so they resort to supplementation. That doesn't mean it's necessary for optimal health.
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Traveler120 wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »Get your vitamins and minerals from real food and use Cronometer to determine if your diet is nutritious enough. The only thing I supplement is B12 because I don't eat a lot of meat. I even stopped taking D and now make sure to get plenty of sun exposure instead. Will get blood test soon to verify if that's working.
For most people who do not live at the equator, sun exposure is not enough to increase vit D levels.
That may be true if you live in the north or south pole. And possibly true during winter months for those in high latitudes, but for the remaining 8 months, even they can get sufficient levels through adequate exposure. For everyone else, which is most people, you simply need to expose your skin for long enough depending on skin tone.
http://www.direct-ms.org/sites/default/files/Vit D synthesis gradient.pdf
"The results can be confirmed by computer modeling
and generalized to latitudes from 0N to 70N. During the
8 warmer months of the year (March–October), relative
vitamin D UV levels are practically independent of latitude.
We conclude that there is practically no latitude gradient
of relative vitamin D UV for the entire USA during
summer, and indeed during most of the year."
Another issue is that some people try to achieve levels that are way above what's considered sufficient. For them, you're right, no amount of sun will get them there and so they resort to supplementation. That doesn't mean it's necessary for optimal health.
Funny thing, I live in San Diego and I was tested to have low vit. D. I'm in the sun a lot but I wear sunscreen and long sleeves. Low vitamin D does happen in lower latitudes, FYI.2 -
My doctor recommends that people take D in the winter (as it's dark so much and people don't go outside as much). I am actually outside a pretty good amount during my commute and errands (city-dweller) and run outside throughout the winter, but in the winter this is typically/often when it's still dark. So I think my doctor's advice is quite reasonable.0
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Traveler120 wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »Get your vitamins and minerals from real food and use Cronometer to determine if your diet is nutritious enough. The only thing I supplement is B12 because I don't eat a lot of meat. I even stopped taking D and now make sure to get plenty of sun exposure instead. Will get blood test soon to verify if that's working.
For most people who do not live at the equator, sun exposure is not enough to increase vit D levels.
That may be true if you live in the north or south pole. And possibly true during winter months for those in high latitudes, but for the remaining 8 months, even they can get sufficient levels through adequate exposure. For everyone else, which is most people, you simply need to expose your skin for long enough depending on skin tone.
http://www.direct-ms.org/sites/default/files/Vit D synthesis gradient.pdf
"The results can be confirmed by computer modeling
and generalized to latitudes from 0N to 70N. During the
8 warmer months of the year (March–October), relative
vitamin D UV levels are practically independent of latitude.
We conclude that there is practically no latitude gradient
of relative vitamin D UV for the entire USA during
summer, and indeed during most of the year."
Another issue is that some people try to achieve levels that are way above what's considered sufficient. For them, you're right, no amount of sun will get them there and so they resort to supplementation. That doesn't mean it's necessary for optimal health.
Regardless of where you get your vitamin D from it is essential for your body. I supplement all year long getting g around 8,0000 iu's a day. Even when I am in the sun during the summer months it is not enough. And yes, I get my blood tested twice a year so I know if I am deficient.0 -
ForecasterJason wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »Get your vitamins and minerals from real food and use Cronometer to determine if your diet is nutritious enough. The only thing I supplement is B12 because I don't eat a lot of meat. I even stopped taking D and now make sure to get plenty of sun exposure instead. Will get blood test soon to verify if that's working.
For most people who do not live at the equator, sun exposure is not enough to increase vit D levels.
That may be true if you live in the north or south pole. And possibly true during winter months for those in high latitudes, but for the remaining 8 months, even they can get sufficient levels through adequate exposure. For everyone else, which is most people, you simply need to expose your skin for long enough depending on skin tone.
http://www.direct-ms.org/sites/default/files/Vit D synthesis gradient.pdf
"The results can be confirmed by computer modeling
and generalized to latitudes from 0N to 70N. During the
8 warmer months of the year (March–October), relative
vitamin D UV levels are practically independent of latitude.
We conclude that there is practically no latitude gradient
of relative vitamin D UV for the entire USA during
summer, and indeed during most of the year."
Another issue is that some people try to achieve levels that are way above what's considered sufficient. For them, you're right, no amount of sun will get them there and so they resort to supplementation. That doesn't mean it's necessary for optimal health.
But what I don't see discussed is the relevance of skin color. Those with darker skin will have a much harder time obtaining adequate vitamin D through sunlight, unless they spend a very long (and potentially damaging) time in the sun.
That's a good point. According to most sources, if pale skin needs say 10 min of sun exposure, dark skin needs nearly 5-6 times longer to reach the SAME level of vitamin D. Current guidelines say sufficiency begins at 30 ng/ml. And many sources say most black people in the US, don't reach sufficient levels.
But other studies are questioning whether we need to have ONE standard for all races.
According to this study - http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1306357#t=articleDiscussion -
"Because blacks consistently have lower levels of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D than whites, they are frequently given a diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency.11-13 Yet, as compared with whites, blacks have higher bone mineral density (BMD) and a lower risk of fragility fracture.14-16 "...
" In our study involving community-dwelling adults, we found that levels of vitamin D–binding protein are also lower in blacks, probably because of the high prevalence of a common genetic variant. Lower levels of vitamin D–binding protein in blacks appear to result in levels of bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D that are equivalent to those in whites. These data, combined with previous data from our group,29 suggest that low total 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels do not uniformly indicate vitamin D deficiency and call into question routine supplementation in persons with low levels of both total 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin D–binding protein who lack other traditional manifestations of this condition."
Other articles:
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/11/20/246393329/how-a-vitamin-d-test-misdiagnosed-african-americans
http://contemporarypediatrics.modernmedicine.com/contemporary-pediatrics/content/tags/bone-mineral-density/insights-racial-differences-vitamin-d-leve
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If you're eating a healthy varied diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, then chances are, you don't need a multivitamin unless directed to by a doctor. Many multivitamins contain a much higher dosage than necessary, and sometimes this can actually cause adverse health effects (or, no effect at all other than lightening your wallet).
Frontline did an interesting documentary on the supplement industry: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/
...That said, I've had blood work done in the past, and I'm low on iron and B12, so I take those whenever I remember.
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I had a hair mineral analysis test so I know exactly what I should and shouldn't be taking.
Best decision I made0 -
50,000 units of D2 is a prescription medicine intended to take once or twice a week for a few months until low vitamin D levels are resolved. Then, you can supplement daily with a lower dose of D.
Ask your doctor for the prescription.
To others who have replied: for some unknown reason, MS patients tend to have lower vitamin D levels regardless of the amount of sun or diet. I have MS, don't use sunscreen, and supplement; and I still have low Vit D.0 -
I take 10,000 IU of VitD daily per my doc because I am VitD deficient, even though I eat a healthy diet and get lots of sun. 10,000 IU capsules are available.
Buy mine off of Amazon; year's supply in one bottle -- $18 for 360 or about 5 cents a capsule. You can find them here: https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Origins-Vitamin-Lanolin-Count/dp/B0031BQN10/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1471480722&sr=8-3&keywords=vitamin+d+10000+iu
Took a 2 week prescribed dose fo 50k IU Vit D, before I started taking the 10k IU capsules, when my doc diagnosed the VitD deficiency. I believe that's the only way you can get the 50k capsules.
According to sources I've read, VitD toxicity can occur at daily levels of 40k IU or more. 10k daily has not been a problem for me and has kept my VitD levels at an acceptable medical level.
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