It seems to me that they could have learned MUCH more by testing all participants before and after supplementation. Considering the cost of doing these studies it seems like it would add very little cost.
Those very low would almost certainly benefit, but it’s nice to know for the purpose of figuring out what low actually is. I aim for 50.
Yes, I really do think the benefits accrued to those who were vitamin D deficient as deficiency is increasingly prevalent globally.
Funny thing is though that Australia where the trial occurred has less vitamin D deficiency than most other countries.
Chalk one up for vitamin D.
I just had my vitamin D tested. I take 5000 IU a day, and my value was still almost deficient. It’s crazy how everyone’s biology is different. I may bump up to 5000 IU twice daily.
What was the value? D3 converts to 25OHD and there may be a limit to the rate at which you convert it (in the Liver). It is possible to buy 25OHD directly and that can increase D3 levels without putting a load on the liver.
You do, of course, have to be careful I find an iu of 25OHD is worth about 3-5 ius of D3.
It normally requires a prescription, but international pharmacies can often handle that if you send in a copy of your blood test.
My current value is 31 Ng/ml. Normal values are 30-100. So barely normal.
I heard Masterjohn say that Vitamins K, A & D influence each other’s status in the body. For what that’s worth.
Are you taking a oil based capsule? I agree with keeping levels higher. I go for 80 ng/ml 200 nm/l
Yes, I am taking an oil based capsule. It’s quite disconcerting.
Sunscreen kills vitamin D production. Michael Hollick talks about the other things that are produced in the skin by sunlight and he thinks on the whole it’s worth it. Try not to burn.
Since I’ve spent my entire life on the farm and the first half was on open topped tractors, trust me my skin has seen the sun. Also we used the farmer caps that don’t protect the ears. My ancestors came from northern Ireland. I’m white and get freckles instead of tan. I’ve never in my life put on sun screen.
When people on here talk about how important sunscreen is, I always cringe. The sun is your friend.
I like to shoot for levels of 60 - 80. Since it is a fat soluble vitamin, taking with fat / food may help. I have seen some suggestions of adding probiotics to help absorption as well, but tend to just increase the dose. Most patients need 5,000 - 10,000 I/u per day of D3. On rare occasion, I have given IM injections of a compounded vitamin D if we can’t get the levels to come up.
@Bicep I agree. I am finalizing a podcast episode with Professor Prue Hart on this exact topic. UV light provides more than Vit D. The risks of wrinkles and cancer can be managed via dose management and skin inspection. The benefits of UV light are more than skin deep, and come from regular but light dosing. Never burn but get a least a few minutes a day…more in winter. And wear a hat to protect the face and neck.
I was deficient in Vitamin D3 before I started taking supplements. I’m just surprised at the low absorption of 5000 IUs. Now I wonder if another supplement is interfering with it and if the same thing is happening to any of my other supplements.
Are you talking about patients that vit D deficient? Or just people in general?
Maybe try Cod liver oil, there is some vitamin D in those together with Vitamin E and A. Could be better absorption.
I have the same problem as you have, also supplemented with 5000IU for a while, I live in Thailand and do a lot of out door sport’s, still my levels was in the 30’s. After I tested I knew I had to do something different. So I added Cod liver oil, got a slight bump in my vitamin d levels after that. Now I am in the mid 40’s…still low but better still.
Maybe this is a genetic thing that is difficult to alter.
Good point! In my area of the country I see mostly low and defiecient Vitamin D levels. To get my ‘ideal’ levels in the 60-80 range the most common doses are in the 5,000 - 10,000 I/u range. In general, if the level is below 30, I start with 10,000 for 3 months and then recheck levels. If just in low normal ranges (30’s,) usually 5,000 I/u.
To give some balance to the discussion, I did run across an article that showed a higher fall rate in elderly patients that were on vitamin D replacement. Its nice to see more studies coming out on vitamin D since 10 years ago most providers never checked levels and bench mark research was supportive of many positives in replacing vitamin D
My N=1 experiments where I tracked the effect on my sleep of a largish dose (24,000/12,000) indicate it takes a few days to process a large dose and also that there is a mildly negative effect of cholecalciferol. Hence I have gone for 25OHD which simply puts up the 25OHD levels without a fuss. I still take cholecalciferol as well, but to keep at 80/200 I intermittently use 25OH (dedrogyl).
The numbers may vary with other people, but I think the idea has broader merit.
I remember there was some discussion of Vitamin-D having a U-shaped dosing benefit curve (perhaps by @John_Hemming ? — I apologize if I remembered incorrectly) perhaps from this thread (Cautions to Synthetic Vitamin D3 - #58 by John_Hemming). In it, whichever person suggested that 5,000 IU daily is too high for most normal people, and that D bioaccumulates in fat cells. I try not to venture too much out in the sun normally, and if it were up to me I’d visit beaches at night and during the winter.
For me, I had last tested in January 2023 at 32 levels and was taking 5,000 per day and, combined with heavy weights (for me) and hard “muscle-building” work at the gym, produced some nice likely hormonal changes which were clearly evident. I’ve since cut back to 5,000 every other day until I get my next reading. If I’m still at 32-ish I’ll likely push it back to 5,000 per day until it moves upward.
What is a serum level I should consider cutting back on my D intake?
There is not much good reasearch looking at serum levels of 25ohd, but i would stick to the “normal range” max 80/200 depending on units
Using the production of preD3 of an 8 year old as the standard (100%), an 18 year old produces 80%, while a 77 year old only produces 37%. Curiously, an 82 year old did better than the 77 year old (40%).
Source study below.