8 ms·
Supplementing vitamin D has had a large impact on my life. A couple years ago, I frequently felt lethargic and was always getting sick. I randomly got a blood t
by nosefrog 8y ago
Supplementing vitamin D has had a large impact on my life. A couple years ago, I frequently felt lethargic and was always getting sick. I randomly got a blood test, and it said that everything was fine except my vitamin D levels, which were at 7 ng/ml (!!), when the recommendation is 20-30+ ng/ml. Within the first two weeks of supplementing vitamin D, my health went back to normal.
The same thing happened to one of my friends earlier this year. He started getting all sorts of weird diseases when he used to never get sick. After getting a blood test and learning his vitamin D levels were low, he started taking it and he hasn't gotten sick since.
So even if there is big money behind it, I think it's worth getting tested if you spend a lot of time indoors.
- TACIXAT 8y agoYea, similar thing happened to me. Went in for a physical and was at a 10.5 for D. I didn't really realize I was in such a rut until it changed. I joke now that the way to know I'm depressed is when I drive slow and would be willing to buy a Prius. Vitamin D supplement totally flipped my mood, it was pretty amazing.
- inertiatic 8y agoMy experience after testing very deficient and megadosing D3 for a few months was that I noticed absolutely no change. I will thus cut down on supplementation to avoid vascular calcification.
- speakeron 8y ago> I will thus cut down on supplementation to avoid vascular calcification. Current good practice is to also supplement with vitamin K when taking D. This is to promote carboxylation of osteocalcin, so calcium is directed into bones rather than soft tissues[1]. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613455/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613455/
- arkades 8y agoAn editorial arguing from animal models is not “current good practice”. Additionally, please no one take vitamin K supplements without speaking with your physician first. They’re a direct reversal agent for a class of anticoagulants, the prime example of which is warfarin. It’d suck if you accidentally had a stroke or pulmonary embolism because of a random internet comment.
- speakeron 8y agoI'd go further and say you that, if you're on medication, you shouldn't take any supplements without first checking with your doctor. With regards to vitamin K, all the versions of the supplement I've seen have a specific warning on the bottle that they're not to be used if you're also taking anticoagulants.
- rapsey 8y agoYou can get vitamin d light therapy lamps. Those are very effective
- semi-extrinsic 8y agoIf a light therapy lamp company claims their product will increase your vitamin D, they're either telling blatant lies, or they're giving you skin cancer. Only UV radiation (like in sunlight and tanning beds) triggers vitamin D production.
- rapsey 8y agoYes UVB to be precise. Vitamin d lamps are much narrower spectrum, often even a single wavelength of 311 nm. One popular model is fda approved and proven to be effective. UVA is the problematic wave length spectrum and vitamin d lamps stay clear of it (unlike tanning lamps that are focused on UVA). Exposure is also very short of 3min max.
- semi-extrinsic 8y agoTL;DR: only people with specific diseases should use UVB phototherapy lamps, and in those cases it would be prescribed by a doctor. UVB exposure does cause cancer, that much is undisputed [1]. However, with very short exposures following a correct schedule given by a doctor, UVB phototherapy can be an efficient treatment for Vitamin D deficiency in people with certain specific illnesses like cystic fibrosis or inflammatory bowel disease that cause digestive malabsorption of vitamins. This can also be an effective treatment e.g. for psoriasis. The increase in risk seems to be negligible when used like this [2], but for people without these specific diseases a normal Vitamin D supplement is unequivocally safer. [1] https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/uvb-radiation https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-term... [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15869531/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15869531/
- jehlakj 8y agoDon’t mean to sound like your mom but just walk outside for 10 minutes a day.
- inertiatic 8y agoI walk 50 minutes a day to work and back and live in relatively sunny Greece. Didn't stop me from developing a deficiency.
- Numberwang 8y agoJust take a normal dose..
- baccheion 8y agoCalcification can usually be avoided by also taking magnesium and vitamin K. 5,000 IU D3 : 1,000 mcg+ MK-4 or 5,000 IU D3 : 200 mcg+ MK-7.
- LinaLauneBaer 8y agoI always thought it takes months until Vitamin D supplements show their effect... https://www.quora.com/How-long-does-it-take-for-a-vitamin-D-supplement-to-show-up-on-a-blood-test https://www.quora.com/How-long-does-it-take-for-a-vitamin-D-...
- Broken_Hippo 8y agoDefinitely not true. Last winter, I wound up sick due to low vitamin D. We are talking "had to sit while making a simple dinner" sort of sick, headaches and backaches and so on. Now, stronger vitamin D pills are prescription here, lower-dose aren't. I got prescription pills to take for 90 days. I had a blood test after 1.5 to 2 months (earlier than initially thought, but the doctor was curious. Not only were my vitamin D levels good, but I felt much better. Better than I had in months. I still take the lower dose pills to prevent such a thing. I have the choice to get sun during the summer - at least 15 minutes a day with sun on more than just my face. Alas, I find the temperatures too cold to do that all the time (I live in Norway, summers are chilly). On the other hand, my levels are still good (had them tested last month per doctor's orders). Now, it might take a bit longer to actually repair damage done by low vitamin D, but as far as how I felt - it was much quicker.
- LinaLauneBaer 8y ago1.5-2 months ≠ 2 weeks...
- Broken_Hippo 8y agoNo, but that was the soonest I got lab confirmation. I was feeling Loads better within 2 weeks. I could stand making dinner. Backache and headache disappeared. And so on.
- LinaLauneBaer 8y agoFuck everyone here for downvoting. I am leaving. Shit hole...
- TheArcane 8y agoWherever do you and your friend live?
- tmaly 8y agoMy sister and I had the same issues. Doctor prescribed a large does of D3. I would say there is a certain percentage of the population that may have a true deficiency. The original article seems to imply that the whole industry is just some sort of hype. I cannot say for certain how much of it is true given the author’s experience is not in the medical field