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I've been taking Vitamin D supplements for the last year, and most recently I had my doctor run tests. They were very surprised that the test came back and I wa

I've been taking Vitamin D supplements for the last year, and most recently I had my doctor run tests. They were very surprised that the test came back and I was under the minimum range, even with the supplements. They had not expected that at all. So instead they asked me to up my dosage. Ever since then I've felt mentally better than before, it really helped my mood and improved my ability to think.

jychang 6y ago
What body weight are you? What dosage were you at before? What dosage are you at now?
- X-Istence 6y ago
  I'm a big guy. 300 lbs. Was at 2,500 IU, now at 5,000 IU.
  - selflesssieve 6y ago
    I’m also interested. What’s your latitude and do you get sun often?
    - X-Istence 6y ago
      I live in San Francisco. There's plenty of sun, I don't spend an awful lot of time outside though, and especially not uncovered or without adequate sun screen to protect my tattoos and my skin (skin cancer sadly runs in the family)
the_jeremy 6y ago
Warning for others: HN seems to be pro-armchair diagnosis on vitamin D supplements, which makes sense given the demographic and stereotypical lifestyle factors. Vitamin D is fat soluble. It can build up in your system over time. Normal levels are 30-50 ng/ml, and you can get your levels tested by asking for the test whenever you get a blood draw or your physical. Taking vitamin D supplements at high levels indefinitely without medical testing is dangerous (albeit a slowly building danger over months that is relatively easily reversed). Anecdata: I was taking 5000 IU daily for a year, and my levels went up to 79 ng/ml. I stopped taking it for 6 months, and my levels went down to 47 ng/ml.
- LinuxBender 6y ago
  I've been going 60K IU's for a long time, no issues thus far. I had to ramp up to that. Doing that all at once can cause headaches or blurry vision.
- X-Istence 6y ago
  Appreciate the warning, but I started taking supplements due to a previous doctor recommending me to take them. Then that doctor retired and I got a new doc who didn't read that in my previous charts, so they were surprised when the results came back, evenjhough I was taken supplements.

jychang 6y ago

What body weight are you? What dosage were you at before? What dosage are you at now?

X-Istence 6y ago
I'm a big guy. 300 lbs. Was at 2,500 IU, now at 5,000 IU.
- selflesssieve 6y ago
  I’m also interested. What’s your latitude and do you get sun often?
  - X-Istence 6y ago
    I live in San Francisco. There's plenty of sun, I don't spend an awful lot of time outside though, and especially not uncovered or without adequate sun screen to protect my tattoos and my skin (skin cancer sadly runs in the family)

the_jeremy 6y ago

Warning for others: HN seems to be pro-armchair diagnosis on vitamin D supplements, which makes sense given the demographic and stereotypical lifestyle factors. Vitamin D is fat soluble. It can build up in your system over time. Normal levels are 30-50 ng/ml, and you can get your levels tested by asking for the test whenever you get a blood draw or your physical. Taking vitamin D supplements at high levels indefinitely without medical testing is dangerous (albeit a slowly building danger over months that is relatively easily reversed). Anecdata: I was taking 5000 IU daily for a year, and my levels went up to 79 ng/ml. I stopped taking it for 6 months, and my levels went down to 47 ng/ml.

LinuxBender 6y ago
I've been going 60K IU's for a long time, no issues thus far. I had to ramp up to that. Doing that all at once can cause headaches or blurry vision.
X-Istence 6y ago
Appreciate the warning, but I started taking supplements due to a previous doctor recommending me to take them. Then that doctor retired and I got a new doc who didn't read that in my previous charts, so they were surprised when the results came back, evenjhough I was taken supplements.