8 replies to this topic

[MFRITTMAN]

My vitamin D levels were 36.2 ng/mL on my last blood test.  It is lower than expected.  I am 56 years old.

 

This is what I take daily:

50,000 IU of D3

1 g. Niacin

200 μg. K2 mk-7

Multivitamin

5 mg Rapamycin once per week.

 

I eat one large serving bowl filled with greens (most often parsley and celery) and 3/8 to 1/2 cup olive oil.  1/2 cup of dried parsley for apigenin.   I eat a lot of mixed nuts (> 50% peanuts) and about 1/2 an avocado.  I sometimes have rice or other whole grain and sometimes salmon or other fatty fish.  About once a week I have a cheat meal and have pizza or similar.  I drink about three cups of coffee per day and otherwise drink water or unsweetened iced tea.

 

My exercise includes walking about 6000 steps per day.  I run until I am breathing hard about twice a week (2 miles).  I do resistance bands every other day for strength training.  I don't get a lot of sun exposure.  I wear long sleeves most days and often exercise outside late evenings.  I do want to avoid skin damage.

 

36.2 ng/mL is normal I suppose but I would like to see it over 60.

 

Any suggestions to raise my D levels?

 

 

 

 

[pamojja]

How long have you've been taking D3 at 50000 IU daily? Which brands? Any former 25(OH)D3 serum tests?

 

Any vaccines recently? Heard covid-vaccines can lower Vitamin D serum levels.

[coinperson]

50,000 IU's a day would be massive, are you sure you don't mean 5,000 IU? I am going to assume you ment to type 5,000iu. Seriously, if you are taking 50,000 iu a day and your 25OH is that low, you need to seek some medical help.

 

I had struggled for years with low Vitamin D, my last 25OH vitamin D test was at 70 ng/mL, but it was a journey to get there.

If you want the short answer, I would say, if you are over 40, you need to be taking 10,000iu a day of vitamin D3.   Your K2 MK-7 need to then increase to 200 mcg.

I take 2 of these a day: https://www.amazon.c...s/dp/B07255MPRN

The older you get, the harder it gets for Vitamin D to absorb.  I helped an 82 year old friend get their D up to 40 ng/mL, it took 15,000iu of the above over 6 months to get her levels up.

Long answer:
 

#1 Must be vitamin D3 not D2.  D3 is 2 times more effective in raising your hydroxyvitamin D blood levels.

https://academic.oup...11/5387/2844259

https://academic.oup...8/4/854/4648650

https://eurekalert.o...s-wha070417.php

https://www.medicaln...articles/318266
https://academic.oup...4/4/694/4633079
https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/24001747/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/21177785/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/23168298/
 

#2 Has Vitamin K2 MK-7.  Specifically I looked for a product that that Natural MenaQ7 (https://menaq7.com/, I found the Sports Research D3+K7 product off of MenaQ7’s website of products that carry it).  You MUST have vitamin K2 in order to absorb Vitamin D.  Vitamin D without K2 is worthless. On top of this K2 comes in MK-4 and MK-7.  MK-7 better absorbs than Mk-4 and MK-7 stays in your body much longer.  Both MK-4 and MK-7 are found in the body naturally.  Both can be synthetic, however MK-4 is more likely to be synthetic than MK-7.  So I had to find a Natural MK-7 which MenaQ7 delivered! (https://menaq7.com/w...naq7/varieties/)

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/29138634/

https://www.mdpi.com...-6643/9/12/1334

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC5613455/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/26295257/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/19386744/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/15514282/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/18722618/

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/25694037/
https://www.scienced...014299915300777 “Menaquinone-7 appears to offer a number of practical benefits over menaquinone-4 in terms of lower dosing and single daily dosing instead of multiple doses.”

https://ashpublicati...ary-supplements

 

#3 Vitamin D and Vitamin K are fat-soluble vitamins.  You need to take them in fat.  Sports research uses Organic Coconut Oil to achieve this.
https://www.webmd.co...ferent-vitamins

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/20200983/ taking vitamin D with the largest meal of the day increased vitamin D blood levels by about 50% after just 2–3 months

https://pubmed.ncbi....h.gov/25441954/ consuming vitamin D alongside a fat-heavy meal increased vitamin D blood levels by 32% after 12 hours compared to a fat-free meal

https://www.scienced...212267214014683

#4 you can Overdose on Vitamin D and it can become toxic, however those levels are pretty high.
https://www.mayoclin...(15)00244-X/pdf
https://vitamindwiki...ty of vitamin D



Hope that helps.

Edited by coinperson, 07 August 2021 - 02:09 PM.

[MFRITTMAN]

Yes, I am sure it is 50,000 IU D3 per day. I am taking 10 tablets per day of Nature's Way Vitamin D3 Max 5,000 IU (125 mcg).  Basically, I wasn't planning on doing 50,000 IU forever.  I started taking this level of supplements 1 month ago in preparation for this physical.  I thought it would get my vitamin D to a good level and then go on a maintenance dose after the physical.  So I did seek medical help already.  But like responses in this forum, my doctor assumed I meant 5,000 IU.  Of course, it isn't any help anyone assumes I meant anything other than 50,000 IU D3. I would not have been all that alarmed if I was taking 5,000 IU per day, because I could just increase to 10,000 IU per day.  

 

I do take vitamin D3 after I have my vegetables with a large amount of olive oil.  Consuming vitamin D3 with fats is supposed to improve absorption.  I had my Phizer vaccine completed last December because I work in a hospital.  I believe I did say that I am taking 200 mcg of K2 already.  I can't seem to get access to my previous vitamin D levels.  I am 200 lbs. and have slightly under 20% body fat.  I could lose a few pounds, but it is a big improvement over my weight of 280 lbs. three years ago.

Edited by MFRITTMAN, 07 August 2021 - 08:53 PM.

[MFRITTMAN]

Also, I am currently going through a divorce and had my gallbladder removed a few years ago.  I have heard that both affect absorption.

[pamojja]

I would not have been all that alarmed if I was taking 5,000 IU per day, because I could just increase to 10,000 IU per day. 

 

You used only 1 particular brand during this 1 month, which could mean you received one particular bad batch. 125 microgram is very little and mistakes do happen, as in any production. So don't draw any conclutions from this to any other brand or batch.

 

Usually 25(OH)D is only retested after 2-3 month, because that is usually the minimum time serum levels will somewhat stabilize on a certain dose. Of course, with 50 000 IU daily the earlier testing was justifed to catch any posible overshooting of serum vitamin D.

 

Since now you found 50 000 IU of this product/batch didn't overshoot your vitamin D levels, stay on that dose for the usual 2-3 months for levels to stabilize. And then retest.

 

You might have been overly depleted. And/or the vaccine did the rest. And needs for certain levels can indeed be highly individual. You also might need much more Magnesium than what you get from a Multi, as most do.
 

Personally I needed in average 8 000 IU daily for an average 25(OH)D of exactly 70 ng/ml the last 13 years, your age and almost half your weight. With additional maximum whole-body sun-exposure, for example by 5-6 weaks on a tropical beach the last 8 winters (4 hrs a day), additional to whats possible in summer in central Europe.

 

As side-effect I developed a very severe Mg-deficiency, since Mg is needed to utilize vitamin D. Not overcome with any oral amount (up to 3 g/d of elemental Mg), but additional almost monthly Mg-sulfat IVs. Its health benefits was worth every of its hassle.

Edited by pamojja, 08 August 2021 - 01:39 PM.

[coinperson]

Also, I am currently going through a divorce and had my gallbladder removed a few years ago.  I have heard that both affect absorption.

 

Well, that changes some things.

Gallbladder releases bile to help digestion of fats, liver makes bile and the gallbladder stores it.  Without a gallbladder, bile is not concentrated when you digest.  I would take ox bile after you eat every major meal (no need for small snacks).

Keep taking your 50,000iu with a meal.  I would caution to watch for Vitamin D toxicity.  Do not go more than 2-3 months without another 25OH vitamin D test at that level.  You need to up your K2-MK7 to 1000mcg.  Weight and stress is also going to affect your absorption.  You also need to watch for calcium buildup in your blood (hypercalcemia), that is what the K2 is for.  If you got your D up, cut that level down to 10,000iu and 200 mcg K2 then retest your D in 3 months.

If after 2-3 months you still don't have the correct Vitamin D levels, you need to be tested for a malabsorption syndrom (link 2) (includes: Cystic fibrosis, Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, etc.)

I also take digestive enzymes (for you particularly lipase to break down fat) and HCl to increase stomach acid.

If I suddenly woke up in your shoes, I would do the following:

Before eating:

• 1.5-2.0 grams of HCl https://www.amazon.c...n/dp/B00OVMTTFK

While eating

• 50,000iu Vitamin D with 1,000mcg of K2 https://www.amazon.c...s/dp/B07255MPRN
• digestive enzymes https://www.amazon.c...l/dp/B006N10UUU

After eating

• 250mg ox bile https://www.amazon.c...r/dp/B079PZ4HC9

Obviously, you don't need to get what I linked (however that is what I personally take) and I see nothing wrong with the D you are using as long as you are adding enough K2.  I really hope you get your D levels up!

[MFRITTMAN]

Thanks.  I guess there are number of explanations:

 

1) Bad batch.

2) One month isn't long enough to determine long term results.

3) Vitamin D may have been very depleted due to stress.

4) Lack of bile because of gallbladder removal may interfere with absorption.

5) Magnesium levels may be low.

5) Combination of above.

[Scrittore]

I'll keep it in mind.