Vitamin D?

[Glory87]

Anyone else hearing that we should be getting more Vitamin D? (sunlight, supplements, dietary).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew..._b_446580.html

[nelie]

I take a multivitamin every day just to cover the bases, I also try to get sunlight. Sunlight through skin is good but through the eyes is the best. Also, certain areas may have a lot of difficulties getting enough sunlight especially at certain parts of the year and also those with darker skin/darker eyes may also have more difficulty.

It is one reason that many foods have been fortified for years with vitamin D but it looks like Dr Weil is saying those fortifications aren't enough.

[Meg]

About a year ago, my doctor suggested that I take a Vitamin D supplement, specifically 1000 IU of D3. For the past few years, I've been reading lots about its benefits, especially as we age. I have extremely pale skin and had skin cancer, so avoid sunlight at all cost. So for me, supplementation is the way to go.

[caryesings]

My doctor was convinced by the research to start checking her patient's D levels starting in 2008 and found 95% of us low and this is North Carolina which is supposedly south of the line that allows us to get enough from sunlight. My friend had to super-supplement to get up to normal level, I was able to get the number up with only moderate supplementation, changing my multi to one with extra D and then 1000mg tablet 3 days/week. I'm with Meg, very fair with already 2 basal cell carcinomas removed so not going to increase by adding more sun time.

[QuilterInVA]

If you have makeup on or sunblock, you can't absorb vitamin D. My doctor has prescribed 50,000 Units once a week.

[WarMaiden]

My food log shows I get about 1600 IUs per day from food and supplementation (I take 1200 in supps). There's a significant history of osteoporosis in my family, so I've known for a while that I've needed to get enough vit D and calcium/magnesium. I just wasn't that careful with it. But in Dec 2008 (after I'd already started eating much better--getting probably 400 IU per day just from food) I gave myself a foot stress fracture and thought, "whoops, I guess I need supplements after all!"

I also don't avoid the sun, unless I'm going to be in it really a lot or it's especially intense (mid-summer).

[Suzanne 3FC]

I take it as well. Note that most vitamin D supplements are D2 and the type Weil and others recommend is D3, apparently there's a difference and you have to read the fine print to find out which you have. D3 is cholecalciferol. I recently ordered a few bottles of Weil's Vitamin D from Vitacost at a fantastic price, under $5 for 100 tablets of 1000mg each.

[Meg]

Wow, that's a bargain! I've heard the same thing about making sure it's D3.

[nelie]

Do you know the reason behind vitamin d3 vs d2? I'm curious.

[WarMaiden]

I get my D3 at Trader Joe's for a similarly good price, in bottles of 180.

[saef]

At my last checkup about six weeks ago, the doctor told me I had really low Vitamin D levels and advised that I take a supplement.

I'm fair-skinned and light-eyed & avoid the sun in general, like others here. My eye doctor has also warned me about light exposure in my eyes because of cataract history in my family. Thus, I'm getting my Vitamin D out of a bottle.

[Glory87]

Fascinating!!! You guys are awesome. As a fair skinned person, I am slathered with sunscreen when I'm outside (even in the winter, my daily face lotion has sunblock).

Will definitely be checking out Trader Joe's for D3 supplements!!!

[murphmitch]

I had my Vit. D level checked last year and although it was at the low end of normal, it wasn't "optimum" as some articles suggest. I take 1000 IU of D3 daily.

Nelie, here is a link that explains the difference between D2 & D3:

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/20...itamin-d3.html

This article also states that the gelcap form of D3 is much more effective than the powdered forms.

[Violet73]

I read that most people from the US do not get enough vitamin D and that the sun just doesnt provide us with what we need. I dont know if that particularely is true and I cannot remember where I read it ...sorry! But, my level was low and I take 2,400 IU daily now of D3. I think most of us these days avoid the sun because of sun cancer and so we dont get the benefit of the sun. So, I get my sunshine vitamin out the bottle now too!

[nelie]

Thanks murphmitch! I think I will continue to take vitamin D2 and continue to get my levels checked and if necessary switch to D3. I rather keep taking D2 unless I have an issue which only D3 can solve.