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Old 07-24-2009, 07:23 PM   #1  
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Default Vitamin D; and the missing link.

All my life I always felt I had a slow metabolism. I had to KILL myself to lose weight and could only do about 30 lbs without hitting an unbreakable plateau. Also, I can gain weight fast. Two weeks of cheating and I am up 15 lbs. To lose, literally 4 months of very strict dieting. Yet I don't have PCOS or a thyroid problem.

Everything I ever did to combat this *metabolism* problem has never worked. I have tried eating more meals; doing more weight lifting; doing more exercise; drinking more water. It might have made a minuscule difference but... not that much. Maybe it isn't my metabolism.

So I was intrigued to find this study that just came out: http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/20/v...h-weight-loss/ - it says that for every 1 level increase in vitamin d level, people lost .25 more lbs. I could be reading it wrong and it might be proven not to be that great. However, lets just say that vitamin d at a normal level will increase your weight loss by a factor of 1/4th a lb... um that would be major for someone like me.

I found out this winter I was very low. My level was 20. My moms was 14. But here is the thing. My mom who is 82 has always had borderline sugar numbers. Her blood sugar was NEVER less than 120 sometimes over 140. We were always told that was normal for elderly people. But this winter she took supplements and got her D level up to 40 --- and her blood sugar dropped to 90. She has NEVER HAD ANYTHING under 120 in over 10 years.

So to me it seems proof that vitamin d can really change your body in major ways. Also her cholesterol and blood pressure dropped and they actually took her off some meds because of the blood pressure. So far subsequent testing shows no change.

So here is what I want to ask.... is there anyone on here who does have a normal vitamin d level? 50 to 80. If so how long have you had it. When you lose weight, how many calories do you need to lose and also, how fast do you average a week in losing.

For me, I lose about 1 lb a week if I kill myself. I usually have to eat very low calories plus exercise to achieve this. Thank you.
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Old 07-24-2009, 08:24 PM   #2  
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Last year my doctor starting checking D levels as part of the standard bloodwork she ordered for patients getting annual checkups. Mine came back as 17, but she said that wasn't unusual and not to panic, that so far only 3% of her patients have had optimum levels (and we live below the line that D absorption from sunlight could be a problem). So a number of my friends (who have this same doctor) and I are now on D supplements. Only one friend has had her physical this year and now has normal D levels.

None of us has noticed any side effects, good or bad (including weight loss). But there seems to be so much evidence that D is important that your Mom's experience seems could well be related.
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Old 07-24-2009, 08:49 PM   #3  
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So a number of my friends (who have this same doctor) and I are now on D supplements. Only one friend has had her physical this year and now has normal D levels.
Well I also had a retest recently and only was 26 after going from 400 IU a day (when I felt like taking it) to 1000IU. Kind of stunning. And also, the question comes up... what is normal. My doctor originally (November) told me the 20 was at the low end of normal. When I re-tested (June) she gave me information telling me that they have changed normal to 40 to 80. With optimum being closer to 80. Really makes me wonder. So what is "normal" and is a 42 normal the same as an 82 "normal". Are they going to find out tomorrow normal is really 120?

My doctor has me on 2000 IU of D3 and has asked me to get more sun. Which I am doing. I am to be retested in September.
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Old 07-24-2009, 11:03 PM   #4  
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Mine came back as 17, but she said that wasn't unusual and not to panic, that so far only 3% of her patients have had optimum levels (and we live below the line that D absorption from sunlight could be a problem).
We live in Southern California, and my sister's came back low. I think the geographical risk factors are going to be not so important. After all, we're all using sunscreen!
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Old 07-25-2009, 02:55 PM   #5  
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We live in Southern California, and my sister's came back low. I think the geographical risk factors are going to be not so important. After all, we're all using sunscreen!
I have read that because so many of us spend our days inside and have sunscreen products on us most of the day, make up, you can live in prime sunshine country and still be deficient. However, if you read the chart of where cancers are (supposedly hampered by d) it is overwhelmingly in the northern hemispheres.
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Old 07-25-2009, 03:24 PM   #6  
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I have already had two skin cancer tumors removed, so I was avoiding full sun at all costs so that may have contributed to my low number. She and I also discussed that the most D in my diet is from non-fat dairy, and as D is one of the fat soluble vitamins I may not be getting the benefit of the D in food. So I am taking my D supplement with my highest fat meal of the day.
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Old 07-26-2009, 02:41 AM   #7  
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How did you get your vitamin D up? Just supplements from the store, or what? My multi vitamin has 100 percent of the recommended of vitamin D, so I should be fine, right?
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Old 07-26-2009, 07:28 AM   #8  
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How did you get your vitamin D up? Just supplements from the store, or what? My multi vitamin has 100 percent of the recommended of vitamin D, so I should be fine, right?
If the 100% is 400 IU... not. That amount is only ok if you don't want to get rickets. I actually went up to 1000 D3 (after a prescription dose of 50000 IU D2 from my doctor) and still only went up 3 pts.

I am currently taking a supplement of 3000 IU (D3) and going out in the sun for 20 minutes on the days I can.

I think the correct dose does depend on your weight and also activity level. I was shocked that my mom got up to 40 so quickly but she doesn't do a lot of exercise and she is about 30 lbs lighter than me.
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Old 07-26-2009, 03:50 PM   #9  
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Prescription Vitamin D is given for low numbers. Mine was 11 and I'm on 50,000U once a week. You can't get enough in OTC if you have a really low number. Mine is a gel cap.
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Old 07-26-2009, 04:06 PM   #10  
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I am taking a mult-vitamin that gives me the 400 IU. I do not know my D level.. and really dont want to go to the doc just to find out. Any other way to find out? Also, if I start supplementing with Vitamin D.. is there harm in taking TOO MUCH Vitamin D?
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Old 07-26-2009, 05:40 PM   #11  
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I am taking a mult-vitamin that gives me the 400 IU. I do not know my D level.. and really dont want to go to the doc just to find out. Any other way to find out? Also, if I start supplementing with Vitamin D.. is there harm in taking TOO MUCH Vitamin D?
http://www.grassrootshealth.net/

This group of doctors is conducting a web survey to try to find more out about vitamin d. For a small fee, I think $40, you can get a test. I think they send you a kit and you test via a finger.

My doctor just called in a blood test to the lab, it was five minutes at the lab. I didn't see her.

In general, it is very hard to overdose on vitamin D. Getting it from sun it is impossible to overdose. Your body won't let you. I think it is unlikely that you can overdose but I think the blood test route would be the best way to go. That way you can get a baseline.
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Old 07-27-2009, 07:01 PM   #12  
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I was having severe depression, weight problems, muscle and bone aches like nobodies business (for years actually), and so many other things..... and got tested a few months ago and turned up with a 17. The doc put me on 50000 IU twice a week, and I DEFINITELY felt so much amazingly better it wasn't even funny. I just took my last pill last week, but unfortunately I can't afford $150 for the doctor's visit and another test, so I'm kinda just going to forge ahead on my own with supplements and see how I'm feel to add or decrease. Currently, I'm taking about 4000 to 5000 IU a day. I just do NOT want my level to get back down (I'm half hispanic, it happens VERY easily if I don't get sun), and pretty much everywhere I've read it seems to say that it's near to impossible to overdose.... so... *shrug*

Seriously, the fact that we know so little and so little has been said about Vit D up until now... and so many people are OBVIOUSLY suffering from it..... is just ridiculous. The 400 to 800 IU a normal daily multivitamin gives you is just... pathetic.

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Old 07-30-2009, 06:46 AM   #13  
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Seriously, the fact that we know so little and so little has been said about Vit D up until now... and so many people are OBVIOUSLY suffering from it..... is just ridiculous. The 400 to 800 IU a normal daily multivitamin gives you is just... pathetic.
It is interesting that someone was saying the other day, we can't say we know all about HIV, or MS or whatever. Since 99% of the US Population is Vitamin D deficient and likely has been for a long time... there are whole diseases out there that we have never actually studied in *normal* people.

I think about it and think all my life I have been unknowingly *sick* and just didn't know it. I was missing a hormone. Wow.

At least many doctors have discovered this and are testing people.
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Old 07-30-2009, 09:36 AM   #14  
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I totally agree.

However, I'm really surprised that it took them this long to figure out that the "normal daily amount" was just way too low. I mean, there were so many things pointing to the fact. I realized a LONG time ago that for some reason, the only time I didn't feel sick or weak was during the summer..... but I never really pieced it together because there was nothing ever said to me about it from doctors, etc.

Well, I guess better late than never, right?
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Old 07-30-2009, 09:49 AM   #15  
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The grassroots website posted above says 51% of the population is deficient. Still a crazy number, but 99% is a bit extreme.
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