My Vitamin D levels

I just had my Vitamin D level tested and it was 13 ng/mL. Normal is 30-80 ng/mL. I even had been taking supplements beforehand! This is what I get for working in a practically windowless office in western New York in the winter I guess. Anyway, I was given prescription-dose supplements.

We’ll see how these supplements help me.

I think I also need a therapeutic trip south! :slight_smile:

Maria

It seems that the vitamin B production can be affected by diabetes. This was concluded only recently when researchers measured vitamin B directly in the blood stream and not the marker products that will be used in ordinary lab tests.

Here is the video about this discovery.

I’ve heard that there’s speculation that a low level of vitamin D can cause Type 1.

I take vitamin D3 and B12 both of which were low but are closer to the normal range now.

I too have low levels of VIt D, mine might be more from have gastric bypass surgery…but it still sucks…I use to drink alot of milk and have dairy, but since surgery I can’t hardly handle milk or much dairy, except for cheese…But I also wonder if it is also associated with diabetes…I live where it snows, but for once this time of the year we don’t have any snow yet and I am so happy aboout that…

Apparently beta cells and immune cells both have a vitamin D receptor and yes there is a ton of research showing that there’s a correlation between low levels of vitamin D and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D protects against development of diabetes but I haven’t found any research yet that says that diabetes can be turned around if you fix the Vitamin D problem.

Maria

Try googling vitamin D preventing diabetes. There’s a lot of info both for type 1 and type 2 . Also studies have linked Graves disease to low levels of vitamin D.

I find it facinating How many of us have a vitamin D shortage and how man of us have more than one disease that is related to low vitamin D.

The best way to get enough is 20min in direct sunlight with 40% skin exposure for light skin and up to 2hr. for dark skin. In areas 40 degrees Lat. north or south (Boston is 42 degrees N) for Nov to March this isn’t enough UVB to produce vitamin D. In Lat. 30 degrees N or S it is extended from Oct. to mid march.
Next best choice is a tanning bed that has UVB and not just UVA . You look for a ratio of 1 to 10.
The third choice is supplements. Make sure it is D3 and not D2. D2 is not only ineffective in humans but will also prevent the body in processing D3. The Linus Pauling Institude recomends to any one not get enough sun to get 2000 IUs a day.

Some say if you are low take 5000IUs a day for three months and then test 25(OH)D .

You’re right but we can slow the progression of the disease And thats a big plus!

Milk is way too low in vitamin D other than for Rickets . You would have to drink 200 - 8oz glasses of milk to equal 20mins in the sun.

You might want to read Dr. Joseph Mercola’s book; The Dark Deception.

Hi Maria,
Joe is right on target. There is a lot of information being published now about the research on Vitamin D. I suggest reading as much as you can find. It is vitally important for all of us and effects many things in our bodies.

Maria-

I am also low in Vitamin D. Since becoming a diabetic nothing amazes me anymore. I always say ok, how can we fix it.

Vitamin D may not be a magic bullet but it just might be the gun for it. Vitamin D will be a part of any cure or remission.

Here’s a blog post by Jenny on Vitamin D.

Recently my kidney doctor told me that my Vitamin D and my Iron were low. Geez, what’s next. So, I’ve started taking the Vitamin D, when I can remember since I only take 1 pill a week. Haven’t started on the Iron yet. WHY? I guess because I’m so sick of taking pills that I am simply REFUSING. Which is soooooooo stupid because I’m probably only hurting myself. I’m Taking Plavix to thin my blood, Coreg for blood pressure, Ramipril for blood pressure/kidney, Beincar for blood pressure, Aspirin to thin my blood, Glucosamine for my new “bad hip”, Wellbutrin for my depression (No idea why I might be depressed - LOL) Tylenol at bedtime so I can get a little bit of sleep, simivastatin for cholesterol, OH! and don’t forget the insulin. ENOUGH ALREADY.

Hmm… 2nd week into the high-dose Vitamin D. Do I feel better because of the Vitamin D or because it’s the end of the semester? (probably the latter. And when I get these blankety-blank final exams graded I’ll probably feel REALLy good). (My students might not). But I do think that there might be something to this Vitamin D thing. I really do feel good and the other day someone said “Whatever you’re doing keep it up because your skin is just glowing!”) Hmm…

Brenda, I sympathize. You can get iron from food (red meat especially) so if you eat red meat that might actually be better than a pill.

Thanks all,
Maria

I just came across several articles that state that moisturizers that use mineral oil interfere with the utilization of vitamin D.However , lanolin may help in the production of vitamin D. I try to use natural products for moisturizer ,such as; apricot oil ,grapeseed oil, coco butter,coconut oil and lanolin.

I’ve also have come across studies that state that Benicar will interfere with the production of vitamin D. According to the article Benicar dock into VDR (vitamin D recerptors). Personally I had negative side effect from this drug .

Google John Cannell, MD & The Vitamin D Council–pioneers in Vit D research.

Prescription Vit D is a scam. You can supplement with OTC Vit D3 far less expensively. D3 is the preferred form. The Vit D added to milk is D2 & not very helpful.

If you’re over 40, you can’t get enough Vit D from the sun. Lighter skinned people need less; darker skinned people need more.

I’ve been meaning to get my levels tested because I bet I’m really low.

There are many different recommendations for how much vit D we have to take as daily supplement, diabetic or non diabetics, adults or children. In our country due to culture and code dressing, we have low level of vit D, so we supplement breast fed babies from day one with vit D3, 400 IU daily, supply expecting mothers, and advice adolescent girls to take it. The milk is supplemented by vit D3.There was a speaker in international symposium who urged to raise the serum level up to 60,with daily recommendation up to 1000 iu.In hot countries, many of us have renal stones,genetical condition, so we are very careful about that recommendation.