I'm looking for info on vitamin D and its possible relevance (if any) to health/diabetes.
My mom has recently had her vitamin D level tested because she was recovering from chemo, and it was low. So she is a vitamin D supplement and gave me some to take. I asked my endo about it and he said he thought it was fine as long as it was 200 IU a day or below. The stuff she gave me is 1000 IU in tiny pills (pretty much impossible to split).
I was thinking that I might ask my doctor if he can test my vitamin D level at my next appointment since I'll probably be getting a requisition for my yearly bloodwork. Is this worth asking about? Is it something my doctor might not be willing to do (I don't know if it costs extra, etc.)?
I've heard so much discussion lately about low vitamin D levels. Between me being Type 1 and my mom having low levels and living somewhat far north, I'm curious if my level is low and, if it is, what effect that might have on my diabetes and health in general.
I take 5,000 iu a day at instructions of my doctor, who reccommends that dose for all patients (we are in a northern latitude).
The book diabetes rising discusses some accredited research which has suggested that a possible link may exist between the onset of diabetes and vitamin d levels. Of course the research isn’t agreed upon by all. I did find it interesting though that there seems to be a direct correlation between prevalence of diabetes and latitude— less sunlight = less vitamin d = more diabetes? Some pretty smart people think so, others do not
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for most adults of 600 IU of vitamin D a day. Doses higher than the RDA are sometimes used to treat medical problems such as vitamin D deficiency, but these are given only under the care of a doctor and only for a short time. I would not take it unless it was necessary. So, the only way to know is a test, and then you should follow your docs advice as it applies to you.
Yeah, I don't like taking stuff unless it's necessary, either, which is mostly why I want to get tested. My mom thinks I should just go ahead and take it anyway, but I'd rather get tested first.
I agree with you. Vitamin D toxicity has some side effects (extreme fatigue, feeling "icky"), and it has to go away on its own--there's no treatment. My endo only recommends a vitamin D supplement only if you're low.
I take 2,000 IU a day, because my D was low when I didn't take it and because I live north-ish and I'm never out in the sun.
I've been taking 2000U/ day for a few months as I read a running injury book that said some people have reported it to be helpful for calf cramps which have plagued me on and off for a while. Unfortunately, it seems not to be a silver bullet but I'll keep it up for a bit.
I was taking vitamin D before D diagnosis and now I take more due to reading that low vitamin d has been linked to type 1. Plus I went to early meno and I stay out of the sun due to fair skin and skin cancer in the family. Early meno is also related to type 1 apparently. If you're worried have your levels tested and then just take a small amount. My levels are normal, so I'm guessing it would be low if I weren't supplementing it. My vitamin b12 levels were too high though so I stopped supplementing that every day now although it did give me more energy.
My mom has read that low vitamin D is linked to cancer, and we have cancer on both sides of our family. I've read it's linked to Type 1, too, but since I already have Type 1 I'm not too concerned about that (though the possibility of developing other autoimmune conditions, possibly). Hopefully my doctor will be okay with tasting it if I ask, and won't get defensive/weird like some doctors do when requesting certain tests.
I hadn't heard about the cancer link, but I'm going to read about that now. I thought maybe it would help slow down the type 1 progression to have more vitamin D although we can't know for sure, but I know there is a lot of evidence it will help prevent osteoporosis a long with calcium which I supplement too. Hopefully it will stop other autoimmune things because I don't want more of those for sure! I hope your doc will not be a pain about it, it's just one test and I think you need it to see if you need to supplement or not.
I take 2,000 IU of Vit D3 daily, except for the day here and there that I forget it when I'm distracted by other things. I've had my Vit D tested, it was normal. It's a common test.
I was put on it since I have OA and Osteopenia. Hopefully it will delay my journey to Osteoporosis. It also helps to keep teeth stronger. I do not go out in the sun too often and I eat fish maybe 4 times a year. I mainly drink almond milk which has no vit D. I eat half a bowl of original bran a couple times a week.
I have had low vitamin D for a while and been on prescription vitamin D. My dr tried 50,000 units once a week but it did not work for me so I now take that twice week and have been for over a year. I stay in the low normal range with that.
For some reason, having diabetes results in significantly higher risks of vitamin D deficiency. And make no mistake, severe vitamin D deficiency can cause severe and even fatal health problems. Severe vitamin D deficiency can cause Rickets, poor bone mineralization (osteoporosis) and is associated with CVD, cognitive impairment, asthma and cancer. The information I have seen suggests that the body can produce 10,000 IUs in a 30 minute full body exposure to the sun. But that is not what humans do anymore, we get arrested for walking around outside naked. And things are even worse in the higher latitudes.
So a few years ago, I had already started taking additional vitamin D, 2000 IUs/day. And then at the end of the summer (I spend a good bit of time outside and had a pretty dark tan), I had my vitamin D tested. It was in the low 20s. Very low. So I started supplementation under my doctor's guidance. I took 10,000 IUs/day. It took six months to achieve mid range levels, finally achieving 50 ng/dL. Apparently, as a fat soluble vitamin, it can take a while for your body to reach an equilibrium. Today, I've been able to reduce my intake, but it still takes 6,000 IUs/day to maintain a normal level. My endo tests my vitamin D levels regularly. In my opinion, a prudent endo should check all their diabetic patient vitamin D levels. And for an older woman with diabetes who is at risk of osteoporosis, such a test would seem to be immediately warranted.
ps. The negotiated rate for the vitamin D test under my insurance is $28.
I showed a Vitamin D deficiency in my last labs and was instructed to start vitamin D. I started taking 2000U per day. My PCP told me low levels have been linked to MS, bone problems and what Brian said above in women. He also said I would probably feel better, and I have.
I buy mine at Target and an 8 month supply was under $15.00.
Vitamin D is linked to cancer and autoimmune diseases and allergies because it's not only necessary for bones, it's necessary for the immune system. It's linked to virtually every autoimmune disease. (And cancer is, technically, a disease of the immune system, since under normal circumstances your body is supposed to be able to fight cancer on its own.)
Low vitamin D is dangerous, but I still wouldn't recommend taking supplements without getting tested first.
I don't know whether you are aware, but sickle cell trait can lead to distorted blood sugar meter readings as well as problems with the HbA1c test. I have been digging into this as I try to find out why my blood seems to have "strangeness."
My old GP said that he finally started testing a lot of his patients for Vit d deficiency and was shocked to discover that something like 80% of them had it. We are in the NorthWest and so don't get lots of sun. I have been taking 2000 iu plus whatever is in the multi. He tested me and I was normal so he told me to keep doing what I was doing. I also try to spend a lot of time outside in the summer so probably get a pretty good dose when the sun shines.
They don’t even bother to test anymore up here because they say absolutely everyone is low in Alaska and they reccommend substantial doses for everyone up here
