IS VITAMIN D3 GOOD OR DANGEROUS FOR DIABETICS?

[Q007]

Good evening,

After viewing several VT's on YouTube about Vitamin D and the better form; D3, I have ordered Vitamin D3 as the posts I read make claims and state benefits for those who don't get out much, low mood, bone \ joint problems and prevention of 19 cancers. There are some very passionate Doctors on video thumping the tub on the huge array of benefits of vitamin D, they state that vitamin D2 is synthesised and that D3 is the one to take. (key in vitamin D3 on YouTube to learn about the benefits of Vitamin D3)

Minutes after I ordered the D3, I found a damming post on the web about toxicity from taking too high a dose of D3, which included excess calcium in the blood stream which, over time, can cause atherosclerosis and heart problems.. I was under the impression that D3 (which is actually a hormone) is non-toxic and has NO known side effects - I've ordered tablets of D3 with 10,000 IU strength - RDA is 400-600 IU but if you don't get out much (work in an office or building, travel to work by car \ bus \ train, have your skin covered, go to the gym but by car etc) is the same as not going outside, again some doctors advise taking 2,000 UI of D3 a day and others say go much higher, see for yourself on Ytube.

I'm not concerned about the benefits of D3 as even the NHS (who usually fence-sit on everything) have a published article on Vitamin D - there is no question at all that Vitamin D especially the D3 form is beneficial. My question, and sorry for the long text on this, is whether 10,000 IU strength is OK to take. I haven't had the 25 ohd Vitamin D blood test but I have to be in the low category because of my circumstances (don't get enough UVB sunlight). If 10,000 IU is for sale is it therefore safe? Is it beneficial for diabetics in anyway?

I apologise for the long post but I like to explain detail, I would be so keen to hear from anyone who has knowledge or personal experience with Vitamin D3? what's your experience? what do you know? is there risk of toxicity?

Hope today has found you all well,

Kind regards,

Q..

 

[carty]

I do know that you shouldnt take vit D if you have high serum calcium so if you are worried you need to check if you have high serum calcium if it is not tested in your normal blood tests maybe ask your GP for a test
CAROL

 

[Q007]

I do know that you shouldnt take vit D if you have high serum calcium so if you are worried you need to check if you have high serum calcium if it is not tested in your normal blood tests maybe ask your GP for a test
CAROL

Thank you I'm due to see GP next week and really do want to bottom this one out.

Kind wishes

Q

 

[iHs]

This is worth reading about the role of vit d in diabetes. Seems as though it definately plays a part http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... po=36.6667

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[Sabantha]

I'm vitamin d deficient, and am prescribed a form of vitamin d, (not d3) I helped me loads, but my complaint was aching muscles, but do think I have more energy when I started using it.


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[Hobs]

You would be much better off with a high output broard spectrum daylight lamp shining on as much bare skin as possible. That way your body would manufacture all the Vit D your body needs ...SO much better than any pills etc

 

[Q007]

You would be much better off with a high output broard spectrum daylight lamp shining on as much bare skin as possible. That way your body would manufacture all the Vit D your body needs ...SO much better than any pills etc

Wouldn't this lamp contain UVA rays which are carcinogenic to skin? What do you think?

Kind wishes,

Q..


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[noblehead]

Personally I'd want to know if I was deficient in Vit D before embarking on a high-dose, why not get tested first?

 

[Q007]

Personally I'd want to know if I was deficient in Vit D before embarking on a high-dose, why not get tested first?

Indeed, yes. I take your advice and made an appointment for bloods test on Monday. They'll need a pint of blood for all the tests I need doing!


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[noblehead]

Well at least you'll know either way, if you are deficient then your gp will advise on the appropriate dose to take.

 

[oldgreymare]

Well a couple years ago I decided to get my Vit D levels checked. Came back 10 ug/L - moderate deficiency. Supplemented 2,000-4,000 U D3- improved to 58 ug/L : Ok for normal, but suboptimal for osteoporosis (which I have), then moved to 6,000 D3 - improved to 67 ug/L, but still below recommended 70+ ug/L for osteoporosis condition. Now taking 8,000 D3 - will report next level (in a few weeks). My serum calcium and phosphate levels are normal.

Hobs is correct - natural sunlight or correct UV lamps are far more efficient ways to generate vit D. I use supplements as I just don't have that much access to outside daylight in spite of living in SE Asia plus my family has high history of malignant melanoma. But I know at least one Premier League football Club that uses specialised UV light beds (NOT set to tanning wavelengths!!!) to keep players Vit D levels up during the winter. This (and BTW sleep patterns) are strongly related to player performance.

As for me I can't definitively say D3 specifically made a difference to my health but I noticed my skin quality (thickness, healing of wounds, rashes) seemed to improved and I believe my chronic low grade anxiety has significantly abated.

Hope this help! Best of luck with your tests.

 

[Q007]

Well a couple years ago I decided to get my Vit D levels checked. Came back 10 ug/L - moderate deficiency. Supplemented 2,000-4,000 U D3- improved to 58 ug/L : Ok for normal, but suboptimal for osteoporosis (which I have), then moved to 6,000 D3 - improved to 67 ug/L, but still below recommended 70+ ug/L for osteoporosis condition. Now taking 8,000 D3 - will report next level (in a few weeks). My serum calcium and phosphate levels are normal.

Hobs is correct - natural sunlight or correct UV lamps are far more efficient ways to generate vit D. I use supplements as I just don't have that much access to outside daylight in spite of living in SE Asia plus my family has high history of malignant melanoma. But I know at least one Premier League football Club that uses specialised UV light beds (NOT set to tanning wavelengths!!!) to keep players Vit D levels up during the winter. This (and BTW sleep patterns) are strongly related to player performance.

As for me I can't definitively say D3 specifically made a difference to my health but I noticed my skin quality (thickness, healing of wounds, rashes) seemed to improved and I believe my chronic low grade anxiety has significantly abated.

Hope this help! Best of luck with your tests.

Very comprehensive, thank you. Question though; what's serum calcium and Hobs? -


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[craig81]

One theory that the reason vitamin D levels are so low in the population is because of our over consumption of calcium. Calcium is a healthy nutrient; but only when it is taken within a proper ratio with magnesium. The problem we have is that our population no longer drinks hard water, which was magnesium rich. Nor do we consume a nutrient rich diet in whole foods - and so the calcium magnesium balance is out of whack. Calcium can be Jekyll or it can be Hyde. With magnesium in a proper ratio it is beneficial. Without sufficient magnesium it can become toxic within the body over the longer term. Or so the theory goes. The body is very complicated. I'm actually in awe of how complicated we are.

Anyhoo, the other part of this theory is that the combination of high levels of vitamin D and high levels of calcium lead to calcification within the body. Therefore, as a protective mechanism, our bodies down regulate the synthesis of vitamin D in order to prevent this from happening when we over consume calcium - in the absence of enough magnesium. Aren't are bodies wonderful, amazing things (diabetes apart)? So I guess my take on this is that supplementation of D3 can be beneficial as long as we are taking enough magnesium to ensure that calcium intake is healthy. Otherwise you run the risk of overriding the bodies protective mechanism, which could, as the theory goes, lead to calcification within the body over the long term. Personally, I supplement with D3 drops (2000iu daily) and take magnesium chloride daily (400ml). I do feel better doing this but acknowledge it could all be a placebo effect. Please let us know what your vitamin D3 levels are when you get the results back.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[Q007]

One theory that the reason vitamin D levels are so low in the population is because of our over consumption of calcium. Calcium is a healthy nutrient; but only when it is taken within a proper ratio with magnesium. The problem we have is that our population no longer drinks hard water, which was magnesium rich. Nor do we consume a nutrient rich diet in whole foods - and so the calcium magnesium balance is out of whack. Calcium can be Jekyll or it can be Hyde. With magnesium in a proper ratio it is beneficial. Without sufficient magnesium it can become toxic within the body over the longer term. Or so the theory goes. The body is very complicated. I'm actually in awe of how complicated we are.

Anyhoo, the other part of this theory is that the combination of high levels of vitamin D and high levels of calcium lead to calcification within the body. Therefore, as a protective mechanism, our bodies down regulate the synthesis of vitamin D in order to prevent this from happening when we over consume calcium - in the absence of enough magnesium. Aren't are bodies wonderful, amazing things (diabetes apart)? So I guess my take on this is that supplementation of D3 can be beneficial as long as we are taking enough magnesium to ensure that calcium intake is healthy. Otherwise you run the risk of overriding the bodies protective mechanism, which could, as the theory goes, lead to calcification within the body over the long term. Personally, I supplement with D3 drops (2000iu daily) and take magnesium chloride daily (400ml). I do feel better doing this but acknowledge it could all be a placebo effect. Please let us know what your vitamin D3 levels are when you get the results back.

Cheers,

Craig

Evening Craig,

Not quite with you on your message can't quite make out your point, but thank you for the reply. I thought if you OD'd on vit D3 it could lead to excess calcium in your blood leading to, possibly, to artherosclirosis so why would you take calcium as well as d3?

If you have a moment, I'd like to hear from you. Kind wishes, Q..


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[oldgreymare]

Interesting comments from Craig. I'm contemplating adding magnesium supplement to my diet though it was more with respect to nerve conditions. But if magnesium helps to balance with calcium then extra bonus.

I think Craig's point is that with typical western diet we're unlikely to be calcium deficient, but unless drinking lots of (hard) tap water we may be prone to low magnesium uptake. I think he's suggesting it makes sense to make sure you have plenty of magnesium to protect against harmful interaction between calcium and high vit D intake - not take extra calcium. Though as my experience shows you may need to take a lot of Vit D3 to maintain appropriate levels.

Re questions to me, Hobs is the forum member who originally suggested using daylight/UV lamps to boost vit D levels. Serum calcium is just the level in blood plasma (that is typical lab report measure).

Definitely try and discuss with your doctor if possible.

 

[craig81]

Hi Q007. oldgreymare is spot on with what I was trying to say. Apologies that I didn't make myself very clear. I'll try again (but oldgreymare's explanation is better):

Too much calcium AND Vitamin D3, without enough magnesium is not healthy. Most people get enough calcium from their diets and not enough magnesium, so I wouldn't personally be supplementing with calcium unless there was a specific need, and you were medically advised to do so. The theory is that high calcium levels and high vitamin D levels AND low levels of magnesium can be dangerous in that combination. When we have high levels of calcium in the body and low levels of magnesium, our bodies reduce the amount of vitamin D available to us in order to protect us. That may be one reason why vitamin D levels are so low in the population. However, with that said, I'm not medically trained (other than in Dr Google), so that is just my two cents input to the discussion. Very interesting discussion by the way.

 

[))Denise((]

I was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency and am prescribed Calcichew D3 Forte twice a day. This is 800IU of vitamin D3 along with calcium. I also take an extra 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 and 300mg Magnesium because of things I have read. I find this site http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/ a useful source of information about Vitamin D.

I live in a soft water area (my kettle doesn't get furred up) http://www.hydrotec.co.uk/Portals/0/pdf ... er-Map.gif. I work inside (office job) so not much sunshine to get my Vitamin D from.

I've recently had a serum calcium level test done and it was right in the middle of the ranges.

There are studies linking depression with low Vitamin D levels http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23377209 and that Vitamin D is a factor in Type 2 diabetes http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23377209

I was mis-diagnosed with chronic fatigue and depression due to Vitamin D deficiency.

 

[carty]

Craig I think you are right about the ratios of calcium and magnesium in our bodies I was just within the guidelines of magnesium but have high serum calcium Gp was not worried but I think I need more magnesium I eat as much magnesium rich food as possible within good carb levels I tried a magnesium supplement but it gave me stomach ache I think I may ask for another magnesium test next time I talk to GP ,I get a telephone appointment fairly often .Have you any ideas for a magnesium supplement that is stomach friendly
CAROL

 

[desidiabulum]

What about if your calcium, D3 and phosphate levels have all simultaneously fallen below recommended levels (even with supplements)? If you have any explanation please contact my endocrinologist.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Intersting to read Denise posting. I have not looked back since taking d3, calcium and magnesium. Not a low mood level since a d still deal with lifes ****.. But feel so much better about it.. And my previous fibromyalgia diagnosis to me seems like another misdiagnosis...

I never had any tests done, and I buy my ultra strength vit d tabs from internet... But since taking them my life has been transformed...