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Interpreting Vitamin D test results

lucylocket61

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,394
Location
Wrexham
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have just got the results of my Vitamin D levels test back. Its 23.4 with me having been taking 1000iu a day for nearly a year. So the dr has told me to take another 600iu a day, and get re-tested in two months.

she didnt mention Vitamin K2. How much should I take?
 
A vitamin D level of 23.4 is very low especially if in mmol/L.

Here is a link to general information from the vitamin D council.

https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/for...n-blood-levels-and-sun-exposure/#.XaNCxrplDYU

And a study which looked at the role of vitamin D in micro vascular disease studied via the retina.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266000/

I take 5,000 IU vitamin D per day (actually alternating 4,000 one day and 6,000 the next day as they are 2,000 IU capsules) and it keeps my level at about 55 ng/ml. Sun exposure alone only had my level at 30 ng/ml.

I also take a vitamin K2 supplement that is MK-4 500 mcg and MK-7 100 mcg.
 
It is hard to find advice on K2 doses, isn't it?

I spent ages looking around a year ago, and ended up coming to the following conclusions:
- no need to worry at all about having too much
- 100-300 units seemed like a min-max amount, and matching it to D3 intake made sense. By that, I mean that the more D3, the more K2.

As for your doc’s advice...
With D levels that low, what the heck difference does he think adding a measly extra 600 units a day is going to make? And are you taking D3 or D2(cheaper and significantly less effective).

When I was at your levels i took 6,000-10,000 units D3 a day for 6 months and only just scraped up into the middle of normal.
I started off at a level of 25.

At your levels I have heard of docs prescribing mega doses of 40,000 (or more) units weekly, for several weeks, because sometimes they do that rather than drip feeding daily doses. I think it is cheaper for the NHS to do fewer bigger amounts.

Another thing to remember with Vit D testing, is that the test should not be taken within 48 hours of taking a supplement. This allows the last dose of the supplement to be absorbed out of the bloodstream to where it needs to go, and reveals the true actual levels of D3.

I believe/have read/understand that those of us with capacious fat storage (me!) need significantly more, higher dose, Vit D3 than slim people to address a deficiency. This is because all of us (including fat storage cells) have been deficient because the body strips nutrients from storage (fat) to use in core systems. So whenever we take a supplement, the D3 circulates in the bloodstream and is sucked out of it into the cells which are deficient. And that is every cell, and fat cells will take a lot of it. Kind of like a dry sponge sucking in liquid. So the goal isn’t to just take the RDA, it is to make sure the deficiency is redressed in every cell throughout the body, and then make sure you continue to get enough to keep those levels topped up optimally.

I would say (based purely on my own experience) that a daily dose of 1,600 won’t make up your deficit any time soon.
 
@lucylocket61 - Gosh, your recent result is really quite low.

You might find some really useful information on the Vitamin C Council's website. I know I did: https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/#.XaNYzkb0mt8

When my Vit D plummeted to 21, my GP prescribed a loading does of Hux D3 20,000unit capsules (Huxley Europe Ltd) - 20 capsule - one capsule twice a week for 10 weeks. Thereafter to take over the counter preparation at a dose of 10micrograms (=400units) daily.

I took the prescribed capsules, but added K2 drops. I didn't go onto the maintenance does, suggested, but went onto a capsule combining Vitamin 4000iu + K2 250mcgr, sourced on Amazon. Doing that returned my levels to 101, on retest, 4 months later.

It seems many, many have to maintain on more than the standard NHS doses. As the plummet happened sort of around the time my thyroid started going very wonky, I have kept up the higher maintenance dose. I did suspend taking it when I went to SE Asia for a couple of months, as I would naturally be out of doors a there would be plenty sunshine involves.

I hope that helps a bit, but feel free to drop me a PM is you want to look at the product I'm taking. I found when I started looking a things there were just so many options out there.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I still think my GP's responses are bizarre. I forgot to add the bit about me telling me i have a fatty liver - she is going to send me for an ultrasound scan to see if she is right about it, as the blood test was inconclusive, despite me reminding her that my liver function took a nose dive due to some medication I was on, prescribed by her, which I had to stop after two months due to its affect on my liver, upon her advice. Still, the scan will be useful.

She also said anyone eating a healthy diet doesnt need supplements, as they are already added to cereal and white bread etc. I pointed out that, as a low carber, i dont eat cereal or white bread. I am not sure she understands that carbs are not just visible sugar.

I suppose, being on here, I get surprised at the general bad information that has not yet reached mainstream medical training. A bit like when I tried to explain to someone else that a sugar free cookie is still a carb, due to the flour. She just couldnt grasp the concept of what carbs are, because potatoes, flour, rice and pasta are good for us, arent they.
 
lucylocket61 said:
Thanks for all the replies. I still think my GP's responses are bizarre. I forgot to add the bit about me telling me i have a fatty liver - she is going to send me for an ultrasound scan to see if she is right about it, as the blood test was inconclusive, despite me reminding her that my liver function took a nose dive due to some medication I was on, prescribed by her, which I had to stop after two months due to its affect on my liver, upon her advice. Still, the scan will be useful.

She also said anyone eating a healthy diet doesnt need supplements, as they are already added to cereal and white bread etc. I pointed out that, as a low carber, i dont eat cereal or white bread. I am not sure she understands that carbs are not just visible sugar.

I suppose, being on here, I get surprised at the general bad information that has not yet reached mainstream medical training. A bit like when I tried to explain to someone else that a sugar free cookie is still a carb, due to the flour. She just couldnt grasp the concept of what carbs are, because potatoes, flour, rice and pasta are good for us, arent they.
Click to expand...

It used to amaze me too that GPs were so ready to give Ill informed nutritional advice. Then someone said that they only get about 1/2 day on nutrition in their whole 6 year course - and half of them don’t see it as important enough to turn up even to that. Not surprising they can’t be more helpful really then. I just wish they’d admit that it isn’t their field of expertise. They have to know a little bit about an awful lot of things so it’s quite understandable in a way.
 
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