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Vitamin D3 and Calcium Deposits

Sirzy

Well-Known Member
Messages
266
Location
Glasgow
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Insulin
I wasn't sure where to post this, sorry if it's not in the right place.

Anyway, I've been taking a high dose vitamin D3 capsule for a few months as I read that many diabetics can be deficient and it has many benefits.

Yesterday, I came across some articles that suggested that taking a large dosage of vitamin D can cause calcium to be deposited in capillaries, the heart, kidneys, etc (I've posted a couple of the links below). And that vitamin K must always be taken along with vitamin D, to avoid a build up of calcium, which will otherwise eventually lead to hypertension and heart attacks, etc.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... and-k.aspx

http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2010 ... ouble.html

I've stopped taking my vitamin D3 supplement for now, until I've done a bit more reading about this (vitamin D taken with vitamin K2 seems to actually prevent calcium deposists), and have worked out dosages of both vitamins, although I'm unsure now if I want to continue with the D3, and I'm also a bit nervous about the amount of dairy I eat (it's never a bad idea to cut down on this I suppose).

I was just wondering if the other people here who also supplement with large doses of D3 were aware of this link, and if you take K2 as well? If you do, what sort of doses do you take?

Ta.
 
I don't take any supplements and certainly wouldn't unless my GP said that I was deficient and he prescribed them.

There are lots of things you can read on the internet that tell you what you should and shouldn't take in the way of vitamins but how would you know that you need them if you do not know what your levels are? Another forum member might say that they take one or two or even several and it seems to sway other people that they are necessary.

With a healthy diet that most of us are eating, you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals that you need. You really need to research the signs that you are deficient and the possible side effects and if there are any contraindications with your prescribed medication or other supplements. I have mentioned this before but it always seems to fall on deaf ears.

I hope your links are read by people who are taking amounts of VitD that may be causing possible problems.
 
Hi Catherine,

Thanks for the reply. I personally am happy to take supplements if I find them beneficial and they haven't any detrimental side effects. I regular take evening primrose oil and magnesium, and when I recently stopped these, along with my D3, CoQ10 and multivitamin (I had to stop these for a urine test), I found that the symptoms I take the EPO and magnesium for returned. However, I also found that some symptoms of another condition I have may have been aggrevated by the B vitamins in my miltivitamin.

So I think it's all swings and roundabouts, and it's really important to thorougly investigate any side effects and interactions that supplements may have. After plenty of research, I'm happy to continue with the magnesium, EPO and CoEnzyme Q10 (which is particularly beneficial for my form of diabetes-MIDD), as I find these work for me and there is plenty of clinical evidence (for the CoQ10 at least), that these supplement are useful.

However, after more reading, I'm less happy to continue with the D3, B vits and I also recently cut out the vitamin C which has been linked to problems too.

As I said, I think it's very important to take the time to make sure that there won't be more problems possibly caused by taking the supplements than they may cure in the first place. :crazy:
 
I was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency in December 2010 and have been taking Calcichew D3 Forte (prescribed by my doctor) twice a day since then.

I have also been taking part in medical research and have recently had a CT and MRI scan done of my heart. The cardiologist who is doing the research let me look at the scans and commented that I don't have any calcium deposits in my arteries near my heart.
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-D-Revol ... 1401924700

There's a great little book called the Vitamin D Revolution by Soram Khalsa, MD.

Quickly glancing through the book I couldn't see vitamin K mentioned but as a Mercola fan I would take his word for it but he does say at the end of the article:

To wrap it up No. 2:

Optimize your vitamin K through a combination of dietary sources (leafy green vegetables, fermented foods like natto, raw milk cheeses, etc.) and a K2 supplement, if needed. Although the exact dosing (for oral supplementation) is yet to be determined, Dr. Vermeer recommends up to 185 mcg daily for adults. You must use caution on the higher doses if you take anticoagulants, but if you are generally healthy and not on these types of medications, I suggest 150-300 mcg daily.

There was reference made in the book to high blood pressure (the other link posted by Sirzy) which says:

Another situation in which doctors need to be careful in giving vitamin D is in patients who are taking a drug called hydrochlorothiazide, a mild diuretic commonly used to treat high blood pressure. The reason for caution is because the hydrochlorothiazide itself can raise serum calcium and taking vitamin D could raise it even more causing kidney stones...........

Worth a read maybe.
 
I would agree with Catherine, I see no reason to start taking vitamins that I probably dont need.

When I was taking prednisolole long term I was warned that possible side effects were diabetes and vitamin D deficiency amongst others - nasty stuff corticosteroids - I was prescribed Adcal D3 as a precaution and also warned that one of the possible side effects of D3 was a calcium build up that can cause kidney stones, I was told to take one tablet morning and evening but was so scared of getting kidney stones as I have seen someone rolling on the floor in A&E in such pain that they could not stand that I cheated and only took half a tablet morning and evening.

The outcome was I didnt get kidney stones but I did get diabetes so perhaps I would have been better off taking metformin instead of D3 :lol:

The problem as I see it is a lot of diabetics are in such a state of shock over their condition that when they read somewhere that 'diabetes can cause a vitamin D deficiency in certain circumstances' they actually read diabetes will cause vitamin a D...

Trust me when I say that you really dont want a kidney stone. Why take chances with your health by taking supliments that you probably dont need?
 
I have to agree with all the above.

If you think you need more Vitamin D, then make your own by going for a walk in the park every lunchtime.

You won't get calcium deposits and you might improve your fitness (and hence your BG control) as a consequence.
 
If you can walk in the park with 40% of your body exposed in the mid day sun then that is possibly the only way you might just manage to absorb some beneficial rays. Personally I prefer to do it in the privacy of my own garden :lol:

If you check in on the Mercola site he maintains that Vitamin D is not a vitamin but a potent neuroregulatory steroidal hormone and sits on top of the skin and takes, I think it said 48hrs to absorb, so he suggested ducking under the shower to wash 'your bits' and duck out again.

Here's just one link, he has loads: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... ealth.aspx

From Vitamin D Revolution book:

UVA rays are long rays from the sun. They do not cause sunburn, but they penetrate more deeply into your skin and contribute to premature ageing, discolouration and wrinkles. UVA rays are active at all times of the day and throughout the year. They pass through glass and clothing but do not prompt your skin to produce vitamin D.

UVB rays are important in two ways. First, the UVB rays are responsible for turning the skin red and causing sunburn. Second, when UVB rays hit your skin, they launch the production of vitamin D Do you see the conflict here? This is the biological mechanism at the root of the sunshine debate that has been spawned by discussion of vitamin D deficiency. The question remains: how do we recommend getting vitamin D? Plus, there is a very limited wavelength of solar UVB light (290-315 nanometers) that actually causes the creation of vitamin D in the body. If the UVB rays are outside that limited frequency, vitamin D will not be made by the body.

Not so easy to absorb it is it. :?
 
Morganden said:
If you can walk in the park with 40% of your body exposed in the mid day sun then that is possibly the only way you might just manage to absorb some beneficial rays. Personally I prefer to do it in the privacy of my own garden :lol:
Click to expand...

I'm a Middlesbrough supporter - I walk around with 40% of my body exposed even when it's snowing outside.

 
Well I only can say that the cardiologist who is doing the research let me look at the scans and commented that I don't have any calcium deposits in my arteries near my heart.
 
I always make sure I go outside as much as possible and I'm not one for using suncream. However, the problem in the UK is that we are above 35 degrees latitude and hence can only get vitamin d from the sun between April and October. I recently had my vit d levels checked and I have insufficient levels (48 nmol/L). My mother also had hers checked and she was found to have excellent levels (90 nmol/L). She takes cod liver oil every day (which incidentally is what Icelanders do) so this may explain her excellent levels. I'm wondering whether that would be a better option than the d3 supplements if you are worried about calcium deposits?

If anyone is interested in getting a vit d test done and your doctor won't agree (due to costs), you can buy a test kit from the NHS is Birmingham. It costs £20.

http://www.cityassays.org.uk/index.html
 
I drive a convertable ( :thumbup: ) and can honesly say that I feel better in the summer months when I drive home with the roof down.

Sunshine is GREAT. I love it.

Shame we can't get it all year round. :thumbdown:

Vit. D is GREAT. I love it.

ALTHOUGH - I did actually stop taking a while back for the reasons stated in this thread. I WILL take it a gain when the FEAR wears off (bloody fearmongers!) 'Cos, to be honest, I'd rather take my chances with calcium deposits and feel GREAT, than not take Vit. D and feel like SH*T when the sun ain't out.
 
I suffer from S.A.D, and generally feel better in the summer months than during the winter, and suprisingly, tend to feel at my worst at this time of year. I always thought that I should feel better in the spring as summer's on its way, but this seems to link in with vitamin D3 levels becoming depleted throughout the winter, and so being at their lowest around about Feb/March.

I was taking high dose vitamin D3 (5000UI), until recently (I'd probably been taking it for around 6-7 months), but I can't say that I ever noticed any difference in my moods, energy levels, or general well being. Does this suggest that I might not be deficient, or does it take longer than 6 months for the benefits to kick in?

Patch,

Have you considered taking some vitamin K along with your vitamin D3, just as a bit of added insurance against calcium deposits? I wouldn't want to take my chances with this sort of thing as most of my family have had heart attacks/strokes, and the idea of spending part of my life paralysed terrifies me
 
Just a slight detour on this topic.Is anyone lowering their calcium intake because they high a high calcium blood level ?
I have had high calcium serum levels and my GP has suggested eating less calcium rich food I did eat a lot of cheese and butter and cream because I am underweight so now I have to reduce calcium as well as carbs.
CAROL
 
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