I’m quite compelled by the studies and articles that I have read about the benefits of vitamin D3 supplementation for longevity and overall well-being. Living in a climate that gets very dark and dull in the winter months, this year I’m going to try to be diligent with my D3 supplementation, especially as I usually notice a change in mood and overall energy in the late winter months. I had already begun with this a few years ago but ended up only holding out for a month or two.
Right now I’m beginning with 2000IU D3/day. I don’t expect that I’ll notice any kind of amazing improvements in overall health right away, but am still interested in the potential of this vitamin. I’d like to ask anyone who has taken/is taking D3 as part of their regular supplement regimen to share their experiences. What kind of dosage have you used and were you able to notice any kind of tangible improvements in terms of mood, energy, hormonal balance, immune system function or anything else?
No real noticeable health changes, I usually get sick rather bad (sometime flu) every other year. Hasn’t happened as of late, whether or not that’s b/c of the Vit D, I can’t sya.
I still occasionally get sick but usually when it happens I get a small fever and whatever symptoms I had are usually gone by the next day. I feel like my immune system is better than it ever used to be when I didn’t take it. I also mega-dose with Vitamin C as well so there may be something else in play here.
I don’t know my blood levels. I take 5000IU/day and sometime 10,000/day in the winter if I feel something coming on.
I haven’t had a flu shot in a decade and I feel less sick now than ever before.
[quote]seekonk wrote:
Nobody should take large doses of D if they don’t know if their blood levels are in fact low.
More is not better. For example, there is some research indicating that levels above 40 (US units) can lead to an increase in risk of prostate cancer. [/quote]
[quote]seekonk wrote:
Nobody should take large doses of D if they don’t know if their blood levels are in fact low.
More is not better. For example, there is some research indicating that levels above 40 (US units) can lead to an increase in risk of prostate cancer. [/quote]
There was a study done recently on a tribe in Africa, their levels avg’d 47 IIRC, with some slightly higher.
You do make a good point, I wouldn’t go much over 4,000/day w/o testing. In fact, I did have one client taking 4,000/day (she was rather overweight too which should mean more would be better tolerated). Her blood level was high 90s.
I haven’t noticed anything tangible… I “want” to feel better taking it, so I do.
I take 6000IU a day, and haven’t had my blood tested. A friend and former coworker of mine works out of his basement and ended up with a leg that fell asleep and never woke up; turns out it was a Vitamin D deficiency. It’s better now, nothing permanent.
Mostly I’m just taking it to avoid problems, rather than to fix anything.
I took 50000IU/every 3 days for almost 2 months then about 8000IUs/day for another few months. got my levels up to just under the upper suggested limit and now take 4000IUs/day to maintain.
It’s hard to say myself, but I take 5000UI a day and in the winter my mood is drastically better. I keep a journal with my training and diet (to the best of my ability) with Dan Johns advice and the small notes show it as well.
I’m not very outgoing and I like to sit around on my PC all day outside of training so it might be more noticeable for me than someone who is up and about outside.
[quote]seekonk wrote:
Nobody should take large doses of D if they don’t know if their blood levels are in fact low.
More is not better. For example, there is some research indicating that levels above 40 (US units) can lead to an increase in risk of prostate cancer. [/quote]
I don’t buy it.[/quote]
It is not absolutely proven, but based on the state of the art of research available up to 2011, there are signals of increased risk of prostate cancer at levels above 32 ng/mL and increased risk of pancreatic cancer above 40 ng/ml. There are also signals of an increase in cardiovascular risk above 30 ng/mL. See below. In the light of what we know, I personally think one should avoid going below 20 ng/mL, but I would not personally consider it very prudent to go much above 30 ng/mL. But everybody has their own risk tolerance and have to make their own decisions.
[quote]
Recently, Ginde et al. (2009), in a prospective cohort analysis of NHANES III data (1988 to 1994) on serum 25OHD levels in adults ages 65 years and older (n = 3,408) over a median 7.3-year follow-up, examined CVD mortality. Analysis of fully adjusted data indicated an inverse relationship between CVD mortality and baseline serum 25OHD level of 50.0 to 74.9 nmol/L. Risk began to increase at approximately 75 nmol/L [which is 30 ng/mL in usual U.S. units] and then it declined after 100 nmol/L.[/quote]
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I’d like to know what people are testing above 40ng/ml because I hardly ever see it.
also, not these are associations… Personally, based upon what I’ve read I’d shoot for 45-60 as optimal.[/quote]
I got checked a couple years ago and was at 93. Upper limit was 100. I had been taking d3 for prob a couple years at 4-5000iu every day and I’m pretty sure that was right around the same time I was lifting outside in the sun during a good portion of my workout. I’m pretty white though…
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I’d like to know what people are testing above 40ng/ml because I hardly ever see it.
also, not these are associations… Personally, based upon what I’ve read I’d shoot for 45-60 as optimal.[/quote]
I live in Greece. Never taken a Vit. D3 supp in my life.
Get tested every 6 months, for the past 5 years.
All my results were above 80ng/ml.
^ Seems to be an ideal climate in Greece! Do you spend much time outside as part of your overall lifestyle?
I assume that total sun exposure is a deciding factor in determining your blood levels of D3 and therefore your need for supplementation. People who live in darker, cloudier climates will know what I’m talking about.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I’d like to know what people are testing above 40ng/ml because I hardly ever see it.
also, not these are associations… Personally, based upon what I’ve read I’d shoot for 45-60 as optimal.[/quote]
I got checked a couple years ago and was at 93. Upper limit was 100. I had been taking d3 for prob a couple years at 4-5000iu every day and I’m pretty sure that was right around the same time I was lifting outside in the sun during a good portion of my workout. I’m pretty white though…[/quote]
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I’d like to know what people are testing above 40ng/ml because I hardly ever see it.
also, not these are associations… Personally, based upon what I’ve read I’d shoot for 45-60 as optimal.[/quote]
I live in Greece. Never taken a Vit. D3 supp in my life.
Get tested every 6 months, for the past 5 years.
All my results were above 80ng/ml.[/quote]
Interesting, here in the US I’ve known a few people who are outside often and have been below 32… Though I live in MD, a bit up from the equator, would have to check Greece to see how far from the equator it is.
^ I assume there isn’t much difference in latitude there. As an aside, although I find the climate here in Düsseldorf (51°22’ N) much more agreeable than in my previous two places of residence (Ottawa - 45°25’ N and Halifax - 44°39’ N), the lack of sunlight in the winter months just kills me!
I’ve been taking 6000ius of D3 a day for a few years at this point, aiming for a testing level between 60 to 70ng/ml. The differences I’ve noticed are no longer catching the winter flu bug as I used too. I also stopped developing dental cavities. Hard to say for sure if it is solely the vitamin D that helped with the improved teeth as I also stopped eating grains plus taking vitamin K2 at the same time. Both are thought to be helpful with dental health also. Do recall this article though about D3 helping to prevent dental cavities.