You might have read my latest blog and just maybe you wondered if you were low in Vitamin D.  If you didn’t wonder, then let me say it again because chances are, you are low!.  Most Americans do not have healthy levels of vitamin D to help prevent many diseases like osteoporosis and cancer.  Be especially tuned in if you live in an area where the “sun don’t shine” all year.  That means y’all (that’s what they say here in parts of Florida) living
above the latitude of Atlanta, Georgia. 

Here are some simple guidelines to ensure a safer, more effective way to get your vitamin D working for you:

1.      
It’s always best to check a 25-OH Vitamin D
level prior to dosing.  It improves
safety and makes it easier to determine the right dosing for you.

2.      
Research can be confusing but the latest studies
show that 1000 – 2000 IU Vitamin D3 is best for most adults.

3.      
Be sure to work with your physician if you are
planning on taking more than 2000IU D3 a day to avoid toxicity.

4.      
Vitamin D toxicity symptoms include nausea,
vomiting, poor appetite, weakness, weight loss, odd behavior and high calcium levels.  Again, these are very rare if you are
following safe supplementation guidelines under the supervision of your
physician.

5.      
Vitamin D3, called cholecalciferol, is absorbed
3-5x better than Vitamin D2, called ergocalciferol.  So, Vitamin D3 is a better choice for
supplementation.

6.      
Vitamin D3 comes from lanolin, an animal source
while Vitamin D2 comes from a non-animal source.  Vegetarians and vegans might prefer Vitamin
D2 for this reason.

7.      
The prescription form of this vitamin is in the
vitamin D2 form.  Vitamin D3 is not
available as a prescription.

8.      
Retest your Vitamin D 25 OH level 3-6 months
after starting supplementation.  It takes
time for blood levels to change while vitamin D stores build up.

9.      
It’s important to eat healthy foods rich in
Vitamin K when taking a Vitamin D supplement. 
Eat broccoli, raw onions, kale, collards, spinach or beets to name a
few.  (If you take a blood thinner like warfarin,
discuss this with your doctor first before starting as Vitamin K rich foods can
affect your PT/INR.)

10.  
Safe sun exposure is OK if you are taking a
Vitamin D supplement.

Get
started on your path to better health by requesting a vitamin D level at your
next doctor’s visit.  On the flip side, there
are many people who self-medicate vitamin D without full information.   Pass
this along to help improve community awareness and pay your knowledge
forward.  You might just change their
lives!

This website and blog are for informational and
entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice,
diagnosis or treatment.