[wushuliu]

F*ck Yeah. Can't believe I only just found about how vital it is to health. After doing the research I realize so much of my life I've been deficient. Hell my doctor told me I was a couple years ago in a totally off hand manner and just suggested I take a few supplements. I didn't even know it's not a real vitamin, it's a frickin' HORMONE. Oh great, a deficient major hormone, that can't be a big deal right? If it weren't for my gf making her own off hand remark after we moved back to MN I would have never known.

I try to keep up on the vitamin research when I can and it's helped a lot in my life but damn the Vitamin D thing is a BFD. I started taking 10000IU and in just a few days my sense of well being started to change. I even had a couple job interviews and I couldn't believe how well I managed (in fact I got an offer). On top of that my exercise stamina has increased; I go for long 3-4 mile walks every other day or so and after taking the higher dosage I don't get tired. That's never happened before. EVER.

My gf started taking 5000IU and after a week she said her stress management has improved - the weeks before she's been overwhelmed by her new job and going to bed in tears. Now, yeah she's still stressed but she says she's calmer and no longer an emotional roller coaster. She is also sleeping better, which is a HUUUUUGE deal for her. Mind you she shared this with me before I told her all of what I was experiencing.

My skin is looking better, my mind is...it's hard to describe, calmer, more balanced. I am also positive my hypertension has been greatly reduced since taking it so maybe that's part of it.

I'm sure there'll be the usual poo-poo'ers and I couldn't care less. It sure seems to me that Vitamin D research has taken off rapidly in the past 5 years and as far as I've found the studies that have been done are overwhelmingly in favor of 1) increasing the RDA dosage. Sorry but that little bit of sun you get ain't gonna help you and 2) everyone needs to take it and get their levels checked because of the many areas where it offers huge benefits, the biggest of which is cancer. This is so important, especially for minorities like myself with darker skin.

In about 6 weeks I'll get my levels checked and make adjustments but I think is the big one and that RDA will be increased even more over the coming years as research and pressure grows.

Studies can be found all over the web but grassrootshealth and vitamindcouncil are probably the two major hubs.

Stay Healthy

w

[Early B.]

Great write-up! Glad to hear how Vitamin D is benefitting you. Also research the benefits of taking Vitamin K2 along with Vitamin D.

[Tyson]

Agreed, it's pretty critical.  Especially during winter months, or if you are over 40.  Don't forget about vitamins A and K2, both of which work with D to promote health.  If you can get past the taste, traditionally fermented Cod Liver Oil is probably the best source of A and D, with chicken or goose livers being great K2 sources:  http://honeyguidedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/vitamin-k-in-animal-products-19.jpg

[charmerci]

Well, if these lifestyle changes reverses Alzheimer's - I imagine it would do well for ordinary people too. (Includes taking Vit. D3)

http://abc7news.com/health/non-drug-treatment-may-reverse-alzheimers/336963/

[ctviggen]

Well, if these lifestyle changes reverses Alzheimer's - I imagine it would do well for ordinary people too. (Includes taking Vit. D3)

http://abc7news.com/health/non-drug-treatment-may-reverse-alzheimers/336963/

The problem (other than the fact they only used 10 people) with this study is they did too much:

In the UCLA protocol, patients made dramatic lifestyle changes. They avoided simple carbs, gluten and processed foods. They increased their fish intake, took yoga and meditated. They were instructed to take melatonin, get adequate sleep, incorporate vitamin B-12, vitamin D-3 and fish oil.

Even assuming they used enough people to determine anything, there's no way to determine what helped.  Was it the fish oil?  Was it the vitamin D-3?  Was it the yoga or the meditation?  Was it combinations of these? 

Personally, I believe this is a big deal:  "They avoided simple carbs, gluten and processed foods."  This could've caused all the improvement.  However, it's impossible to tell based on that study.

I've been taking Vitamin D-3 for a while, but I don't think it's a miracle cure (not like following a high fat, low carb diet, which I think is a miracle cure for many ailments).  I still get sick, for instance.  Do I have fewer sicknesses or are they of shorter duration?  It's unclear to me. The only way to determine this is to do a double-blind, placebo controlled study with many people.  I certainly did not feel miraculously better taking Vitamin D-3 (not as I did transitioning to a low carbohydrate and grain-free diet, for instance, where I noticed a ton of improvement in many factors).   

[charmerci]

I'm sure others have already done double-blind tests on each (or most) individual changes in the study - which is why they combined so many. They did say that they were ready to increase the size of the study.

As for getting ordinary sicknesses,  I used to get colds or a flu 2 or 3+ times a year before I started eating an orange every day 3 years ago. I don't really get sick enough to stop doing my regular routine - sniffles one time for an afternoon, for example was probably the worst I had.  I've had about one incident a year where I feel something coming on and I will have 3 oranges spread out during the day and all (minor inconvenience) symptoms go away in a few days or less. I'm an orange devotee.

[Speedskater]

My doctor has be taking one Vitamin D2 1.25mg (50,00 unit) capsule each week.  But I really don't notice any difference if I forget for a few weeks.  Don't notice any difference when I resume either.

[Early B.]

Supplements are like audio tweaks -- some people can tell there's an immediate change while for others, it may take several weeks or months to notice a change. Then there are others who say there's no change at all. Also keep in mind that often, supplements require a synergistic approach (sound familiar?). A single supplement may not be nearly as effective without a holistic approach, and Vitamin D is an example. Besides, you need  foundational support for your supplements to work well -- a daily multivitamin,  multimineral, B-complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and a few others depending on your age, lifestyle, gender, health challenges, etc. There's no magic bullet and no formula. It's mainly trial and error. Your body doesn't assimilate all nutrients equally.   

[wushuliu]

As I understand it the grassrootshealth and vitamindcouncil advocate daily use as more effective than weekly/monthly/yearly. Levels need to be roughly 50-80ng/ml.

This isn't about a miracle cure it's about that hormone being at it's optimal range. Most people (75%+) are severely deficient, hence the needs to get levels checked. Everyone reacts differently, some need higher dosage some not so high. I weigh 260 with high muscle mass so I err on the side of higher dosage. The studies related to cancer and dementia/alzheimers certainly are pretty strong so I will aim for the optimal range if only for those but have been pleasantly surprised by the other changes.

Since it's a hormone the whole body changes are going to vary. Different folks deal with different things. Lots of anecdotal posts out there regarding everything from eczema to acute anxiety. Some good medical research lectures on youtube as well.

Here's another site with lots of links to studies done.

http://www.vitamindwiki.com/VitaminDWiki

and here's a helpful disease incidence prevention chart from grassrootshealth

http://www.grassrootshealth.net/media/download/dip_with_numbers_8-24-12.pdf

[Big Red Machine]

Vitamin D is not a hormone.  It is a vitamin.

[wushuliu]

Vitamin D is not a hormone.  It is a vitamin.

So what happens when you take Vitamin D. Walk me through it.

[Photon46]

Vitamin D is not a hormone.  It is a vitamin.

Everything I've read says that it is accurately considered a hormone. It is structurally similar to cortisol and testosterone.

[Early B.]

Vitamin D is not a hormone.  It is a vitamin.

Sort of true and not. Here's what the Vitamin D Council says:

Vitamin D isn’t like most other vitamins. Your body can make its own vitamin D when you expose your skin to sunlight. But your body can’t make other vitamins. You need to get other vitamins from the foods you eat. For example, you need to get vitamin C from fruits and vegetables.

Also what makes vitamin D unique compared to other vitamins, is that when your body gets its vitamin D, it turns vitamin D into a hormone. This hormone is sometimes called “activated vitamin D” or “calcitriol.”

[RDavidson]

Really, I don't think people who have a balanced diet and get regular sun exposure, need a D supplement. I take it, because living in SD, I don't go outside a whole lot in the winter. If I do I'm totally covered pretty much head to toe. For me, and likely most others here in the northern states and Canada, a D supp is a necessity.

[Folsom]

It's fat soluble. This means you need a happy liver to use it correctly. Even supplementation has a limited effect against an uncooperative liver.

[wushuliu]

Really, I don't think people who have a balanced diet and get regular sun exposure, need a D supplement. I take it, because living in SD, I don't go outside a whole lot in the winter. If I do I'm totally covered pretty much head to toe. For me, and likely most others here in the northern states and Canada, a D supp is a necessity.

Well that's the conventional wisdom. Prevailing research seems to say otherwise. Question is what qualifies as 'regular sun exposure'. Unless you've had your levels checked that doesn't mean much. There is plenty of Vitamin D deficiency in 'sunny' climates. Furthermore the issue is about reaching the optimal levels of 50-80 ng/ml or thereabouts. Dollars to donuts you're nowhere near that. We're not talking minor or slight deficiency, but major.

[Tyson]

Once you pass 40, you lose your ability to make Vitamin D from sun, so supplementing is best anyway.  And if you live anywhere north of Texas, most of the year the sun's angle to the atmosphere blocks the UV rays that are responsible for Vitamin D production.  So again, best off supplementing.  I like these guys because they don't use heat during the creation process, plus it has Omega 3's and Vitamin A, all in proper proportions:

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Pasture-Cinnamon-Tingle-Liquid/dp/B004QC7H9A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417291335&sr=8-4&keywords=green+pastures

Cheaper here, actually, a lot cheaper, $44 vs $69 on Amazon:

http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/CodLiverOil/index.cfm

[RDavidson]

Well that's the conventional wisdom. Prevailing research seems to say otherwise. Question is what qualifies as 'regular sun exposure'. Unless you've had your levels checked that doesn't mean much. There is plenty of Vitamin D deficiency in 'sunny' climates. Furthermore the issue is about reaching the optimal levels of 50-80 ng/ml or thereabouts. Dollars to donuts you're nowhere near that. We're not talking minor or slight deficiency, but major.

Well, and that brings up an important point. One person's adequate is another's deficient. And as Tyson said, once you hit about 40, vitamin D production slows (presumably for most). Perhaps we're getting a bit too much into making blanket statements. People should just get their levels checked and take appropriate action, specific to them. I don't think it is good to just start popping large amounts of D supps. We're all different. I think it is also important to note that some vitamins/minerals aren't as effective without the presence of other vitamins and minerals. That's why I say eat a balanced diet (including plenty of dark greens) first. You'll increase your chances of not being deficient from the get go.

[oledude]

All kind of a shot in the dark unless you get a blood level drawn. Ask for one next time you get a check up to know if you are deficient or not.

[Early B.]

I think it is also important to note that some vitamins/minerals aren't as effective without the presence of other vitamins and minerals. That's why I say eat a balanced diet (including plenty of dark greens) first. You'll increase your chances of not being deficient from the get go.

No matter how good your diet is, you'll probably be vitamin/mineral deficient. For many reasons (soil depletion, toxic environment, farming methods, GMOs, etc.), your food is not as nutritious as it once was. In addition, you body's ability to assimilate all of the nutrients you need is probably not functioning at capacity for lots of reasons (lifestyle, junk food, poor digestion, insufficient intestinal bacteria, etc.). If you understand those two points, then nutritional supplementation should be understood as an essential component of your daily dietary regime.