There was an article in the Momentum magazine that I received today on vitamin D. It discusses how there are many different opinions regarding vitamin D and desirable levels and safe dosages. The article acknowledges that after reading it that one is probably going to be more confused than ever and that you should talk to your doctor

Well, that is a Catch 22 --because most doctors are still using the RX D2 version which is not adequate.

Even Dr. Oz's program contradicted itself! I have his latest one on D on the D thread in our Vitamin forum.

He started off saying you cannot get D from food. He told one gal to use 60,000 IU monthly of D3 when her level was 7.
Not enough.

He told a moderately low person to use Cod liver oil...which is high in A, and the thinking is that the A will block some D utilization. There is typically 1000IU of D in cod liver oil.

He told a moderately low person, to eat shitake mushrooms to raise her D (remember--- no D3 in food!-- mushrooms have a small amount of the less active D2 in them if they are exposed to light near the end of their growing period).

So even on his own show, he gives confusing advice IMO.
Most medical doctors are the same or worse. He neglected the cofactors (esp magnesium deficiency, and the fact that overweight/obese people need higher doses). He did not explain the differences between the old RX D2--ergocalciferol---and the active D3--cholecalciferol. Very important distinction.

The generally accepted information from specialist MDs is now on this site:
http://www.grassrootshealth.net/

Your goal should be a minimum reading of 50 (in US standard testing) and you should be using D3 to get there. Dr. Oz alluded to it if you watched the charts he showed...but he did not explain how to arrive at the figure quoted. Don't expect most doctors to understand either.

Get tested!

I agree MrsD. Grain of salt with what Dr O says. Total of 50's probably good. I'm holding 80's with 2000/day & Florida sunshine daily yet the MS's still progressing but like I said, when my level was over 100 I felt the best (8000iu/day).
You's know there's a few D tests besides total D. I'll have to dig my results out. I don't know if its like my testosterone but there's a "free" & "total" #. I always go by total testosterone.

I just got mine in the mail yesterday and read the article. It WAS confusing but interesting as well. I think over time, they will come up with a better idea of what the levels should be.

MrsD - It's interesting that your brought up cod liver oil as I was thinking about it yesterday. Dr. Swank's diet requires this daily. Additionally, both my parents took cod liver oil every day when they were kids. They rarely ever go sick. Whether it's the omegas (3 and 6), the vitamin D, vitamin A, or a combination of all 4 of these, who knows. But I do find it interesting. It is a strong antiinflammatory as well - probably because of the omega's. One teaspoon provides 113% of vitamin D, 90% vitamin A, 888 mg omega 3, and 42.1 mg omega 6. (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/628/2) Many people find it very beneficial.

For me, after studying my diet for the past couple of weeks, I get more than the RDA of vitamin D plus I am fortunate that I can soak up some natural vitamin D daily - 15 minutes of sun each day, without sunscreen, and the least amount of clothes I can tolerate without getting too cold. I have not had my levels tested and actually would be surprised if I was low in D based on my dietary intake and sitting in the sun each morning. But, as the Momentum article states, it could be the discrepancies in appropriate levels that can say you are deficient when you actually aren't and vice versa. Who knows. Just IMO, if I were deficient by blood tests, I would definitely start to wonder if I am probably not metabolizing it correctly and therefore creating a deficiency. So my question then would be, why am I not metabolizing it correctly and what can I do to correct it.

Cod liver oil for KIDS is about the right dose. 1000IU

For adults it is not enough daily.

And yes, hubby and I have not been ill with colds/flu for 2 yrs now at the higher D doses. Its been very nice!

And today we have pollution which the fish pick up quite a bit and store in the liver. I don't think 50 yrs ago the amount of pollution was as great as today.

The MS sites recommend keeping blood levels at about 100, which is double that of the low end of normal of 50 now.

I think if you want to go that high you should be monitored by the doctor, as rarely hypercalcemia may occur at those higher doses. Periodic blood tests will show if calcium levels are high at very high D intake.

I don't have MS but my doctor wants me at 70! The more D you take the less calcium you need to supplement. That is because the calcium in your food will be better absorbed. People continuing high calcium intake may be the ones who get the hypercalcemia. I've already seen one medical blog recommending no more than 600mg calcium a day when using high Vit D supplements.

my dr has me on 50000 units of vit d/week, cant seem to get at an adequae lvl of vit d though, and i take cod liver oil vitamins as well as 1 a day vit and its not improving. we dont know why...

Are you using the RX version? If so that is why you are not improving. Cod liver only has 1000IU of D...and it is thought that high A content blocks D utilization. You should be on
D3 capsules by themselves. 1000IU D3 for every 10 points you need to raise, daily. So the Cod Liver oil is only going to help with about 10 units raise if that.

Also there are cofactors needed for good D utilization.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post767084-60.html

The most significant of these cofactors is magnesium. Most of the people in US are low in this mineral too.

its a script for vit d that says "vitamin d 50,000unt cap pliva". i'm going to go get my blood work paperwork later today to see what lvl i'm at exactly. i'll check all that other stuff too

That is D2.... there is only one RX form of D and it is the old plant derived form.

New evidence shows that it does not work well. Up to 87% less well than the OTC active form called D3.

Get your newest results, drop the RX D2, and use instead D3
(many places sell it--NOW brand and Puritan's are very inexpensive)
1000IU for every 10 pts you need to raise. If you are overweight, the fat on your body will take up some of it as well, so you might need to increase that 1000/10 to 1500/10pts or more. It takes about 3 months to show any changes with D supplements. So it is not a quick result.

D2 is not active in humans. It is very old, and back then no one knew that.

D3 is the active form, just like you get from the sun.

To the tanning bed girl - I ALWAYS feel worse if I don't see sun for 1 day. I don't know how people survive indoors. They can't be strong.
I don't get what's so complicated about getting everyones level to at least 50. 2000i.u. gel caps are so tiny & cheap when you wait for buy 1 get 1 free.

Get tested, if say your level's 20, take 4000iu/day for a month & get checked again. Remember it's aborbed & stored in fat so levels don't fall off quickly.

Also everyones different. My breast cancer survivor friend was scribed 5000/day cause her body's level just wasn't going up on 2000. Something like that just know 2000iu/day to me isn't 2000i.u./day to anyone else.
2000/day is holding me in the upper 80's and i'm tan.

10,000i.u's is what they say 1/2hr full body exposure white person produces right (darker skin absorbs less so african american's really need to get checked)?