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Old 02-04-2014, 05:06 PM #1
Erika Erika is offline
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Default Vitamin D converts to a steroid-hormone

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/2/491S.long

This article dates back to 2007 (took me a while to find it in my archives).

The body regulates how much Vitamin D3 is converted into an active form according to nutritional status and need. That activated form behaves like both a steroid & a hormone; depending upon the target organs and tissues. Even now, research is ongoing in an attempt to determine all the effects that the activated form may have on tissues, organs and organ systems.

It makes me wonder if supplementing with more than is needed may have unwanted side effects down the road. Does the body only activate what is needed from the supplement, or does the supplemented D3 have a steroidal & hormonal effect?
Given that the jury is still out on that, it may be wise to remain within a reasonable amount of supplemental Vitamin D3, with the dose required, determined by blood tests. More than what is needed to correct a deficiency might have unwanted side effects over the long term.

Mega dosing of Vitamin C revealed problems a couple of decades ago; when long term, high dose takers developed kidney stones, decreased bone density and dental problems due to acidosis. It was found that the body attempted to buffer the acidosis by releasing stored calcium from bones & teeth and some of that released calcium precipitated in the kidneys.
Now we know that Calcium ascorbate, rather than ascorbic acid is a superior supplemental form of Vitamin C...but it took quite a while to figure out.

With love, Erika
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Old 02-04-2014, 07:47 PM #2
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Interesting.
We are always figuring out more…
I wonder if keeping a close tab on the blood level will be sufficient to prevent the level from going out of range?

At one point my level was at 4.5 and now the docs are happy with it at about 60.

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Old 02-04-2014, 09:29 PM #3
Erika Erika is offline
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It does seem that keeping an eye on blood levels is the best way to determine if supplementation is needed and if it is, by how much.

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Old 02-04-2014, 11:11 PM #4
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The only thing is, is that Medicare doesn't cover all of those extra blood tests.
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Old 02-04-2014, 11:55 PM #5
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Sorry about that Sally. That's one of the things that is covered under our Gov't health care plans up here. Taking taxes and blood seems to come naturally and easily for them.

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Old 02-13-2014, 09:44 PM #6
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This is interesting info to think about! I am always hesitant to out anything in my system. The MS specialist I am currently seeing just upped me to 4000 units a day which seems like an awful lot to me, but my last level was at 6.
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Old 02-15-2014, 08:45 PM #7
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I was too low on D3 on 400 units a day (no surprise, but I was ignorant). Then at 800 units a day, I was still too low on blood test. Last test, at 1600 units, still too low. Don't know if I'll ever get up to normal (forget what my number was, but it was not what it should be. I get NO sun, as I cover up with sun resistant fabric head to toe. That makes it more of a challenge. But I am upping the dose to 2000 units a day. I am aware that the hormone effect could be a problem.
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Old 02-16-2014, 12:11 AM #8
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My neurologist has me on a total of 8,000 IU a day. She did that last year after she went to some conference.
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Old 02-16-2014, 04:58 AM #9
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That is a really high dose Doydie,

I'm wondering what the dose was based on. It should be determined according to your blood levels, so if you haven't had it tested lately, you may want to have that done.

There are conflicting opinions on how much D3 one should be taking, and this seems to depend on the source of the recommendation. Even scientists don't agree on how much is too much, because taking too much vitamin D can cause a number of side effects.

It would be great if we could rely on our doctors to determine the right dose for us but many of them don't keep up with current research and/or haven't looked into that research deeply enough to appreciate the potential impact of incorrect supplementation levels, drug interactions, contra-indications and the like.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has set the maximum upper limit at 1,000 IU daily for children to age 12 and 2,000 IU daily for adults. But some researchers believe those limits are too low.

The NIH recommended daily allowance (RDA), to prevent D3 deficiency is:

Adult
• 19 - 50 years: 5 mcg (200 IU)
• 51 - 70 years: 10 mcg (400 IU)
• 70 years and older: 15 mcg (600 IU)
• Pregnant and breast-feeding females: 5 mcg (200 IU)

The higher end for supplementing to correct deficiency is based on blood test results, but I am not familiar with the research from which it came.
They quote deficiency as being a blood level below 50 and recommend supplementing at a rate of 1000 IU D3 for every 10 points under 50.

Precautions:
Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

Side effects of D3 toxicity due to supplementation may include:
• Excessive thirst
• Metal taste in mouth
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Bone pain
• Tiredness
• Sore eyes
• Itchy skin
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• A frequent need to urinate
• Muscle problems

You cannot get too much vitamin D from sunlight, and it would be very hard to get too much from food. Generally, too much vitamin D is a result of taking supplements in too high a dose.

People with the following conditions should be careful when considering taking vitamin D supplements:
• High blood calcium or phosphorus levels
• Heart problems
• Kidney disease

Possible Interactions:
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use vitamin D supplements without first talking to your health care provider.

Atorvastatin (Lipitor) -- Taking vitamin D may reduce the amount of Lipitor absorbed by the body, making it less effective. If you take Lipitor or any statin (drugs used to lower cholesterol), ask your doctor before taking vitamin D.

Calcium channel blockers -- Vitamin D may interfere with these medications, used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions. If you take any of these medications, do not take vitamin D without first asking your doctor.

Calcium channel blockers include:
• Nifedipine (Procardia)
• Verapamil (Calan)
• Nicardipine (Cardene)
• Diltiasem (Cardizem, Dilacor)
• Amlodipine (Norvasc)

Corticosteroids (prednisone) -- Taking corticosteroids long-term can cause bone loss leading to osteoporosis. Supplements of calcium and vitamin D can help maintain bone strength. If you take corticosteroids for 6 months or more, ask your doctor about taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement.

Digoxin (Lanoxin) -- a medication used to treat irregular heart rhythms. Vitamin D improves absorption of calcium, and calcium, in turn, can increase the likelihood of a toxic reaction from this medication.

These drugs may raise the amount of vitamin D in the blood:
Estrogen -- Hormone replacement therapy with estrogen appears to raise vitamin D levels in the blood, which may have a positive effect on calcium and bone strength. In addition, taking vitamin D supplements along with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) increases bone mass more than ERT alone. However, this benefit may be lost with the addition of progesterone.

Thiazide -- This kind of diuretic (water pills) can increase vitamin D activity and can lead to high calcium levels in the blood.

Vitamin D levels may be decreased by the following medications.
If you take any of these medications, ask your doctor if you need more vitamin D:

Antacids -- Taking certain antacids for long periods of time may alter the levels, metabolism, and availability of vitamin D.

Anti-seizure medications -- these medications include:
• Phenobarbital
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Primidone (Mysoline)
• Valproic acid (Depakote)

Bile acid sequestrants -- used to lower cholesterol. These medications include
• Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite)
• Cholestipol (Colestid)

- Rifampin & Isoniazid (INH) -- medications used to treat tuberculosis.
- Mineral oil -- Mineral oil also interferes with absorption of vitamin D.
- Orlistat (Alli) -- a medication used for weight loss that prevents the absorption of fat. Because of its effect on fat, orlistat may also prevent the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D. Physicians who prescribe orlistat should also add a multivitamin with fat soluble vitamins.

With love, Erika
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Old 02-17-2014, 01:01 PM #10
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Very complete rundown on Vitamin D, Erika. Thanks!
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