Earlier, today I got a call from my neuro about a blood test I had last week when I went for my 6 month check-up she wanted to check my Vitamin D level. And she said my level was very low so she prescribed Vit D2 50,000 units,I take one softgel once a week for 6 weeks and then one pill once a month until finished,and then in 8 weeks she do another blood test to check the levels. She's also has me taking calcium pills one pill twice a day. It's kinda scary I've been doing research on this and low levels of vit D and the higher risk of breast cancer and now I really don't want to make a appointment for my first mammagram I've been putting it off for a year now. MS is scary enough for me thank you. I'm just wondering if maybe this is partly why I got MS I know there is a connection with low levels of Vit D and MS.See when I was a little kid I was always out in the sun we had a pool and I was as brown as a bear in the summertime but when I got older I just didn't go out in the sun that much because I burn very easy. I would really like to have your guys opinion on the subject. Thanks Kristi.

Vitamin D deficiencies are the latest "trend" in MS.

In testing for vitamin D deficiencies, there are two methods that labs use for reporting Vitamin D levels:

1. nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL)
(To convert ng/mL to nmol/l: multiply by 2.5, eg. 40 ng/mL *2.5 = 100 nmol/L)
2. nanomoles per liter [nmol/L]
(To convert nmol/l to ng/mL: divide by 2.5, eg. 100 nmol/L /2.5 = 40 ng/mL)

The optimum levels of vitamin D are defined as:

1. LESS THEN 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) is generally considered inadequate.

2. Between 20 (ng/mL) – 100 (ng/mL) is “normal”, by most accounts.

Where someone is deemed deficient (< 2o ng/mL), which can occur because of:

- dietary inadequacy, i.e. exposure to sunlight is limited or diet restrictions (milk allergies/lactose intolerance, vegetarianism, etc.)
- impaired absorption, i.e kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form, or absorption of vitamin D from the digestive tract is inadequate

. . . The "normal" recommended FNB daily intake of vitamin D range is from 200 IU (5 mcg) to 600 IU (15 mcg) . . . dependant on age (as provided by the NIH & Food and Nutrition Board).

The best way to source Vitamin D naturally is by getting 5-30 minutes of DIRECT sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM, at least twice a week. This exposure can be to (NOTE: EITHER) the face, arms, legs, or back. However, one must realize that:

- complete cloud cover can reduce UV energy by 50%
- shade (including that which is produced by severe pollution) reduces UV energy by 60%
- Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8+ may block vitamin D-producing UV rays (but people generally do not apply sufficient amounts, or reapply their sunscreen frequently enough to cover all sun-exposed skin anyway)

People can also source sufficient vitamin D from their diet:

- fortified foods will provide most of the vitamin D people need, ie. U.S. milk is fortified with 100 IU/cup of vitamin D (which is already 25% - 50% of the daily recommended value, depending on age).
- 1 tbsp of cod liver oil = 1360 IU’s per serving (almost 3 X the average daily recommended requirment)
- The flesh of fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) = 200 – 350 IU’s per serving
- fish liver oils
- beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks (15 – 60 UI).
- some ready-to-eat breakfast contain added vitamin D, as do some brands of orange juice, yogurt, and margarine, ie. cereal flours and related products, milk and products made from milk, and calcium-fortified fruit juices and drinks.
- moderate use of commercial tanning beds (that emit 2-6% UVB radiation)

There have been some “theories” about lack of vitamin D being contributory to the initial development of MS, based on the “gradient latitude” hypothesis, . . . but the prevalence and distribution of MS has changed so significantly over recent years, that theory is becoming more and more obsolete. There is also no proof what-so-ever that increased vitamin D will affect the disease process in any way.

Can you find out what your vitamin D levels are right now?

Cherie

Thanks Cherie for replying to me good information. I will find out soon what my Vitamin D levels are my neuro also sends my test results in the mail so probably this week or next week I should know.

When I went to the MS Expo, the doctor speaking talked about Vitamin D and it's effects on MS. I was born in Mass, so I definitely was in cold weather for most of my life. The theory this man explained was to have your residence closer to the equator BEFORE you're 13. Such as: if you lived in GA for 12 years of your life and then moved to the cold.. you would have the immunity of someone that's "protected" *lol* Unfortunately for me I had 27 yrs of cold Mass. weather and yes it has to do with being in the sun.

There are of course exceptions to this rule.. there was a woman there that moved to a warmer climate before she was 13, but of course she still got MS.

I was getting sick and tired of waiting for dr's to treat my lack of minerals/electrolytes so I started to take Vit. C& E, Magnesium/Zinc/Calcium, B12, Fish Oil, Potassium, etc. to bring all my levels up to normal levels.. I do feel better but taking all these pills - YUCK!

For almost ALL MS folks getting MORE than a sufficient amount of Vit D is a VERY VERY good idea.

Taking between 2,000 and 4,000 IUs of Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) will result in VERY favorable changes in blood chemistry. Actual good changes start at 1,000 IUs.

MS folks are "ABNORMAL" i.e. SICK and EXCESS Vit D3 is for them GOOD.

Think "outside normal" when it comes to MS needs. Vit D3 is the best non-Rx version to take. Getting some blood testing done before and after starting a Vit D3 supplementing program is a good idea but not really an absolute necessity. The upper limit for Vit D3 supplementing is 10,000 IUs.

The calcium issue is more complex and varies by gender, age and many other complex things. In my situation I am concerned about excess calcification in soft tissues.

I will post some abstracts/articles to explain some of my comments.

jackD

The benefit in reducing MMP-9s is enormous. They make the hole in the BBB Blood Brain Barrier and cut up myelin. I discussed this in my recent Avonex posting.

They do not mentuion MS in this abstract probably because it was done in 2002 and the MS MMP-9 connection was not published in detail until 2001.

jackD

When I got diagnosed 10 months ago I was told I had an extremely low Vitamin D level. To be perfectly honest I was shocked since I had lived in San Diego for 10 years (sun all the time) and moved to sunny/hot Texas and have been here the past 4 years. Thus, I'm not sure everyone's bodies can get the Vitamin D they need from the sun -- clearly that wasn't the case for me over the past 14 years and I spend a lot of time outdoors.

I took the 50,000 IU pills once a week for 9 weeks. It bumped my level up into low normal range. I am now taking 1,000 IU a day.

The MS specialist I saw at the Mayo Clinic in MN. said that I should be taking Vitamin D supplements every day. The MS specialist I saw in my own city 2 weeks ago said that Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for MS (apparently I hit the MS jackpot and as she put it "the stars lined up" because I had 4 risk factors: 1) Vitamin D deficiency 2) grew up in Mass. until age 22 3) mother just diagnosed with MS last year right before me 4) wicked mono/epstein barr infection the year before my diagnosis).
Lucky me! <heavy sarcasm>

Anyhow, nothing proves that taking Vitamin D after the fact will slow the disease down but why not take the supplement? There does appear to be a correlation of some sort.

Kristi, I take vitamin D and Calcium daily because of MS. I don't know if it is helping. Make your appointment for your mammo! It is very important!

FYi: I had posted this on another forum in May.

There is a great article on Vitamin D starting on page 44 of May 2008 Cooking Light magazine. It predicts that when the new levels get reset in 2010, they will be increased. ( They don't reset nutrition levels but every 10 years.)

"In the absence of it, you're asking the body to defend itself with one hand tied behind its back."

I was surprised b/c it said that a fair skinned person manufactures as much as 15,000 IU in 30 minutes with optimal sunlight conditions, so that is why they think giving people 10,000 IU as a supplement is okay!

The normal values for daily intake are 200 to 400 IU according to your age, but this information is a decade old.

It gives guidelines on the time of day for the sun to be at a 45 degree angle above the horizon and speaks about those of us who live above the 35 degree of latittude ( North Carolina to Southern California).

An spf of just 8 will block 98 percent of your skin's vitamin D production. So we should not have it on all the time.

They suggest having Vitamin D levels checked with bloodwork for something that insurance usually covers like a cholesterol panel or any other annual test. However they think you should always check with your insurance company first.

Most public libraries have Cooking Light magazine in the periodical area.

Kristi, I'm quite surprised you were prescribed D2 as opposed to D3 (aka Cholecalciferol). D3 is the equivalent to the "sunshine" factor and is processed in the body as a hormone -- it's specifically that form that's been the hot topic.

I started reading a lot about D3 after I was dxed and have been taking a little over 3,000 IUs daily for at least 9 months. (I ADD UP the D in my calcium and mult-vitamin and then supplement with two 1,000 capsules made by Jarrow.) Vitamin D can build up in the body and can be toxic so your levels should be monitored, as well as your liver function. I don't know if my levels were low before I started supplementing but my endocrinologist tested me a few months ago and even with the amount I'm taking, I was still within normal range (and my liver function was fine). However, I will continue to be monitored, having these tests repeated in future blood work. My endo explained to me that for some reason, they're finding that those high 50,000 IU doses weekly do not seem to present the same problems as high doses building up over time.

The RDA UL for "healthy" people has been raised to 600 IUs. There have been several studies about vitamin D (D3 specifically) possibly being helpful with various neurological disorders, not only MS (and not only in terms of prevention). I know many people with MS in the U.S. whose doctors have been recommending (if not prescribing) vitamin D3 to their patients even if their levels are not low. Most of the things I've read about using this supplement like a "drug" recommend up to 4,000 IUs daily but to reduce intake in the summer or if you live in a sunny climate year round. Again, do be careful though -- do your own research, speak to your doctors and if you DO take it, have your D levels and liver function tested periodically.