You can choose whatever dose works for you... Use your calf as your barometer.

Vit D does get consumed by the body in various biochemical reactions. So you have to have SOME daily, and if it is not via the sun, then a supplement is the only other form. Sunlight can give huge amounts to the body, 100,000IU per day for some people, but this form has to be activated, and that may remain inactive until needed. So sunlight is best IMO.

Hi, sorry to intrude on your post but may I ask what brand exactly of vit D you use?

Ive read here about vit D a lot and always think to myself maybe I should take it. I have not been tested so I was holding back on if I should take it or not. I need to go back through old posts and read more about vit D.

I have different types of chewables.. I'll have to get the brand for you. But you bring up a good point, I wouldn't be surprised if some brands of vitamin D and more 'quality' than others...

For what it's worth, I got my levels up from 7* to 41 using Dr. Best. I don't know if they are the best quality, but it seems to work for me. I take 2 softgel capsules containing 2000IU (so 4000 in total) a day, and have no intention of stopping them for the foreseeable future. My aim is to arrive at 60. At that point I plan to go in maintenance mode.

* I didn't feel too well back then...

Once you get to 60, what is going to be your maintenance dose if you don't mind me asking..

Without knowing my level, is there any harm to taking vit D???

I need to go back and read old posts but every time I do it's in my mind that I should start taking it, I don't remember why now.

thanks

The basic suggestion from those in the research area is that up to 2000IU of D3 daily is safe for those who do not test.

You can start there. Anything you provide will help I suspect.

Sure! I'm guessing 2000IU from October to May, and then hopefully get it from the sun in the rest of the months.

I think I read somewhere that the sun has to be at an angle > 45° to be effective in vit. D creation. My GP agrees that, where we live, most of her patients who don't supplement have depleted vit D. levels by December/Januari.

I say 2000IU, but I think the proper answer would be: whatever it takes to not drop below 60.

One thing to remember about numbers...

When Vit D was discovered, the researcher chose to use IUs for
the doses. Those numbers appear big... like the doses for B12 are large, when taken orally.

But in reality the amount of D3 you are taking is very minute.

1000IU of D3= 25 MICROGRAMS.

So in reality D3 is a very small amount taken daily. 4000IU would be 100 MICROgrams.

As a comparison, some MS treatments today keep the patients at testing levels of 100! This is THEIR goal... because the thinking for MS is that low D factors into that disease some way.

For us, a goal of 50 (or at least 40 which I keep) is acceptable.

I can really feel my D levels drop around late Sept and Oct from all the sun I get in summer. So I take about 10,000 IU every other day in winter. (sometimes less). I use Puritan's brand...very inexpensive.

The 1000IU rule is an approximation. Some people may need more, and some a little less. At 5000 IU daily I tested at 43...so I am one of those who need a little more.

You know I was actually thinking along these lines. So I guess I'll go back to the 2800IU level and see if calf issue goes away... then I can stay there, maybe in a couple of months try one of those home Vit D tests, just to get an idea of where it is and to keep myself out of trouble.

THANKS MRS.D!!!