Low in VitD
 

My doctor called the other day to tell me my vitamin D was low. I would like to defer to the experts here please ; do I need vitamin D3 by itself or should I take vitamin D3 with K2? Also, what dosages and brands do you recommend.

Thank you in advance,

Cliffman :)

My two cents.....Yes to D3 and K2. I like Thorne Research, Jarrow and Life Extension. Right now we are using Thorne's Vitamin D3 5000ius and Life Extension Super K with has K1 and both types of K2.

Neither of us are deficient at this point so you may want to consider a higher dose for a month or two and get rechecked again.

Cliffman, how low. When I found out how low I was in 2006 it was 16 as I recall...one doc I saw for a while decided to test himself and he was a pultry 13....

For about 6 months I took 4K D3 daily and finally got to 34...so it was slow...then more and more research was coming out and the K2 connection came out.. At one point I got to 80 and I remember how great I felt. Then hip replacement surgery knocked me down 40 pts which I had heard D drops with surgery. So I've been working up since surgery and don't know where I am today. Didn't get labs done last year...but daily I take 5K D3 and some days take 10K and the K2 100mcg.

So many could be healthier I believe, if they only knew. Mostly older folks...younger people are out and active in the sun. I was until I came in from the sun in my early 50's..

Hi Caroline2,

Several months back I was at 28 ...not sure though with this recent test since he just said "low" over the phone. I should have gotten the exact number, I will check with his office to see.

Thanks,
Cliffman

From an oldtimer, I never leave a doc's office without a copy of my labs. I keep them handy as I refer to them a lot when I'm discussing issues with others or going to check things.

I agree however I didn't have that option because the results were given to me via phone & not in his office.

Cliffman :)

Cliffman,

Perhaps start slow, with 1000 IU per day, unless you've had experience with lanolin based D3 and have had no issues. If you're fine, try more, if you like. But I always start slowly, in this case with 1000 IU a day and then over weeks I increase it.

I use pure brands with no fillers and additives, so I take the Pure Encapsulations one. I think the research is there and I would take D3 with K2. There are plenty of studies about the wonderful benefits of K2, and we know that it works sinergistically with D3 (and calcium of course). Finally, take it with a nice fatty meal and perhaps best is in the morning.

Here are some links for Pure Encapsulations products (I've used the first quite successfully and have the other two waiting on the sidelines):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A23QAL417BE9Z8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

They also have a pure D3, which I have and have used.

Finally, I've been using this as well and it has proved to be very good, so much so that I'll post separately about it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I hope that helps. :)

Cliffman is using a blood thinner... he should get medical advice before using extra vitamin K, from his doctor.

Yes, Cliffman, if you're on blood thinners, regular blood tests and medical observation and then only slow increase of vitamin K is the way to go. That's what the people I know do. What you only really need is K2, not K1, and medical supervision/regular blood tests is the way to go, so speak to your physician.

My Doctor just said D is low, supplement. Is K2 not good because I'm on a blood thinner? I thought it should be D3 plus K2 but perhaps I'm wrong?

Thanks,
Cliffman

There's lots on the web, but here's something very brief:

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/20...take-warfarin/

On the K2 added to D3, I first heard about this at a lecture by one of our integrative MD's here in my town. This was about 3 yrs ago. I had been taking D3 but started my search on K2 and started adding. I now take most days 100mcg K2, various brands. A friend and I were talking and she is sorry she didn't jump on K2 sooner, but she is now.

I never knew the benefits of it until recently. K2 directs our oral calcium into the bones and teeth, and away from joints, soft tissues, and arteries, etc. That in itself is enough, but it has other attributes as well. Cancer preventative, etc..

One thing a doc said was: currently, likely all of us are K2 deficient (it’s not stored in the body) and we don’t find out until heart problems develop or a hip needs replacing.

(There's no good blood tests yet to determine low amounts). Without K2, calcium gets deposited into blood vessels and soft tissues (bone spurs) and/or joints. As we age, we become stiff and ‘calcified’. K2 will begin to remove those deposits. (The calcification/ hardening of our bodies was what caught my attention).

Thinking more on this and bone spurs, that is what pushed me to the hip replacement as xrays showed bone spurs on my right groin....Could be due to the K2 absence.

Likely all of us are K2 deficient (it’s not stored in the body) and we don’t find out until heart problems develop or a hip needs replacing.

So much to learn, so much to know and if we are fortunate enough to be at the right places at right times, we can help ourselves.

I have read that Vit D and K2 work synergistically together. (Oops. I just read David's post and he said the same :)

I came across this info which I found interesting: https://www.stoptheclot.org/vitamin-...ed-to-know.htm

"Warfarin (Coumadin) works by interfering with how your body uses vitamin K. The metabolism of warfarin (Coumadin), vitamin K, and vitamin K dependent clotting factors takes place in your liver. Warfarin (Coumadin) prevents the production of vitamin K dependent clotting factors. As a result, clotting occurs at a much slower rate. One good way to think about vitamin K and its importance while taking warfarin (Coumadin) is that you need to maintain a balance between the amount of vitamin K in your body and the amount of warfarin (Coumadin) prescribed by your healthcare provider."

Medical advice/monitoring as mentioned by others is very important.