What does Vit. D help with???

Del14

What does Vit. D help with???

msmpatty

Jo - Vitamin D helps your body absorb and metabolize calcium and phosphorus, benefiting your bones.   This is important while taking the AIs.    I actually haven't "felt" any different since taking it, except feeling better about the fact I'm doing all I can to protect my bones!

Patty

Kathy044

I usually go to the Linus Pauling Institute website for micronutrient information: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD/.

Vitamin D is required to metabolize calcium and that's how it is good for bones. Calcium is good for other things too. Vitamin D is also helpful in balancing other body chemicals besides calcium,  I first started taking it several years ago for high blood pressure ( see web link above) Vit D. also seemed to help my mood (SAD) during the low  light fall and winter months.

I never even used to take a multivitamin pill because I didn't like how they made me feel, (bloated etc.) which is why I started taking the separate Vit D. supplement.  Several years ago when it was difficult to find a separate pill I took the Vit D drops sold for babies, times sure have changed.

Nan56143

Dear Jo-5,

I will bump up the Vitamin D thread. There are many many articles for you to read. I see where you are taking the script for D, and most likely it is the D2 which is worthless. Just read through the thead and you will see what I mean.

Nan56143

Dear Jo-5,

You wrote.."If it doesn't then why are so many people put on it? "

The answer...because most conventional doctors do not have a clue between D2 and D3, and they will write a script before telling you to take OTC D3. Many times they also order the wrong test.

For someone dx with bc, your D levels should be in the upper optimal range which is close to 100 ng/ml. Yes there have been a few who had to stop taking the script, due to a reaction. It just does not raise your levels nearly as quickly, and keep them there,  as the OTC D3. The Vitamin D council is one source which tells of the connection between D3 and breast cancer. Click on those links.

Did you have the vitamin D testing, and if so what are your levels?

Luna5

Hey guys....I found an article which may explain why pharmacists are dispensing 50,000 IU of D2 when the doc prescribed D3.....

I found an article, don't have the link handy and am unable to cut and paste into google anyway.......the article said that 70 years ago when they discovered the link between rickets in children and Vit D...it was thought that D2 and D3 are interchangeable.   For all I know and the article did not say, maybe they are where rickets is a medical issue......Anyway...this article was discussing how we now know that there is a marked difference.  So......maybe the pharmacists' reference books are not all up to date.

Just passing on what I read....because I, too, was wondering why pharmacists would dispense something different than what was prescribed.  They also act like generic drugs are exactly the same as named brands which they are not...they have different ingredients and generic are allowed to have up to 20% more or less of the significant drug they are copying.....whereas the named drug is probably manufactured the same all the time if it always comes from the same lab.

Husband11

I read a study where they found high doses of vitamin D reduced joint pain of women on aromatase inhibitors, but that after stopping the high dose vitamin D, the pain quickly returned.

On the D2 vs D3 subject, the D2 is less efficient at being converted into the usable form by your body, so it takes more D2 than D3 to raise your levels.  I wouldn't write off D2 as useless, just not equivalent.

thenewme

Hi Luna, maybe this is the article you're thinking of: The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17023693

But this one contradicts that one:   Vitamin D2 is as effective as vitamin D3 in maintaining circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D.  Source:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18089691

My point is that it's not a simple answer.  Even the "experts" don't agree. 

Ruthy81674

Hello-I believe D3 is superior. My naturopath has me taking 4000 iu's daily. Vitamin D is critical for the immune system. It also plays a big role in proper cell division. Immune cells in the body actually have receptors on them for vitamin D. According to recent research, the reccommended FDA dose is far too low.