Vitamin D....or.... D3?

dash · January 2008

dash · January 2008

Is there a difference? I just realized my supplement just says 'D'

Thanks in advance!

Rosemary44 · January 2008

Does it say cholecalciferol? Then it's D3. Otherwise, it's will be better to find the D3. Bluebonnet has it without soy.

paige-allyson · January 2008

As above D3 is the way to go. There's a reason for this but can't remember what it is. Allyson

dash · January 2008

It's Nature Made brand and yes it says cholecalciferol. Wow, it doesn't list soy anywhere but it does list all sorts of extra ingredients....calcium carbonate, cellulose, stearic acid, acacia, maltodextrin, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, cornstarch

Rosemary44 · January 2008

Calcium and D go together very nicely. So no worry about that unless your on a thyroid med, then you shouldn't have carbonate calcium.

I'll tell you what bluebonnet has as other ingredients: 100% Kosher vegetable capsules, vegetable cellulose, magnesium stearate. That's all.

lisametoo · January 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholecalciferol Wikipedia

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Reduce-Your-Cancer-Risks-With-Vitamin-D-2402.aspx Dr. Mercola. One of my favorite sites

dash · January 2008

Thanks for the answers ladies. Smile

No thyroid meds so I'm okay there but I really dislike not recognizing ingredients on anything I consume so I'll look up the other ingreds and be more aware next time I vitamin shop. Thanks Lisa for the links--you'll have to tell me how to paste here because I can't do it since the website changed. I'll look over the links later I have to run to have a transvaginal US-new gyn wants to check on the girly parts--just plz send me some happy thoughts on this, thnks

Anonymous · January 2008

This is a strange question but Im not sure where else to ask it.....

I want to up my calcium D+ intake but everytime I take the supplement I notice that after about 2 wks my heart does this weird beat thing...not always but it generally happens when I lay down at night and am being to relax just before I drift off....

Im pretty sure it is the supplement as I went off of it for a couple of months and have just recently tried it again....

Any of you ladies have any idea what the heck is going on???

Thanks

Jule

lisametoo · January 2008

Hope this link helps answer your question. Sunlight (no sunscreen) is your best bet for obtaining vitamin D. http://www.healthoma.com/overdose-of-vitamin-d/

Anonymous · January 2008

Wow, thank you Lisa!!!!!

Im pretty sure this is the answer to my question!!!!

I know that sunlight is the #1 source and Im am an outdoors person so get massive sunlight....

My Dr. said that after having my hystorectomy back in april that I should probably be taking calcium +D....I was also on Arimidex.....that is the first experience I had with the heart beat thing...since it was the only change in my situation I stopped taking it and the strange beating went away....that was early in 07 so two weeks ago I thought since I have this huge bottle of the stuff I would try to take it again.....when I asked the Drs. about it being the cause of the beating of course they said no that wouldnt do it...but I know it is....

Guess I will not worry about being deficent in that area!!!!!

Thank you

Jule

lisametoo · January 2008

Dear Jule,

You're so welcome. My purpose on this board is to try and find anything new to help my mother, and to help others find answers as I have spent almost 6 years researching alternatives. I am NOT a Doctor, just a humble researcher.

Anonymous · January 2008

Lisa,

I have read other of your posts and you always give sound advice....Im sorry about your mom...I know my daughter has researched alot but it seemed to just scare her more so now I dont tell her the little things.....

Im not very up on the alternatives such at vitamins and supplements as I am a healthy person in general...I would never have tried this supplement if the Drs hadnt said that I would need it!!!!!

I think I will just continue to eat healthy and live my life the way I have been......heck took 46 yrs to get bc and Im healthy so I must do something right somewhere!!!

Cynthia1962 · January 2008

Julie - you can always take Vit D3 alone, so you won't need to worry about getting too much calcium. Have you had your vit D and calcium levels checked? I had mine checked a couple of months ago and they were normal (I took 4-8k iu of D3 daily during chemo) and now take 4,000 iu daily. Some calcium supplements also contain magnesium which can effect the rhythm of the heart. I'm prone to heart arrhythmias and they tend to occur mostly at night when I lie down. I think it has to do with my stomach and GI tract and how calm or stormy it is at the time.

Good luck!

Cynthia

Anonymous · January 2008

Cynthia,

I dont know whether they have been checked or not..I plan to make an appt with my primary soon so was going to ask her to check...

For now Ive stopped taking the supplement so will see if the weird beat thing goes away again.

I never have figured out why it happens at night, but the other day it happened while I was sitting in my recliner watching tv in the evening...kind of scarey!!!

Rosemary44 · January 2008

Jule,

I'd ask your Dr. to have your electrolytes tested. Just to make sure they're not out of balance. Palpitations are sometimes due to an imbalance and they are scary to feel.

"Low levels of magnesium can be a causative, contributing, or aggravating factor with kidney stones usual recommendations for prevention are 400mg of magnesium citrate and 50mg of Vitamin B6 daily), high blood pressure, mitral valve prolapse (MVP), arrhythmia, tachycardia, coronary artery spasm and
other types of heart problems, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or menstrual cramps, tetany (sustained contractions, convulsions), (pre)eclampsia - particularly when too much iron and not enough folic acid was taken during pregnancy, insomnia, anxieties, chronic constipation, hyperactivity - particularly with children, and others.

However, frequent and excessive use of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) or antacid remedies such as Milk of Magnesia can eventually trigger a number of medical problems resulting from other minerals
such as calcium, sodium, iron, or potassium getting out of balance. This is more prevalent with kidney diseases and may include severe fatigue, depression, low blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems,
dizziness, dehydration / dry skin, diarrhea, muscular / joint problems and cardiovascular diseases."

Anonymous · January 2008

Rosemary,

Thank you for chiming in here...I will do as you say....I have had high blood pressure that has been medicated for years now.....during rad treatment my potassium dropped extremely low....during my breast MRI the surgeon said he saw small gall stones but nothing as far as the kidneys....

Thank you for the information....

Jule

msannie57 · January 2008

Do you know anything about who is posting on healthoma.com? There are no credentials posted at all. Just wondering. I would be cautious about getting advice from a site with all the advertising links.

There are many things that can cause palpitations. So many women on this site are taking lots and lots of meds and supplements--it would be difficult to pick out which one it is.

In terms of sunlight for Vitamin D--I live outside of Albany, NY. Today and yesterday are the first two days we've seen any sun this week. No one here could get adequate Vitamin D from sunlight--especially women with dark skin and those who work indoors during the daylight hours.

mskcc.org/aboutherbs opens with an article about Vitamin D and cancer--it's Sloan Kettering's supplement info site--it's worth taking a look at.

Anonymous · January 2008

msannie

Im at work right now but will take a look at that site when I get home this afternoon....

thank you for posting it

Rosemary44 · January 2008

Most of those blog sites get money every time we hit on them from the advertisers that are sponsored there. So I wouldn't go to healthoma for a look.

Anonymous · January 2008

Thanks again Rosemary...I will stay away from that site

lisametoo · January 2008

No ads on this site. I'll try and remember that when I'm surfing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D

genesis · January 2008

Hi Everyone,

Please forgive me if I missed this being mentioned but has anyone been doing Cod Liver Oil?? I have been doing Carlson Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil for about a month already and think it is great! Please look up all the benefits of this wonderful natural oil.

Genesis

msannie57 · January 2008

lisa--I love wikipedia but do be careful as anyone (including you or I) can put info there.

mkl48 · January 2008

My NP says that it is hard to be deficient in magnesium so does not rec supplementation. the RDA for women is lower than 400.Beth

mkl48 · January 2008

My NP says that it is hard to be deficient in magnesium so does not rec supplementation. the RDA for women is lower than 400.Beth

Rosemary44 · January 2008

Beth,

Then how are you treating your bones without magnesium? I thought you are taking arimidex?

Blundin2005 · January 2008

I saw my neighbor the other day...we were catching up on things. We're about the same age ... late 50's (next year I turn 60!) She was treated for hyper thyroid..radiated and now on thyroid meds. She was explaining to me her need for calcium, Vit D3 and magnesium....because they work together in balance. I told her my story of the same need. I think that it is notable that Europe thinks to vitamins, minerals and diet as a first line therapy.

Yesterday, I met with another friend...a micro biologist...we talked about the depletion of many nutrients when disease commences. I remember a nutrition course that I took as an elective many years ago....I was the curious type. The RDA is based on a healthy body. When the body is out of balance due to disease, the requirements change.

The studies in the US are showing high rates of vitamin D deficits in the population. If vitamin D is out of balance, so too may be magnesium and calcium. I take a very low supplement of magnesium pidolate 184 mg our of 450 needed by the body per day.

I was taking Vit D3 and calcium carbonate. But is was the magnesium that made a significant difference in both my joint pain and depression. I took NSAID three times per week for joint pain and needed more. But three times per week was all that the doctor permitted. I've needed the NSAID only three times (three pills) since September. I still am stiff and creaky, but I'm far from the pain after two years of AI. As for the depression, this too is significantly better...I think because the pain is more manageable. I am looking forward to doing things again. I'm still menopausal in the sense that I have a short tolerance for some things.....but I'm no longer filled with anxiety and frozen in fear. My cognitive abilities are markedly improved as well.

genesis · January 2008

Thought this might be of interest to some of you. Cod liver oil is also wonderful for joint pain.........

Genesis

Vitamin D Gene Variant Linked to Breast Cancer

Women with breast cancer are twice as likely to have a fault in the gene required to make use of vitamin D. Experts already believe vitamin D protects against breast cancer and in some forms may even be used to shrink existing tumors.

Now research in London suggests that women with genetic variations (polymorphisms) of the vitamin D receptor gene may be less able to benefit from this protective effect.

Researchers said the study added to the increasing evidence for a role of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in the cancer disease process.

While vitamin D and its analogues are being developed as preventative and/or treatment agents in breast cancer, the assessment of vitamin D receptor polymorphisms may be vital in the identification of at-risk groups and strategies for targeting and intervention.

She stressed that a screening test was not worthwhile in the present state of knowledge and that women should not suddenly start taking lots of vitamin D tablets.

There has been a great deal of research into vitamin D and its effects on cancer, and some potential new cancer treatments are based on vitamin D. This study is very important because it may help us identify more women who are at risk from breast cancer and gives us more clues on how to treat them.

British Journal of Cancer 2001;85:171-175

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

It may not be superficially obvious, but this study strongly supports the need for sunshine to prevent cancers, particularly breast cancer. Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but a steroid hormone precursor that is primarily formed when our skin is exposed to sunshine.

Women who limit their exposure to sunshine will have lower vitamin D levels and an increased risk of breast cancer, in addition to an increased risk of osteoporosis.

This can be partially compensated for by taking natural vitamin D. The best source I know of is Carlson's lemon-flavored cod liver oil.

This is not the oil your grandmother gave you and caused you to grimace. This actually tastes like lemon melted butter and provides not only vitamin D but also vitamin A and the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA.

Today, I am writing this comment on the first frost of the new season. This means that most of us in the United States will have progressively decreasing exposure to sunlight on our skin until April next year, so now is the time to start taking the cod liver oil.

Breast feeding moms should also be aware that vitamin D may be the only supplement that their babies will require. Again, this is related to the fact that vitamin D is not really a vitamin but something that we normally get from exposure to sunshine, not food. Cod liver oil is one of the few food sources that will provide it. Not only will it provide vitamin D for infants but the balanced DHA has been repeatedly shown to enhance brain and neurological development.

wishiwere · January 2008

Can someone elaborate on the thyroid and D thing? I'm hypothyroid as of last October/07 and not really knowledgeable about it all, and saw something on your post, but not sure what you meant? Care to explain?

Blundin2005 · January 2008

Hi Wishiwere,

I'll share my experience of hypo thyroid ... I am not a medical professional and recommend anyone wanting to understand thyroid to talk with a well trained endocrinologist. There have been many very good conversations on these boards on this topic and if I can find them again, I'll help you to find them. Others here who deal with the same issue and may chime in on the topic.

As the thyroid is essential to metabolism, it is important to the immune system that needs to absorb nutrients and medications that we take. When it's out of balance, in my case hypo, the body doesn't receive needed resources. When I was diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and nodules, I was suffering with joint aches, cognitive deficit and depression. At the time I was an administrator for a medical group in a prominent hospital and I couldn't sustain any of these symptoms and do my job well. In fact, I told my chairman to check my work as I couldn't trust my usual accuracy.

The ENT did a biopsy on the nodule and the endocrinologist prescribed synthroid. This helped a lot.

I also have a history of arthritis in my family. The ortho doc was surprised to find it in my hips at such an early age....mid to late 40's. The neuro doc was curious to find a small bifida...genetic he said.

This all to say that the bones in my body need a lot of nutritional support along with exercise to absorb and metabolize vit D, calcium, etc. My faulty thyroid makes this job harder. So I never miss to take my thyroid meds. Now, with Arimidex on board to suppress estrogen, the other symptoms of joint pain, cognitive deficit and depression seem more pronounced. So tweaking my body system with supplemental Vit D, calcium and magnesium, I'm feeling much better these days. (IMHO)

I think that I had thyroid problems when I was young that went undiagnosed...not uncommon especially in women as the research states. For example, when I was young I always broke out in hives when I walked from a warm house to the cold air. I was hyper active too. This aspect served me well when I needed to work two jobs to support me and my children...and later while I worked a full time job and went to college at night. But all good things come to an end.

Hopefully, the other threads will fill in the blanks of the specifics. I've received much help from the very knowledgeable ladies here who share very good information.

Best wishes to all...as always

Found it....Topic: Alternative, Complementary & Holistic Treatment
Oct.3 2007
Posted by ShirleyHughes

If the links that I copied here don’t work, go to the topic above and then to page 2 or 3 to find that date and conversation…..hope that this helps.

BC_ Synthroid and Calcium AGAIN.pdf
Breast Cancer Conversation/ Synthroid and Calcium AGAIN.webarchive

Vitamin D....or.... D3?

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