What strength of vitamin D do you take and do you take it all year round?

My Vitamin D is extremely low. I take a prescribed dosage of 52,000 units weekly. It is one capsule. I cannot take over the counter brand. I have been able to tolerate the prescribed one.

When I found out I had Osteo, my doc told me to take V-D twice a day and also calcium with D twice a day. He didn't tell me how much though. I take 3200 iu daily. He's on vacation, if I can remember I'll ask him when he gets home. He's also my SIL so that helps greatly. We don't do naked though. I only go to him with things I can keep my clothes on. YUK, imagine getting naked for your SIL. He has had mothers of friends that come to him, then he has to sit across the dinner table with them. YUK

Doesn't 'bare' thinking about!!!

We are very lucky in Scotland as once we reach 60 years all our prescriptions come free. One advantage of getting older!!

I take 2000 per day and get it very inexpensively at Costco.Huge bottle lots of tiny pills under $20.00 lasts for months for me and DGD.

Well I should have said I can't afford it until I get my next check . That is more accurate. The Vit D I have is 2000 IU. each And he only wanted me to take on 50,000 a week. I don't do well on anything in a massive dose like that so I am just going to ration these through the week. I will have to take 4 a day but that is not a problem . I can break them up morning and afternoon. I have other things I take through out the day anyway. I will see if this does anything then if not get the prescription one.

I am one of those people that drugs should be tested on. If there is a weird side effect I can tell with in days of taking it sometimes hours. Very very sensitive.

i take it, i take a 50,000 unit pill every Monday nite
at the first of each month I get a B-12 shot. My system, due to pancreatic cancer, 10 yrs ago, does not absorb and keep the two vitamins going, so that is why I will be taking these for life. They do work. YOU will feel better, not immediately on the B-12, but eventually.

I live in a city where the clinic does alot of research on different things. I was in one that tested for vitamin D levels mine was low so I had to start taking the vitamin, after several months I had to redo the study and once again my level was way down, the doctor told me to take it for the rest of my life. I'm now on a world wide study on breast cancer the study is coming out of Canada. There is a medication that they are postive it will prevent breast cancer. I'm in the study for 5 years and if I happen to be in the group that is getting the placebo they will give me 5 years of pills (they think that is all you need to take to prevent the cancer). Right now women from Canada who have had breast cancer can take this pill and it will prevent reoccurents of the cancer. The older a person gets the more chance you have of getting breast cancer.

Some medications leach vitamin D from our bodies.My GP gives me a booster series of shots and it really helps.(Has something to do with my age, I think...)A better alternative to bone density problems.

I am Diabetic and fight depression and bi polar....I have phscrisis ( spelling wrong hope you know what I mean...dry patches on the skin) really bad but since I take Vit D and a MultiVitamin twice daily and the sunshine for 10 to 15 minutes this is helping greatly with the phscrisis...but it has been a very slow process but I am finally seeing results....

I've been told that there is more skin cancer where people
DO use sunscreen.

I've also been told that people who live in hot places don't get skin cancer as much as those who live in more temperate climates.

NOT being in the sun, which we were made to do as humans,
seems unnatural. I think the doctors are now beginning to
believe that a little bit of natural foods and living in the sunlight
might be good for you.

But wait till next year!!

Wow!! I do take calcium with D once a day. Dr told me I should take it twice a day but I usually (always) for get the sencon time.

My doctor put me on Vit. D3 and calcium and folic acid.

I work for a Dr it is amazing how many women need Vit.D. We have patient asking to be tested for Vit D. and almost all of them are low in Vit D.

I've taken Calcium with D for over 25 yrs. and after reading some medical reports about 7 yrs ago started taking D3. My DR. checks my D levels yearly and they are fine. Of course, being on a farm, I am also outside in the sun on a daily basis, all year long and there is always some part of my skin (usually my hands/arms)that are not covered or do not have sunscreen.

I saw Dr. Andrew Weil on Dr. Oz awhile back and he said that you must take your Vitamin D with a meal that has fat. It needs the fat to break it down. He specifically said do not take it with breakfast as there usually isn't enough fat in our breakfasts and recommended taking it with dinner.

My daughters and I all were tested and we are all quite deficient in D. We are supposed to be taking supplements and my dr. said not to take the calcium with D as that doesn't have enough of the D. She said take plain calcium and plain Vitamin D. As soon as my bottle of calcium with vitamin D added is empty I'm going to do as my dr says.

I sure hope it helps me with my energy levels and depression!

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that you can overdose on it. The 4 vitamins that are fat-soluble are A, D, E, and K. You should always be careful with the doses of these vitamins, so as not to overdo it. Fat-soluble means that the vitamins are stored in your liver and the fatty tissues in your body. It's always wise to check with your doctor or pharmacist about what is the proper dosage of these supplements to take as an individual to reach optimal benefit without doing harm. :-D

The prescription is probably for a higher does than available OTC. I don't think the prescription for Vit D is too expensive. Have you checked with your pharm re cost?

I am another who had low blood levels of Calcium and D so my MD got me back on both again. Have heard reports of cardiac problems in women associated with supplimental Calcium, so cut back dose in half until I see my PCP again.

Hummmm..stored in fatty tissue...might that explain the wonderful addition of bumby cellulite lately? I hate it...have always been at or below a decent 98# but 2 1/2 years after 11 days in ICU...I'm not happy with weight gain.

My Vit D is the D3...I take it and the multi in a gummie form ...cause I have such a hard time swallowing the BIG white pills...I take them with breakfast and supper and as for the sun I have a lovely front porch that is where I sit and look at my new books or work on some projects....:-)

My Daughter told me to take it, Her Husbands friend said its good for arthritis to..

Those of us who live in the deserts of Arizona don't worry too much about getting enough sun exposure. We would love some more cloudy days with rain. lower temperatures and a need for vitamin D supplementation.

There were several articles that came out about ayear ago that showed that over 80% of Americans are low in Vitamin D.
Vitamin D helps with bones, muscle, intenstinal function and yes, your feeling of well being....and it is because we have become a society of computer users, and indoor techno junkies....My Doctor said to take at least 1,000 units per day and to try for 10 to 15 minutes of sun....He put my mother on 50,000 units per week for three months, her level was so low...she was checked this week and her levels are now normal, so he reduced her dosage to 2000 per day. My doctor told me to tell all of my friends and relatives they need to take Vitamin D.
D in TX

How would you know if you were over dosing on vitamin D? Any symptoms?

Yes, you can overdo it, but you wouldn't overdose by takling too much at one time. It would happen gradually that you'd build up an excess.

You'd also build up a toxic level of calcium. Symptoms: "Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting can develop, often followed by polyuria, polydipsia, weakness, nervousness, pruritus, and eventually renal failure. Proteinuria, urinary casts, azotemia, and metastatic calcifications (particularly in the kidneys) can develop."

This doesn't happen from too much sun, but from too much supplement taking for months on end.

A Normal daily dose of 1,000 is just fine every day. Per doctor.
My mother took 50,000 per week for months with no ill effects. She too, was under doctor's care because of the extemely low reading of Vitamin D in her blood. Her level is now normal...as long as she continues her daily dosage.
D in TX

With sunscreen you will not absorb vitamin D and you need 5-15 min. 3 days a week to get your allowance of vitamin D. This should not put your skin at risk for cancer. Recent studies indicate a near epidemic of vitamin D deficiencies and probably due to sun screen. google for the latest info.

The accepted daily dose is 2,000 units per day.
Always check with your doctor when starting vitamin and minerals since they know your health history.
1000 units per day is half of the daily dose....This amount is not cause an issue with accumulation. The benefits are greater.
Those overdosing, according to medical records, were from parents overdosing their children, Seniors taking mroe than needed and adults knowinly taking doses of 100,000 per day.
A study was conducted of pregnant women where they does them with 100,000 units per day during their entire pregnancy with no ill effects on the mother or child.
D in TX

I take 1000 units a day--and get hours of sun with no suncreen--so I think I'm covered.

me too take 50,000 twice a week and 1250 everyday and now with more sun hope to be in normal range next test

after my thyroid surgery I felt terrible, after a blood test my Vit D level was 12 and normal is around 50. I take 50,000 units every other week, but I can't say I fell much better. Most women's vit d level is low. Everyone should have the test

Thank you for the information, and God bless.

I order my Vit/Supplements from Swanson Health Products.
They have no additives/preservatives like OTC products.
They also are free of sugar, yeast and wheat.
The products are all natural. I've been using them for 10 years and am totally satisfied with their products.
I can order 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. No prescriptions.
For a free catalog call 1-800-4148

Thanks for a new link for herbs .I have been using Vitacost to order all my things and for the dogs. I looked at Swanson and they do carry the homeopathic and flower remedies I use. butThey don't carry Kava. I use it at night.

my doctor told me today to start taking it. I'm just wondering if I have to work my way up to the 2,000 she recommended or if I can start taking that amount immediately

Hmmm my doctor put me on pre-natals so i'm prepared for when we "start trying". I wonder how much vitamin d is in it?? i remember back in the day vitamin d was ignored and we were told yeah it's not important. Ha! How time changes things.

adyldrop - see if the label lists it; if it does, then it will tell you how much is there.

I started taking the Vit. D this morning. I think that I'm starting to feel better, but I will reserve judgment for a couple of days.

Has anyone started feeling better the same day when he/she started taking it?

Of course he's going to say that--he is a skin specialist.
It only takes approx 15 minutes a day of sunshine so your body can have vitamin D naturally.

Sunscreen is one of the reasons so many people are deficient, besides a poor diet.

I burn very easily but I can be outside for 15 minutes without any redness. Of course one shouldn't go out in the hottest part of the day. Good way to get a sunburn.

I am allergic to sunscreen so don't use it anyway--am just mindful of how long I have been out.

With all the great information coming from Lady Diana and Lisanne it sounds like you both have medical background.

Am I right?? Just an observation.