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Vitamin D levels

Posted , 10 users are following.

Anhaga
Anhaga

Freaked out about nine months ago by a diagnosis of low bone mass.  Have been taking supplements and exercising like mad ever since.  Finally talked my doctor into letting me have a Vitamin D test.  Glad I did, because my level is now high enough to be approaching toxicity!  So this is just a heads up - more is not necessarily better.  Even in northern climates some of us can overdo the Vitamin D.  My blood level should have been at its lowest when I had the blood taken a month ago.  I've immediately stopped the two oily 1000 IU capsules, but am continuing with the (much lower dose of D) cod liver oil as I want the Vitamin A (retinol) also found in that, and of course there is D in calcium supplements as well as food.

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  • Anhaga
    Anhaga

    Posted

    So this is what I learned from reading articles on the internet today.  When I was in my mid-thirties I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis.  Because it was asymptomatic I thought nothing of it, although I did find out about a year ago that a chest x-ray revealed signs of "old granulomatous disease".  Now I've learned that these granulomas caused by sarcoidosis can change the metabolism of Vitamin D so that inactive vitamin D is activated.  I don't understand all the medicalese, and will need to think about this some more and read some more, but I gather that a low level of Vitamin D is preferable in sarcoidosis patients and more effective in preventing osteoporosis and fractures than higher levels.  rolleyes

    I wonder if I will ever get things sorted out and right.... cry

    Because it seemed odd, it is really hard to get a toxic dose of Vitamin D, and I hadn't been taking an inordinate amount, so I kind of think this is the problem.  And now I don't know what to do, other than stopping any extra vitamin D, but of course it's all the calcium supplements.

    • Handbrake
      Handbrake Anhaga

      Posted

      Very interesting Jean, I wonder if this applies to any other supplements you are taking? 
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Handbrake

      Posted

      No I don't think so.  Apparently Vitamin D supplementation is still sometimes needed.  It's something to do with calcium and something called hypercalcification.  What I read indicates that a much lower level of Vitamin D is healthier for people with sarcoidosis.  It's another inflammatory auto-immune disease so I wonder if it's related somehow to the PMR.  And here I thought I was such a healthy specimen.  Now I think I'm heading towards becoming a case study!  eek
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