Vitamins
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi,
I have heard that certain vitamins and minerals can help with COPD such as Omega 3, Magnesium etc. Has anyone benefited from taking them please?
Many thanks
Deanne
0 likes, 9 replies
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Notes on Vitamins
josephine_30311 deanne77778
Posted
Recent findings published in The Lancet showed that:
"Vitamin D3 supplementation protected against moderate or severe exacerbation, but not upper respiratory infection, in patients with COPD with baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of less than 50 nmol/L. Our findings suggest that correction of vitamin D deficiency in patients with COPD reduces the risk of moderate or severe exacerbation."
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(14)70255-3/abstract?rss=yes
I'm not really sure what this means .. but I've been taking one tablet of Bio-Vitamin D3 5000 ( Cholecalciferol 5000 IU .. 125pg) for almost 2 months, and surprisingly, I really do feel much better.
I'm holding thumbs it isn't just my imagination .. and I haven't spoken to my doctor about it yet .. but I'm optimistic that there'll be an improvement in my readings next time. Fingers crossed!
Jo
Emis Moderator comment: If the link does not work copy and paste it into your browser. When I clicked it to check it the PIIS part of the link was lowercase meaning the page did not display.
josephine_30311 deanne77778
Posted
My post has been held back for moderation (Ive included a link to The Lancet which I suppose they'll have to authenticate before allowing it to be published)
But if you google "Vitamin D3 and COPD", all the findings are there.
Cheers!
Jo
deanne77778 josephine_30311
Posted
Best wishes
Deanne
Vee2 deanne77778
Posted
My suggestion would be consider your diet. Do you include fish and eggs in your diet every week 2-3 times a week, if you don't you may want to or supplement. Same for magnesium, research foods that contain magnesium, the recommended daily amounts etc.
In fact research British lung foundation website for recommended diet for lung patients ''eating well with a lung condition' and NHS choices the healthy living plate.
Do ask your GP for a vitamin D deficiency test especially so if you have taken oral steroids in the past, and you may want to take that a step further and ask for bone density scan.
Best wishes V
Myself I try to get all nutrients from diet, but I do supplement with vitamin D3 because I have been deficient in this in the past. I also take extra supplements during the winter months when I feel I need to. But firstly I would recommend checking your diet first, its far easier to absorb nutrients from food than it is in supplement form, aside form vitamin D3 if you have a deficiency you will need to supplement. D3 being fat soluable you will need to have some fat to help the absorption, through full fat milk, real live yoghurt, buttered toast (real butter*) a small segment of cheese *or coconut oil.
ros6952 deanne77778
Posted
Having looked at this for my husband, I found the following which suggests 5000iu may be a bit too much.
This article first appeared on the Healthspan site in May 2012.
In certain circles, people are suggesting taking a very high dosage of Vitamin D for therapeutic benefits.
We asked Dr Sarah Brewer to take a look at these claims- her response was as follows.
"As a medical nutritionist I am concerned that some people are posting recommendations to take 5000 IU vitamin D. This dose is equivalent to 125mcg daily. According to the UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals report , the upper safe limit for long-term use from supplements is 25mcg vitamin D per day.
However, both the US Food and Nutrition Board and the European Commission Scientific Committee on Food have identified a higher safe Tolerable Upper Intake Level of 50mcg (2000 IU) vitamin D daily.
I am a great fan of the potential benefits of a sensible intake of vitamin D, but excess is toxic and can lead to side effects associated with high calcium levels, such as demineralisation of bone, kidney stone formation , deposition of calcium in soft tissues (including coronary arteries), loss of appetite, headache and weakness as well as irreversible kidney and circulatory damage.
Until International consensus accepts that higher intakes are safe, please be sensible and only take supplements at manufacturer’s recommended levels. For vitamin D, the UK upper safe level for long-term use remains at 25mcg per day"
Medical experts always seem to have differing opinions but I might keep him on a lower dosage for now!!
Vee2 ros6952
Posted
Views have changed a lot since 2012 about vitamin D3 supplement and dosage.
If a person is deficient 25mcg or 1000 IU is insufficient supplement dose.
Also the elderly and those who do not get sun exposure due to being housebound are just not making enough vitamin D to last them through the winter or to maintain good health.
People with dark skin also require a higher dose than those with light skin for instance. Of course people always need to be guided by their own GP who can test for vitamin D deficiency etc.
You may be interested in searching google for:
latest news UK vitamin D
select The new guidelines on vitamin D – what you need to know (this is dated 21 July 2016
from that page there are several links to understand things more in depth.
the current maximum recommended for adults is 100 mcg or 4000 IU
you can find this information on NHS choices site regarding vitamin D
People who are deficient need to supplement with vitamin D3 under the guidance of their own doctors.
I personally take double the dose during winter months, I am aging and historically have been deficient, in addition I have osteoporosis so for me 25mcg would have me in poor health.
for a person who is young and healthy it would not hurt them to take 25mcg daily but under other cirumstances this is not sufficient to maintain health.
Perhaps after reading the lastest news and update on NHS Choices, you may want to request your husbands doctor check his vitamin D levels, its always very helpful to know the results. I always ask for a print out of such results so I can compare with previous levels.
Currently I have my levels checked twice yearly, usually in April and October, before and after winter. It gives you an idea how these levels fluctuate and may indicate that a higher dose in supplement D3 is required through the winter months.
Best wishes V
ros6952 Vee2
Posted
Thank you for all that info - really useful. My husband has had numerous blood tests over the past couple of years. Would the doctor tell you if you were Vit D deficient without you asking? I would think he would be as he eats little fish, although quite a few eggs and cereals, but he has hardly been out since last winter!! I have given him Vit D supplements recently, but not at the levels suggested.
Vee2 ros6952
Posted
The doctor won't usually test for vitamin D levels / deficiency unless you ask, to give the doctors a good reason to request this test is if you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and if you have been on steroids for a long time, have had to take prednisolone for instance on numerous occasions.
Of course diet is important but any one who is deficienct the amount from food alone and a small dose of vit D3 supplement won't be enough. The the body can make is from sunshine, in UK the best months are between May and September, minimum exposure forearms and face without any creams for 20 minutes daily, that in theory is supposed to last the body through the winter months. However, elderly people don't make vitamin D as they once did in youth and as mentioned above there are other factors involved.
If your husband didn't get much sun exposure this past summer and even without having a deficiency D test done its probably wise to increase the vitamin D3 dose to 2000 IU through the winter months, that is still on the safe side and your husband may require more than that if he is deficient. You can also mention this to the doctor that he has not had sun exposure this summer.
Vee2
Posted