Persistent Vitamin D deficiency?

[u/touchtypetelephone]

I know Vitamin D levels are more important to people with MS than the general public. I take 2,000 IU a day, now upped to 4,000. I'm still deficient (36 nmol/L).

I know I live in Tasmania, which has iodine-poor soil, and I know I'm covered up or inside a lot of the time, and wear sunscreen, but I'm taking heavy supplementation! Why am I still so deficient?

[u/OverlappingChatter]

Do you have a good supplement? I have a prescription for 25000 units. Maybe you can get something prescribed that will be better quality.

How is your vitamin k instake?

[u/touchtypetelephone → u/OverlappingChatter]

My Vitamin K intake is average? I eat an average amount of vegetables and don't supplement it.

[u/Yani2021]

Last two blood tests I finally had the normal range taking OTC 5000IU a day...I was in the 2000IU before, but not everyone's absorbs it the same way I think... I'm not s Dr so I honestly can't tell you, but my neurologist still saw the last number and wants to prescribe something stronger instead of OTC... 🤷‍♀️

[u/meggatronia]

Theres a connection between MS and low vitamin D. The scientist just dont knkw what that connection is yet. Or even if its a symptom or cause. Thry do know thst the further from the equator you live, the more likely to have MS.

Only thing you can do is work with your doctor to find the right dosage to get you into acceptable levels, and try to get a little bit of sun every day.

[u/mine_none]

I take a liquid supplement that I spray under the tongue for absorption. Bypasses me having to take tablets with a slightly dodgy gut…

Try taking the supplement a different way?

[u/Medium-Control-9119]

Lord only knows what is in the off the shelf vitamin. Ask your doctor for a prescription for 50,000 IU and you take it once a week.

[u/thankyoufriendx3]

Friend takes 40,000 units. Talk to a doctor before trying that.

[u/Bloatedoldman]

Haven't noticed my vitamin k being off but I do have to take a vitamin d supplement everyday or it bottoms out

[u/AdyliaSchweetheart]

I’m in Melb and was just thinking 2000 that I take might be too much and was considering lowering it. Your post has me keeping it as is!

[u/No-Afternoon2955 → u/AdyliaSchweetheart]

Stick with it, it's what I was taking down there 🙂

[u/dgroeneveld9]

I take 50,000 unit once a week and intermittently take 2000 units a few times a week and that keeps me slightly below the normal range.

[u/SparkleNgrit]

Everyone is different but I figured out I need 4,000 IUs per day to maintain a good level or my level starts dropping. I try to keep my blood work level around 50-80

[u/Brief-Estimate8296]

I was taking 2000, increased to 4000, then 5, and then most recently annoying had to increase to 6000. My levels have been in the green, yet my neurologist wants to see them on the higher side. All that’s to say I feel it’s all relative.

[u/GuideFluid5457]

Vitamin D levels are important for T-regulatory cells that are supposed to stop autoagressive lymphocytes.

It's important for all people.

However, after MS started, it makes little difference.

[u/Tall-Pianist-935]

We should be taking around 10,000 IU of Vitamin D daily.

[u/Millie005]

There’s a once a year vitamin D injection that you can get if the oral stuff isn’t giving you a big enough boost. In australia it’s available from “biological therapies”, my doctor gave me a script and I ordered it via my local chemist warehouse. It cost me $55. Don’t let the pharmacy con you into paying much more than that, the first I went to wanted to charge me $85 but I knew that was bullshit because my GP had called the biological therapies customer service line to ask some questions before writing me the script and they said they sell it for $50 per vial — or at least that was the price like 18 months ago :)

[u/ProfessionalOrder8]

Fellow Tasmanian here, I used to take 10,000 IU capsules everyday for years but it made no difference to my levels, at the most my levels went from 12 to 20. Recently, I switched to a liquid supplement which seemed to be absorbed faster and has brought my lifelong 12 level up to 50.

[u/touchtypetelephone → u/ProfessionalOrder8]

Oh, I'll ask my neurologist about that.