[agness]

I take vitamin D3 a couple different ways. Once with a calcium-magnesium supplement, the other by itself, but along with a K2 supplement.

It was on a fibroid discussion forum that I learned a different and important perspective on vitamin D -- your body might be pushing it low to counterbalance other metabolic activity caused by elevated calcium for instance. This patient was persistent in trying to get her symptoms treated, constantly being thwarted by docs, she felt certain she had parathyroid issues. Finally she found a specialist who agreed with her and removed an enlarged parathyroid and her health improved; even her fibroid went away. She felt even more strongly after this experience that we can't elevate or demonize nutrient levels as they might be where they are for a reason and trying to "fix" an issue might cause more problems such as more calcium/bone issues.

The French did a study of vitamin D that I came across. They looked at sunlight exposure, food sources and supplementation of D3. By far the best source was sunlight, like maybe 65% of the RDA with 15 mins of skin exposure to sunshine daily. Supplements was maybe 10% and food was a bit less. Don't quote me on those numbers, they are only rough approximations, I would have to dig up the original study again hehe.

Other things not known are that the body needs adequate magnesium to activate vitamin D -- from D2, from D3, from sunlight even. How crazy is that? So you can take vitamin D and go hang outside but your body still might not be able to use it at the cellular level if your magnesium is off.

Another weird one, if your digestion isn't optimal then your body will have a hard time absorbing vitamin D and magnesium (and other nutrients besides) in your gut. It is in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine after the stomach where digestive enzymes and bile work to help our bodies assimilate nutrients. If your zinc level was low (common for breast cancer patients) then your pancreatic enzyme levels might be impaired and you won't be absorbing as well. If you have liver mets, a history of gall bladder issues, and (I'm thinking) are HR+ then it is more possible that your bile activity could be impaired as well. I have been taking plant-based digestive enzymes after, in spite of plenty of water and magnesium, ongoing issues with constipation persist. Taking the digestive enzymes has turned things around so even without testing, based on observation alone but working with my naturopathic onc, we have been able to treat an underlying deficiency that persisted in spite of correcting my zinc levels.

Anyhoo, working with a practitioner schooled in functional medicine and integrative oncology is a great way to go a bit deeper into common nutritional imbalances found in cancer patients and to address appropriately.

HTH