[Becky]

Adriana

I have noticed no side effects. I do try to split the doses into breakfast and dinner. Most winter days I take up to 4500iu. It is like nothing and it should be if you figure that being out in the summer sun for 20 minutes with arms, legs and face exposed (with no sunscreen) produces 20,000iu and potentially, you could be doing this every day (although the tanner you get or the darker your skin is naturally, you make less. This is one reason why hispanics and African Americans can be Vitamin D deficient).

However, I forgot if you are taking chemotherapy. Vitamin D is NOT considered an antioxidant. In its useable form (it is converted in the liver and then the kidneys to is useable form) it is a hormone.

Another reason people become deficient, especially as we age, is that the liver and/or kidney conversions become less efficient so more is needed to keep the levels up.

If you are afraid to supplement more without your doctor's permission then perhaps you should ask your onc to run your Vitamin d level the next time you are getting standard bloodwork. If the level is good, then its good but if not, your doctor will certainly want you to do something about it and keep up the levels with more Vitamin D intake.

For Susan W - magnesium is abundant in the diet and is in many veggies, fruits, eggs etc. However, you do need adqueate levels in order to use calcium in the body. Chances are very strong that everybody gets enough unless all you eat is McDonalds.