Vitamin D3 question #1

[StephN]

Rich -
Thanks for posting that there is more than one test available to order to check our vitamin D level.

I am wondering if I did not have 2 different tests for my last checks.

My GP ordered my vitamin D checked when I had my last fasting lipid profile in January. My result was 41 after the 12-hour+ fast. Don't know which test was used.

The very next day I was at my cancer center for regular blood draw which happened to also include my vitamin D level. On my result they say that the 25 Hydroxy test was used. Result was 50.4. I had taken my multivitamin and calcium/D supplement that morning.

Curious what anyone thinks about this discrepancy or if that would be a normal variation in a 24-hour period?

[Cal-Gal]

I just saw this post--
When I know I am going to have a Vit D blood draw, I lay off the supplements for a few days prior---

[vlcarr]

I'm having that done on the 24th of this month. I only take a multivitamin. I'm curious as to what this shows. When I asked the nutritionist I met with about taking a Vit D supplement she said to have my onc check it first.

[ElaineM]

I think the difference is because you ate food and took your vitamins just before the second test.
The same thing happens when we take tests which include blood sugar (glucose) and cholesterol. Fasting results are lower than non fasting results.
The vitamin D test I get every 6 months breaks the results down into how much vitamin D is from supplements and how much is naturally circulating in my body. Then the two are added together for a grand total.

[Cal-Gal]

Vlcarr--

When I first had my Vit D drawn it was low--I increased my supplements it got better within normal range, just slightly.

Then after 3 months it went down again, since then I have it drawn every 3 months-after the second dip I had to increase my dosage.

The only way they know that you need more is to test--so the test will let them gauge how much you need, right now I take 7,500 IU as recommended by my Onc.

The Onc nurses told me that they have not seen one normal Vit D level amongst those being tested--right here in Southern Cal.

I am a huge believer in the connection between Vit D levels and breast cancer---I plan on making this a life long test and supplementation.

Good Luck!!!

[AlaskaAngel]

The recommended vitamin D level has been 400 IU for years. Now, 1,000 mg supplements are available over the counter. For those who are severely deficient, sometimes a prescription as high as 50,000 IU is given for a short period of time as a boost.

Exposure to sunlight on a single day can apparently result in getting a dose of 20,000 or more IU and it is somewhat transient, so there is a reason to try to use a test that measures what I guess might be thought of as the residual level. This likely would be why Steph had some variation in her test results.

It is still all under study. Given that some of the effect of sunshine also happens by way of the light entering the eyes and passing to the pineal gland, where it stimulates the production of melatonin (and perhaps other hormones), and given that we still really don't know for sure exactly what other beneficial effects are achieved with the absorption through the skin, I am personally hesitant to depend heavily upon supplements as the complete approach. It would be interesting to see a trial comparing those who get no exposure to sunlight but adequate vitamin D supplementation, and those who get some brief but daily sunshine (without sunscreen protection) along with supplementation.

But this is one avenue that in the meantime I continue to seriously pursue.

A.A.

[Cal-Gal]

Hi A.A.-

There is loads of research out there connecting Vit D deficiency to cancer. Both my Onc and my OBGYN both told me about this last year!!!

I agree that it will be interesting to see more studies and I believe that they will happen.

I live in So Cal and get plenty of sunshine-and one of the Onc nurses told me that everyone that is being tested for Vit D is deficient--and that is here in So Cal---

It has also been written that the recommended daily allowances, need to be reviewed and possibly revised-

It all boils down to each person the individual case, that is why I believe in monitoring and getting Vit D tested as part of a persons blood work up--I have told my non-cancer friends to get tested and several came back deficient!!!

My Onc is the one that recommended I increase to 7,500 IU after I was taking 4,000 IU and my numbers werent moving.

For me, I am still on 7,500 until I get it where it needs to be for a cancer patient that is the high side of the normal scale.

I rely on organic whole foods for my nutrition versus supplements, but where I am lacking based on my blood work, I will supplement--especially with what is believed to be the link between breast cancer and Vit D deficiency---

I think it all boils down to a persons choice!!!!

[AlaskaAngel]

I just wanted to reference this link, as RB was so good as to provide it a while back:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=43711

[AlaskaAngel]

Hi Cal-Gal,

People just don't get outside as much as they had to years ago, especially up here in a climate that is cold so much of the time. Most of the patients here do test low also.

I listened to a program interviewing 3 dermatologists the other night, regarding the issue of skin cancers from sun exposure. Of course derm docs see an abnormally high number of patients with skin problems/skin cancers, so their perspective has that natural tendency of distortion. They advised putting sunscreen on 20 minutes before going out into the sunshine. What was particularly appalling to me was that it wasn't these doctors who took any time to specifically point out the importance of somehow getting adequate vitamin D if one was going to hide from the sun exposure, but the people who phoned in for the Q/A.....

Preventing skin cancers is important, but I hope that someone can demonstrate whether or not total reliance on supplementation out of a bottle actually works or not, given that so many other diseases seem to be related to adequate vitamin D.

A.A.

[AlaskaAngel]

Here is one way to calculate it:

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/blogs/nutritiondata/2010/07/how-much-sunshine-do-you-need.html

[Rich66]

Steph,
Did your GP use a different test or lab than the cancer center

Cal Gal,
Why do you stop the D before testing? Me thinks stopping might give unrepresentative results.

[Cal-Gal]

Hi Rich,

Don't know why I do that? usually I only stop a day or two prior--
Maybe next time, I won't stop!!!

Thanks---

[imdavidson]

I take a lot of vitamin D, 50,000 IU every two weeks. I'm not totally convinced that mega dosing like that is the right way to go versus taking a smaller amount daily, but my blood level is really good, about 55 ng/mL, so I'm happy about that.