Your Vitamin D History?

[LondonPots]

Having read the various threads about Vitamin D (in particular this one about autoimmunity), and realising I was probably D-deficient for many years, I'm curious about your Vit D activity. There's a poll here, and do discuss your history further.

My history: prided myself on avoiding the sun - probably was lightly tanned three times in my (early) life. Once I started to get ill I was in a darkened room for pretty much the next ten years. I had a good diet before, but probably not enough to replace the sun, and once I got ill, obviously my diet got more erratic.

I'm now (since a couple of weeks) supplementing with 10,000 iu D3, and attempting to spend 20 minutes in the sun daily (not much luck in UK spring, though). Adding absorbable calcium and Vit B complex too.

 

[Cort]

Klimas says everyone (apparently whether they are in the sun or not) should be taking Vit D - a crucial immune factor. I'm in the sun A LOT - and I'm not taking it but I think I should. Even if you don't notice anything she says you should take it...

It'll be interesting to see if you see any changes...

 

[tatt]

I'm in the UK too and between October and March we can't get vitamin D from the sun. That also applies to parts of the USA. my history is a complicated one where hay fever prevents me spending much time outside in summer and I feel the cold too badly to go out much in spring/autumn. I eat a lot of ily fish and eggs but diet can never provide enough vitamin D.

My severe relapse only ended when I began to supplement with vitamin D. I managed to get a vitamin D test but my gp told me the results were OK when in fact they still showed a level so low he should ( Dept Health advice) have advised supplements.

I now take a supplement in winter and holiday abroad when I can. I feel significantly better in warm countries, but preferably at a temperature where air conditioning is not necessary. I may buy a narrowband lamp http://www.phbhealthcare.com/uvb/ next winter.

It is said Vitamin D can cause kidney stones in excess but anyone who cant get into the sun should be on a supplement and if you can get your levels checked go for it. .

 

[Tina]

I was an outdoor girl all my life. I lived in Louisiana the first 29 years of my life; then Georgia, South Carolina and Texas. Next came Washington state at the age of 39. I lived in Washington from 2006 to 2009. My first illness was in spring of 2007 with the final blow on June 8th, 2008. I always wondered if it was related to the lack of sun exposure? Was this some type of trigger that left me susceptible to whatever happened?

The only Vit D testing I had done came years into my illness. The couple that I had were in the 30s.

 

[TigerLilea]

I have always spent a lot of time out in the sun. Plus I drink a lot of milk and do take D3 supplements, though not all of the time. My first 25(OH)D test was in the month August and was 96. My second test was in the month of April and came in at 88.

 

[tatt]

disappointed that so few people have taken this poll. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to increased risk of cancer, depression and other illness.