[jshaw]

Looking at getting some Vitamin D tablets for this winter.

I've not been prescribed any as such, but Dr.Google has suggested that I could benefit from them.

Found it tricky to wade through a lot of the gumpf on the internet about this stuff but I've seen people post on here about it before so hoping to catch someone with the beta.

Does anyone have the beta for a good place to buy them from? Is there a 'good type' to buy?

I was going to start off with a high-ish dose (1200IU) for a week or two before backing off to a 'normal' dose (400IU) then continue this through to March. Does this sound sensible? Or similar to what people have been advised.

TIA

[dunnyg]

I just got a load of high dose. Previously prescribed due to meds, but now I just take them to ward off seasonal depression and general vit. d. defficiencies. Dosage reasoning is that was what was available at asda or boots or wherever they are from.

[mark20]

I was absolutely knackered for a couple of weeks a few years ago and blood tests showed my Vit D levels very low. I was prescribed some mega dose tablets for a couple of weeks, which seemed to improve things. Although in retrospect I think I was suffering from post-viral fatigue as well.
I take a 'normal' dose Sept-March just to make sure. When I forget to take them for a couple of weeks I seem to feel more tired/achey.

[SA Chris]

There "seems" to be a link between Vit D deficiency and how badly CV-19 affects you too, so it's probably a good idea?

[r-man]

I looked into this for my parents a while back and was surprised to find the NHS actually recommend taking vitamin D supplements for everyone during winter months.

There is a recommended dose on their website.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

And also, taking too much can cause harm.

[dunnyg]

Good knowledge rman. So high does vit D from tesco is 25 micrograms, rmans link has all the info you need apart from somewhere to buy it.

[jshaw]

Thanks all, good knowledge.

Dunny and Mark: out of interest, do you remember what dose you were suggested/prescribed for your 'high dose'? I've read a lot of info that 'high' dose followed by 'normal' dose tends to be the way to go but the figures seem to vary, understandably.

R-man: thanks for the website, that's the kind of resource I was looking for.

Should probably clarify: I had intended to go to the GPs about this. But I'm sure they've got a lot more important things to contend with at the moment. This is more for quality of life improvement, rather than to stave off anything more menacing.

[dunnyg]

Sorry, it was quite a while ago so can't remember, but more importantly probably isn't applicable to your situation (unless you are on some strong steroids or similar, in which case chatting to your GP is probably the way to go). Sorry I can't be more useful.

[duncan]

Good knowledge rman. So high does vit D from tesco is 25 micrograms, rmans link has all the info you need apart from somewhere to buy it.


can a mod edit my earlier post, removing the bit about taking too much being ok. Having bad medical knowledge hanging round is bad, even if corrected later in the thread!

As requested. Anything  biologically active has the potential to do harm as well as good and the difference often depends on the dose. This still applies to things with reassuring names like ‘Vitamin’. The only things in a pharmacy that are 100% safe are homeopathic ‘medicines’!

The fat-soluble vitamins, including D, can accumulate in the body rather than being pissed away like the water-soluble ones so are easier to overdose. Having said that, there is a good case for routine Vit. D supplements as rman suggests.

[dunnyg]

Yeah, I assumed you could just nom a load of multi-vitamins and piss out the ones you don't need. Good to learn why that isn't necessarily the case!

[jwi]

Polar bear liver contains enough Vitamin A to kill around 50 adult humans. So don't eat that.

[SA Chris]

Damn. That means chicken nuggets again tonight.

[tomtom]

I was absolutely knackered for a couple of weeks a few years ago and blood tests showed my Vit D levels very low. I was prescribed some mega dose tablets for a couple of weeks, which seemed to improve things. Although in retrospect I think I was suffering from post-viral fatigue as well.
I take a 'normal' dose Sept-March just to make sure. When I forget to take them for a couple of weeks I seem to feel more tired/achey.

I had exactly the same. It made me feel a bit better but who knows (placebo effect). Night high dose ones were 500iu I think?

Since then I’ve been taking the Tesco 25iu ones about one a day.

Iirc the ‘regular’ dose is 10-20 so the Tesco ones are not especially high dose.

My doctor also said it would take a few weeks for the levels to increase (it’s not a case of instant increase when you take a tab) and if I missed one not to worry or take two the next day etc...

I am very pale skinned so really avoid sun - which probably doesn’t help.

In April I saw the early work about vitD and Covid and just waited until there was a 3 for 2 offer at Tesco (as there often is) and bought a years worth...

[SA Chris]

I am very pale skinned so really avoid sun - which probably doesn’t help.

Unfortunately getting a good dose of sunshine in summer doesn't help much for winter anyway. Apparently it's impossible to get enough in the winter if you live oop north.

[jshaw]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Interesting that a fair few folk have given them a go. Sounds like I'm all good to give them a whirl, I'll report back in a few weeks.

[petejh]

I use liquid drops and take a high potency one (2000iu) every 2-3 days from November - March. 900 drops per bottle, a bottle lasts years. These ones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Liquid-Vitamin-drop-Servings-Potency/dp/B003800UXG

[moose]

Bulk Powders do 5000iu (2500% recommended intake) tablets:

https://www.bulk.com/uk/vitamin-d3-tablets-5000iu.html

[Anti]

Bulk Powders do 5000iu (2500% recommended intake) tablets:

https://www.bulk.com/uk/vitamin-d3-tablets-5000iu.html

I take these. Toxicity has been observed at about 20,000 iu daily. Feel a daily one of these + my sporadic time sat under rocks keeps me in check.

[monkoffunk]

Thanks all, good knowledge.

Dunny and Mark: out of interest, do you remember what dose you were suggested/prescribed for your 'high dose'? I've read a lot of info that 'high' dose followed by 'normal' dose tends to be the way to go but the figures seem to vary, understandably.

R-man: thanks for the website, that's the kind of resource I was looking for.

Should probably clarify: I had intended to go to the GPs about this. But I'm sure they've got a lot more important things to contend with at the moment. This is more for quality of life improvement, rather than to stave off anything more menacing.

BNF for those interested. Not appropriate dosing for severe deficiency, GPs almost certainly will be prescribing higher doses.

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/colecalciferol.html

Under the adult management section here gives a better idea of ball park high doses.

https://patient.info/doctor/vitamin-d-deficiency-including-osteomalacia-and-rickets-pro

[Johnny Brown]

I am very pale skinned so really avoid sun - which probably doesn’t help.

Unfortunately getting a good dose of sunshine in summer doesn't help much for winter anyway. Apparently it's impossible to get enough in the winter if you live oop north.

Avoiding the sun isn't helpful but pale skin certainly is - it is why it was evolved. People with non-ginger complexions are more at risk from high latitude Vit D deficiency.

[SA Chris]

Most years I'm fucked then after 2 weeks in summer in the Canaries. Not this year..

[petejh]

Examine.com email update just through mentions a double-blind placebo controlled trial looking at Vit D:

3) Could vitamin D be a one-hit wonder for depression?

Winter is coming. And with it, depression and anxiety rates much higher than a year ago. Some of you may be vitamin D deficient, and even if you’re not, you probably know someone who is. Could a huge, one-time dose of vitamin D via injection help people with both low vitamin D levels and depression?

Background: The evidence for the therapeutic effects of supplemental vitamin D on depressive symptoms is inconsistent. This may be due to patient confounders, including high rates of comorbidity, multiple medications, and heterogeneity with respect to vitamin D status or depression diagnosis. If the patient criteria for trial inclusion were more stringent, would there be a better understanding of who might benefit from vitamin D treatments?

The study: In this 12-week randomized controlled trial, 46 patients with major depressive disorder (DSM-5 criteria), vitamin D deficiency (serum levels below 20 ng/mL), and no antidepressant medications within the last 6 weeks were assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received a single intramuscular injection of 300,000 IU of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), while the control group received a simple saline injection. Both groups also initiated antidepressant therapy and other elements of standard care (e.g., psychotherapy) as instructed by an independent physician. Outcomes of interest, including blood vitamin D levels and depression scores/assessments, were collected at baseline and 12 weeks.

The results: Despite a lack of correlation between blood vitamin D levels and depression ratings at baseline, the improvements in depression scores and quality of life were greater in the vitamin D group at 12 weeks. Thus, one dose of vitamin D was an effective adjunct in the treatment of major depression in patients with concurrent vitamin D deficiency.

Note: As the research on depression evolves, it becomes clear that treatment plans must be individualized. This study highlights the idea of certain patient subgroups benefiting from targeted treatments that may not benefit other patients. In other words, vitamin D supplementation may only benefit depressed patients who are also deficient in vitamin D.

The single-dose strategy used in this trial touches on another important aspect of the treatment of depression — namely, treatment compliance. Daily doses often reduce treatment adherence, especially in the context of psychiatric conditions. In fact, poor adherence is likely one of the reasons why previous trials reported suboptimal vitamin D levels in spite of prescribed daily supplementation. A single dose of vitamin D is an attractive option for clinicians and patients alike.


Link to study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32823218/

[stone]

Since the COVID pandemic thing, I've been taking a teaspoonful of Tescos cod liver oil each day. That seemed to me a benign, food-like, source. It also contains fatty acids that perhaps help with sanity. The taste becomes much less horrific after extended experience.

[Oldmanmatt]

Since the COVID pandemic thing, I've been taking a teaspoonful of Tescos cod liver oil each day. That seemed to me a benign, food-like, source. It also contains fatty acids that perhaps help with sanity. The taste becomes much less horrific after extended experience.

Uughh!

Was forced to down a tbs of that every morning as a kid, because my mother had been before me and it was “ healthy”...

I’ll pass, even if it is.

I have been taking the Seven Seas joint care supplement in conjunction with vitamin F(luoxitine) and feel pretty good, despite life being shite.

[slab_happy]

I looked into this for my parents a while back and was surprised to find the NHS actually recommend taking vitamin D supplements for everyone during winter months.

And all year round if you might not be getting much daylight, or if you have dark skin:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-publishes-new-advice-on-vitamin-d

Dosage, because I did some nerding out about this a while back:

The NHS recommends a minimum of 10mcg/400 IU. The NIH in the US recommends 600IU for adults up to 70 years old, 800IU for older than 70.

The Mayo Clinic says at least 600 IU: “However, 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D from a supplement is generally safe, should help people achieve an adequate blood level of vitamin D, and may have additional health benefits. “

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-how-much-vitamin-d-do-i-need/

Examine looks at a data analysis suggesting the RDA should be 1000 IU: https://examine.com/nutrition/should-1000-iu-be-the-new-rda-for-vitamin-d/

Consensus seems to be that up to about 4000 IU is pretty safe to play around with. Megadoses get prescribed by doctors to deal with deficiency, but shouldn't be messed with unsupervised because as people have said, fat-soluble vitamin, NOT one of the ones where you just pee it out if you take too much, can have damaging effects if you OD.