Very high dose VitD for 8 weeks - is it safe?

[Blessed_Mom]

Hi,

My vitD results show that my reading is 14 (range 30 - 150). My Dr. finds me really low and I was low during pregnancy too....it has been an ongoing problem. Dr. wants to supplement me with 50 THOUSAND units once a week for 8 weeks to up my VitD levels.

Is such a high dose safe during breastfeeding? I called back to ask that question of my Dr. (not sure she realizes I still BF) but want you wise ladies to chime in too.

Thanks.

[flavorfull1]

yep it has been shown to be safe. i can send you the research if you want to pm me. the main gist is that it will get into your breast milk, debatable abt if you should continue vit d supp for babe while you are on prescription dose, and it is healthy/important for both you and babe for you to get your levels up to normal range. your dr will prob retest your levels after 8 wks to see if your levels have come up on the therapeutic dose and plan accordingly. hope this helps some!

[Mom2M]

First thing I would do is ask if the D he wants you to take is D3 or D2. The Rx 50,000 one is usually D2 which is not nearly as good as D3 OTC!


I take 6500 iu's daily of OTC D3. According to research, this gives the breastmilk a level of 400 iu's available to DD, which is the correct level for her.

Article on D2 vs. D3
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/84/4/694

Article on breastfeeding and D3.
http://www.007b.com/vitamin-d-breast-milk.php

Hope this helps

ETA I would totally do the D3 supplementation of 6500/day if I were you, then get your levels checked again.
In order to have a good amt in breastmilk it needs to be every day instead of once a week.

[boobs4milk]

i was taking 6000 iu vit d3 daily to help dd. she has osteopenia and was also on vit d3 supplements. i would question taking that much and agree that i've been told that thd d3 is the one our bodies need so that it is better used. the d2 has to be converted once it enters our bodies.

[queencarr]

I had to do the 50000 1x week for 8 weeks last year, my level was a 7! It brought it to about 21, then I went to OTC 2000 D3 for about a year. I was retested (due to be anyway) when I broke a bone in my foot a few weeks ago, and my levels were down to 19. Now I am taking 50000 a DAY for about 12 weeks, and will recheck and probably go to 50000 a week for life. Toxic levels are on the order of 45000 IU/day for over 6+ months from what I have read. From research based on surfers in HI, who were outside for 6-8 hr daylight per day, highest blood levels obtained naturally is about 65-70 IIR.

[Mom2M]

Originally Posted by queencarr

I had to do the 50000 1x week for 8 weeks last year, my level was a 7! It brought it to about 21, then I went to OTC 2000 D3 for about a year. I was retested (due to be anyway) when I broke a bone in my foot a few weeks ago, and my levels were down to 19. Now I am taking 50000 a DAY for about 12 weeks, and will recheck and probably go to 50000 a week for life. Toxic levels are on the order of 45000 IU/day for over 6+ months from what I have read. From research based on surfers in HI, who were outside for 6-8 hr daylight per day, highest blood levels obtained naturally is about 65-70 IIR.

Are you taking the 50,000 as D2? (Is it a prescription?)
I see that you took only 2000 iu's of OTC D3 and you could easily triple that dose of D3. Your situation might be an exception but I would talk to your dr about the D2/D3 thing. D2 just is not easily absorbed by humans.
Hope your treatment works for you!

[Kmama2]

I just had my level tested last week. It came back at less than 10 . I already take between 10,000 and 20,000 most days a week ( approx 5 days a week. I can't remember it every single day). ( Yes d3) Its insane. My last level last year ( while pregnant) was 17. My highest level ever was about 28.
So I am going to be taking about 25-30,000 IU a day for the next 6 weeks or so and then recheck. I blame alot of it on the dang northeast. Not enough sun except for in JUly and August. I hardly ever wear'5[' sun screen and am in the sun alot ( when its out). It worries me. People living in the northeast with chronically low sun exposure have documented higher cancer rates.