Correcting Vitamin D Deficiency

[stephienoodle]

I haven't posted in quite a while, but a quick recap: my DS is 34 months and has tons of food intolerance issues.  He also has had quite a hard time growing - mostly putting weight on and keeping it on.  I also have a ton of food intolerances.

Recently, after a stomach bug that wouldn't go away and caused weight loss and lethargy (not typical for him) for a month, we finally relented and did bloodwork on DS.  He is NOT anemic like the doctor thought, but instead has a severe vitamin D deficiency.  His vitamin D level is 9.8 - down in the range where you have to worry about rickets.  He eats pastured pork (bacon - so should have lots of fat with vitamin D) a few times a week and spent 3-5 mornings a week in the sun wearing little or no clothing throughout all of last summer.  We supplemented last winter, but he seemed to be reacting to the supplement so we stopped.  He's never worn sunscreen a day in his life.  My vitamin D level is low as well - as is the vitamin D level of anybody else on my side of family who has ever been checked.  I do not absorb vitamin D when I take it orally - 20,00IU/day only raised my vitamin D levels from 24 to 28 over 6 months.

Anyhow... IF we can manage to find a way to get our vitamin D levels up, I am wondering if our food intolerance issues will resolve.  We've got a history of gaining new foods in late summer/early fall and losing the ability to tolerate other foods late winter/early spring... which makes me think that may be tied to vitamin D.  I remember from quite a while back that some of you or your DC had really low vitamin D levels... were you able to raise your levels and did that resolve some/all of your food intolerances or allergies?

[scsigrl]

With levels that low, and you saying you don't absorb it, have you considered GI issues?  With that much exposure to D via sun, supps and the like I would think they would want to find the reason it isn't being absorbed.

Because of our history, the first thing I would look into is Celiac's.  My DS's Vit. D level was also at 9.  They screened him for Celiac's because of absorption issues it causes.  If you have the same issues, since Celiac's is hereditary, I would get both of you checked. 

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by scsigrl 

With levels that low, and you saying you don't absorb it, have you considered GI issues?  With that much exposure to D via sun, supps and the like I would think they would want to find the reason it isn't being absorbed.

Because of our history, the first thing I would look into is Celiac's.  My DS's Vit. D level was also at 9.  They screened him for Celiac's because of absorption issues it causes.  If you have the same issues, since Celiac's is hereditary, I would get both of you checked. 

yes. 

2000 IUs a day or 20,000?  what did your doc suggest?  that's not a "wait and see" level.  is he doing further testing?  writing a script?  when does he plan to test levels again?  Did he suggest that there may be a secondary issue here?
 

[mbravebird]

Where was I reading recently that low magnesium can impair vitamin D absorption? I can't remember, but it was a reputable source.

It still could point to an underlying issue in general, but at least it gives you something you can try right away.

[subtlycrunchy]

Just read about this study today:

Vitamin D deficiency linked to allergies in kids

I like this Omega 3/Vitamin D combo (since D is a fat soluble vitamin)

[3TsMom]

My youngest has a severe Vitamin D deficiency (we didn't find out until he had a really bad vaccine reaction).  Vitamin D is better absorbed transdermally.  We use this lotion 3 times a day and we do everything we can to get him out in the sun daily.  His D levels have improved over the last 9 months and to answer your question - yes it has helped him with his allergies and sensitivities (which are many due to the vaccine reaction) and it totally got rid of his asthma.

[Katc8910]

We use Carlson's Vit.D drops for babies.  My 17-month old gets 4 drops a day = 1,600 UI and her levels are perfect.  I take the adult version at 8,000IU per day and my levels are perfect too.

[KimPM]

You can use any liquid vitamin D form and apply it to the skin (then you don't have to worry about gut absorption issues).  You'll also probably need less when applying through the skin (I don't have the reference for this right now, but I used to).  But you still need a form he doesn't react to.  If he was reacting to the one you were using...find out what part of it was a problem.  Was it the source of vitamin D (fish or lanolin)?  Or was it D-2?  Then use another form of D...preferably D3 (fish or lanolin).  If it was fish, try a lanolin-based one.  If it was lanolin, try a fish-based one.  I have trouble with lanolin myself, and I do better with the fish-based form.  Also...if neither of those is an issue, perhaps he has a sensitivity to one of the excipients (other ingredients) in the supplement.  The liquid forms deliver it better, as it resides in an oily format and vitamin D is fat-soluble.

Vitamin D is just one part of the intolerance puzzle.  Getting my levels up did not solve my intolerances, but it has made my skin rashes go away.

[Koalamom]

I was having a hard time tolerating the Vit d3 I was taking and it was in coconut oil as that is what most d drops are carried in and I found one with olive oil instead and am fine.

[stephienoodle]

We know that we both have absorption/GI issues.  We do not know the specifics of those issues, however.  Celiac isn't on the radar - I know that I do not have celiac, but have been GF most of DS's life, as has DH who is non-celiac gluten intolerant.  DS has never consumed gluten... so, it isn't something that should be factoring in with our current issues.  His diet is pretty restricted - various fruits and veggies are out and the only grain he eats is brown rice.  No eggs, no dairy, no soy.

Sorry for the typo.  I have taken 20,000IU with little change.  DS is currently taking 4-5000IU orally and we are putting 2000IU (the Premier Lab kind in olive oil) on his back along with his zinc cream daily.  We're exposing as much skin as possible in the sun as the temperature warrants - he said he wasn't cold outside in his underwear when it was in the 70s last weekend.  We're dosing aggressively (per our osteopath's recommendation) with the assumption that he is not going to absorb very well.  We plan on testing again in 1-2 months, which will be 2-3 months after we discovered his low level and started supplementing him.

Funny that you mention the magnesium.  I generally have been magnesium deficient and we've recently restarted taking epsom salt baths.  I hesitate to give DS any magnesium directly because anything that exacerbates his tendency toward diarrhea isn't in our favor right now.

We also have started giving DS a new enzyme specifically for digesting lipids, so maybe that will help him with the vitamin D absorption as well... we'll see.  I'm encouraged that so many of you have seen improvements with allergies/intolerances with the correction of low vitamin D levels.  I hope we get to see some improvement, too!