Vitamin D supplementation/deficiency

[SilverMoon010]

I got my 3-year-old's D levels tested about 1 1/2 months ago (maybe 1 month ago).  His levels were low, despite being outdoors all summer and D supplementation on top of that on days we couldn't get outside (now thinking it takes A LOT of sun to ensure your within normal range naturally.)  I was surprised to see he was deficient.  Anyway, I increased his D supplementation for the fall/winter and would like to retest him soon to make sure his levels are elevated and within normal range. 

My question is, once you increase D supplementation, do your levels adjust immediately, or should I wait a period of time before retesting to give his levels time to rise?  I've increased his dose probably about a month ago, maybe a tad less. 

[northerngirl]

How many IU's have you been giving him? It is not something that changes overnight.

I need supplementation year round even if I do get a few days a week out in the sun. 

When my levels were low my naturopath advised to take 10,000 IU's for 1-2 weeks and then back down to 6,000/day. Taking low doses is going to make it hard to get your levels up. It's like you need to boost and then to maintain. 

Dd who is 5 gets 2000-3000 IU per day. Dd who is 20 months gets 1000 IU/day. I give them more if they are sick or getting sick. 
Have you been to the Vitamin D Council's website?

[SilverMoon010]

He gets about 2500 iu per day now.  I have been to Vitamin D Council. That's actually where I ordered the testing kit from.  I should look at their site more in depth and see if I can find anything.  I would think his levels have increased by now since he's taking a good amount, much more than he was before.  When the kids are sick, how much do you normally increase the D by?

Edited by SilverMoon010 - 11/10/11 at 2:13pm

[northerngirl]

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

He gets about 2500 iu per day now.  I have been to Vitamin D Council. That's actually where I ordered the testing kit from.  I should look at their site more in depth and see if I can find anything.  I would think his levels have increased by now since he's taking a good amount, much more than he was before.  When the kids are sick, how much do you normally increase the D by?

I usually double their dose. For me I take 10,000 IU's. When I had my levels checked last I was in the 70's. So I will continue to do what I am doing, as it is working for me. 
 

[es1967]

About two weeks ago I listened to this interview (see link) and started giving my 5 yr old 2000 units of vitamin D a day.  I  myself got tested about 9 months ago and had a vit D level of 19 then it went up to 29.  So I figured my DS has got to be low since I nursed him for 3 years and we really don't get out in the sun between 10 and 2pm.  Although this summer we were in the sun alot swimming.  My levels still only went up to 29.

Anyways, my son had a cold/cough on and off since he started preschool in august.  I was at my wits end b/c it was one thing after another and nothing I did would clear up the hoarse cough which so many other kids had too.  I mean I do vit c, elderberry, juicing, cell salts,coconut oil etc etc. So I started on the vitamin d drops within 2-3 days the cough was gone-completely.  It was like turning a switch off.  I could not believe it.   I'm going to have him tested to see where he is at.  Thinking he must have been very low.

this is the link and I wish I had seen it earlier.

http://www.healthychild.com/immune-system-support/vitamin-d-deficiency-in-pregnancy-babies-children/

[es1967]

Originally Posted by northerngirl 

I usually double their dose. For me I take 10,000 IU's. When I had my levels checked last I was in the 70's. So I will continue to do what I am doing, as it is working for me. 
 

What were your levels before you started taking the vitamin D?  I'm only doing 4000 a day but I think

I might up that.
 

[BubbleMa]

What's a good Vit. D supplement?  I prefer something food based, as opposed to synthetic.  Any suggestions?

[SilverMoon010]

Originally Posted by es1967 

About two weeks ago I listened to this interview (see link) and started giving my 5 yr old 2000 units of vitamin D a day.  I  myself got tested about 9 months ago and had a vit D level of 19 then it went up to 29.  So I figured my DS has got to be low since I nursed him for 3 years and we really don't get out in the sun between 10 and 2pm.  Although this summer we were in the sun alot swimming.  My levels still only went up to 29.

Anyways, my son had a cold/cough on and off since he started preschool in august.  I was at my wits end b/c it was one thing after another and nothing I did would clear up the hoarse cough which so many other kids had too.  I mean I do vit c, elderberry, juicing, cell salts,coconut oil etc etc. So I started on the vitamin d drops within 2-3 days the cough was gone-completely.  It was like turning a switch off.  I could not believe it.   I'm going to have him tested to see where he is at.  Thinking he must have been very low.

this is the link and I wish I had seen it earlier.

http://www.healthychild.com/immune-system-support/vitamin-d-deficiency-in-pregnancy-babies-children/

I'm in a similar situation. I tested my son's D level right before starting preschool and found it was low, 19.  Since he's been in school, this is his second cold, which seems to be lingering for almost 2 weeks now.  He normally battles colds pretty easy.  It started as mostly congestion and a productive cough but now it is that annoying dry cough, which I have as well.  He's fine otherwise.  I know how uncomfortable it can be.  Unfortunately, unlike you, upping his D dose hasn't seem to help get rid of it.  He gets elderberry, vit C, and echinacea and takes D3 and cod liver oil on a daily basis.  Everyone seems to have this lingering cold, however.  I'm assuming since I just started his increased dose of D3 not too long ago, it may take a while for the levels to increase.  I'll have to test him again soon to see where he stands.

[sbgrace]

Originally Posted by BubbleMa 

What's a good Vit. D supplement?  I prefer something food based, as opposed to synthetic.  Any suggestions?

I'd encourage you to take a look at the vitamin D council website. You want a D3 form (not vegetarian/D2) so these forms will be from animal sources (lanolin for example). It would be difficult to get enough vitamin D, especially to correct a deficiency, from a food source. Cod liver oil contains D but the average person needs 1000 IU per 25 pounds to maintain their current level. They would need much more to correct a low level. There is some evidence that preformed A (also in Cod liver oil) in high amounts can interfere with absorption especially correcting a low level. People argue over that but my experience does bear it out. Anyway, if by synthetic you mean pill I'm going to encourage you to get a D3 pill form.

I took 10,000 IU per day to correct a low level (actually I took 10,000 six days a week and 5,000 on the 7th day to stay under the toxicity limit of 10,000 per day). . It did fix it fast. I did cofactors with it such as magnesium and vitamin K.

My boys take 2000 IU per day year round. I know their levels of D are optimal so I don't up the D (usually) with colds but I do up optizinc and give extra immune boosting probiotics like epicore and florastor.

[es1967]

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

I'm in a similar situation. I tested my son's D level right before starting preschool and found it was low, 19.  Since he's been in school, this is his second cold, which seems to be lingering for almost 2 weeks now.  He normally battles colds pretty easy.  It started as mostly congestion and a productive cough but now it is that annoying dry cough, which I have as well.  He's fine otherwise.  I know how uncomfortable it can be.  Unfortunately, unlike you, upping his D dose hasn't seem to help get rid of it.  He gets elderberry, vit C, and echinacea and takes D3 and cod liver oil on a daily basis.  Everyone seems to have this lingering cold, however.  I'm assuming since I just started his increased dose of D3 not too long ago, it may take a while for the levels to increase.  I'll have to test him again soon to see where he stands.

It might have been just coincidince that the cold went away.  But it was one cold after another-almost no break between.    Since I have been givin the drops

he has picked up nothing which in itself is a miracle! Last week AS I was walking out of the preschool a mom was bringing her daughter in who was coughing w that same hoarse cough.  I told her about the vit D in passing but she kinda chuckled. 

Sbrace- THanks for your input I was going to try to find some of your old posts. How low was your vitamn D level and how long did it take to bring it up?  Also regarding the 10000 units-I hear of people taking so much more & it not be toxic or is

that b/c you were taking it for a week straight.  Regarding your boys-do you ever retest them?  Do you know what there levels are? 

Edited by es1967 - 11/20/11 at 7:27am

[sbgrace]

Sbrace- THanks for your input I was going to try to find some of your old posts. How low was your vitamn D level and how long did it take to bring it up? Also regarding the 10000 units-I hear of people taking so much more & it not be toxic or is

that b/c you were taking it for a week straight. Regarding your boys-do you ever retest them? Do you know what there levels are?

I can't remember my level! I know it was well below 20 and before I was tested I had been aggressively supplementing so it had to be much lower prior (during pregnancy and breastfeeding). I upped to 10,000 IU per day and my level was good (above 50) the next time I was tested which was less than 2 months later. I wish I could find the slips to give exact numbers and time frames but it's been quite a while since that point.

I take large doses myself (say 40,000 yesterday) for various reasons. Toxicity of D happens with high dose over time. It's not a short term thing. So if you stay under the limits overall you're fine. For example, you could take 65,000 every Monday theoretically and still be under the 10,000 IU per day limit that I'm personally comfortable with). If a person is low that limit wouldn't apply. I just like it because it seems to be a number that, as long as a person stayed within, where there has never been an incidence of toxicity regardless the underlying levels. So it's a number you can give a person who doesn't know their level. My FIL was very low and had prostrate cancer. He started supplementing and when they tested I think he was in the 80's. My husband was very high too when he tested after supplementing high. So I don't think anyone needs that high of a level routinely unless they are correcting low levels. I don't think it hurts either.

My son was 55 and his brother 45 when we tested. We upped the 45 guy a bit and then just kept doing what we were doing. I had them tested when I knew I was low so it's been a while. I should probably do it again.

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by sbgrace 


I'd encourage you to take a look at the vitamin D council website. You want a D3 form (not vegetarian/D2) so these forms will be from animal sources (lanolin for example). It would be difficult to get enough vitamin D, especially to correct a deficiency, from a food source. Cod liver oil contains D but the average person needs 1000 IU per 25 pounds to maintain their current level. They would need much more to correct a low level. There is some evidence that preformed A (also in Cod liver oil) in high amounts can interfere with absorption especially correcting a low level. People argue over that but my experience does bear it out. Anyway, if by synthetic you mean pill I'm going to encourage you to get a D3 pill form.
I took 10,000 IU per day to correct a low level (actually I took 10,000 six days a week and 5,000 on the 7th day to stay under the toxicity limit of 10,000 per day). . It did fix it fast. I did cofactors with it such as magnesium and vitamin K.
My boys take 2000 IU per day year round. I know their levels of D are optimal so I don't up the D (usually) with colds but I do up optizinc and give extra immune boosting probiotics like epicore and florastor.

What I meant was a pill containing Vit. D that's derived from food sources, as opposed to created in a lab.  If that makes sense.

[northerngirl]

Originally Posted by es1967 

What were your levels before you started taking the vitamin D?  I'm only doing 4000 a day but I think

I might up that.
 

Well there were a couple times that my levels were low. The very first time I had them checked it was 19, I think. This was about 5 years ago and I was just about to take part in my midwife's vitmin D study. She was having people take it through the winter months and report monthly their health (ie colds and flu). 

The next time I was low was after a summer I stopped taking it because I *thought* it would be fine if I was out in the sun regularly. I think I was 29 or 30 at that point. That had come down from 70. 

Needless to say, I need to supplement year round. And now that I am working I don't get out in the sun much those days. 

[Koalamom]

I got loads of sun all summer AND took 4000ius per day, and then tested for Vit D. It was in the 20's if I recall right. My dr wanted me to take a d2 prescription, but I took my own d3 instead. I took something like 14,000 a day. A month later we retested and I was in the 70's I think (it was over a year ago so I would have to dig the #'s out to have exact). Anyway, I now take 4000ius a day to maintain it and I hope I am good, but would love to retest again.

For a kid who was low, I would have him take more like 4000 ius to get the levels up and test again in a month.

My kids get 2000ius daily. We use Natures Answers cause it is in olive oil and we can't do coconut. Most other d drops are in a base of coconut.

[es1967]

Just want to report that my DS still has not brought home anything since taking the vit D. So its been a month which is amazing considering the kids are sick right and left at the school. Overheard some moms talkig about how sick their kids are with the hacking cough etc. I told them about the vit D but they kinda looked at me weird.