10 hours ago, Stubby said:

Thank you, RS, that's interesting.
 

I have seen some incredible deals online, but I was put off by what the lady said about not trusting online supplements. That's why I posted here. I think she was insinuating they were probably not the products they claim to be. Of course, the only way to know is to wait a couple of months and get tested for D3 levels. Despite that, I have made a note of your suggestion in case I have no luck in the real-world.
 

Stubby. 

That's cool. I guess that lady was probably referring to the dodgy Thai sellers you will find on Line and Facebook, whose products are indeed to be avoided as you don't know what's in them. You also find them in Thai markets. If you buy reputable brands from reputable sellers online then you will be fine, and as has also been said by other users, iHerb is very good, I have used them on a couple of occasions.

 

But if you prefer to buy from an actual shop rather than online, then by all means do so, nothing beats a real-world experience!

 

Cheers.

On 6/17/2022 at 7:14 PM, vandeventer said:

I have been taking 10,000 units a day along with K2 mk7 for almost 20 years now along with other supplements including 30 mg of zinc

10,000 IU sounds a little extreme? In the UK, when you're lucky to see any sun under the low grey soggy winder cloud cover, the recommendation is 2,000 IU per day. Still, if there's no harm in high doses, then it why not ????

On 6/17/2022 at 7:31 PM, peter zwart said:

dont forget to take zinc tablets in combination.

How much zinc? I pop a Berocca Performance tablet every morning. That Has 10mg of zinc. I also read that fatty food significantly enhances absorption of vitamin D-3 supplements. So now we have Zinc, fat or oil, and K2 to get the most out of a D3 pill. Anything else, I wonder?

21 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

No one needs to take these supplements unless they have some medical condition that stops them getting enough from their diet. Just eating an averaged balanced diet, getting sunlight on your skin, is all you need to do.  So please, unless told by a doctor, do not waste your money. 

I hear what you're saying, but the counterargument also makes sense. Here's one of many extracts of similar research:
 

Several studies of historical food composition tables show an apparent decline in food nutrient content over the past 70 years. This decline has been attributed to soil degradation and the "mining" of soil fertility by industrial agriculture.
 

Source.
 

And I think even the honest producers of vitamins and minerals say not to replace a healthy balanced diet with supplements. Instead, use them with food to ensure the body gets all it needs.
 

Stubby

Cod liver oil

A and D

Cheap too

7 hours ago, Stubby said:

10,000 IU sounds a little extreme? In the UK, when you're lucky to see any sun under the low grey soggy winder cloud cover, the recommendation is 2,000 IU per day. Still, if there's no harm in high doses, then it why not ????

10,000 is not high, if you are not getting out in the sun every day it's the right amount and it will not hurt you. I have friends that take 50,000 u a day and they have no problems.

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

I have friends that take 50,000 u a day and they have no problems.

That they know of yet!

https://th.iherb.com/pr/now-foods-vitamin-d-3-125-mcg-5-000-iu-240-softgels/22335

And / or

Exposure calculator for UV to Vit-D
https://fastrt.nilu.no/VitD-ez_quartMED.html

I use a Magesium/zinc/D3 combo daily.

On 6/17/2022 at 1:52 AM, KhunLA said:

Could just take a stroll outside, every other day for about 15 mins, (less in TH) and should give you all you need.

 

Doesn't get any easier, and  ... FREE

As is the skin cancer.  

"The UV index in Thailand averages a rating between 11–12, which is considered extremely high. "

https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/article/detail/uv-index

19 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

I use a Magesium/zinc/D3 combo daily.

@CharlieH.  You should rename yourself "T-Cell"  ????

34 minutes ago, connda said:

https://th.iherb.com/pr/now-foods-vitamin-d-3-125-mcg-5-000-iu-240-softgels/22335

And / or

Exposure calculator for UV to Vit-D
https://fastrt.nilu.no/VitD-ez_quartMED.html

Interesting, thank you.

26 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

As is the skin cancer.  

"The UV index in Thailand averages a rating between 11–12, which is considered extremely high. "

https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/article/detail/uv-index

5-15 mins in the sun vs buying something I don't need.  My immune system is more important than silly fear mongering of everything will kill me, so buy this to prevent it. 

 

I can go for a skin screening every couple years, IF I notice anything, as I've done in the past, and had growths removed.   

 

Knowing my body, is more important than being scared of it.   At 67 yrs old, I don't fear the sun, I welcome it ... ????

 

I'm going for the chocolate man look.  Besides, I here tan lines are sexy. ????

 

 

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I can go for a skin screening every couple years

Not very effective in Thailand for most as are there are few doctors with the ability to screen as not common here.  Suspect the Thai have it right - keep out of the sun.

18 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Not very effective in Thailand for most as are there are few doctors with the ability to screen as not common here.  Suspect the Thai have it right - keep out of the sun.

.... and yet I've had it done a few times.

 

Far from high tech skill to find imperfection on your skin.  Doc applies a little dab of liquid nitro, and gone.   Matter of fact, I do it myself, as of late, with the dry ice from Swensens when I get take away.

 

I don't live in fear ????

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

I use a Magesium/zinc/D3 combo daily.

Modern doctors havd told me  thats a good combo. 10 years ago they said eat a balanced diet.

 

My joints are so much better now. I take a lot of magnesium. 5 years ago doctor said you cant do much about it. They were wrong.

 

 

On 6/17/2022 at 5:39 PM, Brahmz said:

I make my own.

 

About 2-3 times a week I take my shirt off in the early morning

and irradiate my lily white skin for 5 minutes with a little gentle solar UV. Very effective.

If you have a brown skin you will need to do it for longer.

Since UV exposure activates what your skin secretes to form Vit D, why would skin color make adifference? The chemistry happens on the surface of the skin.

17 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Since UV exposure activates what your skin secretes to form Vit D, why would skin color make adifference? The chemistry happens on the surface of the skin.

"Vitamin D synthesis is highly dependent on the concentration of melanin in the skin as melanin absorbs and scatters UVR-B, resulting in a less efficient conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3. Therefore, dark-skinned individuals will experience slower vitamin D synthesis than light-skinned ones"

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067096/#:~:text=Vitamin D synthesis is highly,synthesis than light-skinned ones.

Here's the one I buy from Lazada: Doctor's Best, Vitamin D3, 125 mcg (5000 IU) x 180 Softgels | Lazada.co.th 

Many many other choices available.

Microsoft Edge.lnk

Available on Amazon, not sure about Lazada  ????

 

 

On 6/19/2022 at 6:09 AM, vandeventer said:

I have friends that take 50,000 u a day and they have no problems.

No problem except poor judgement, or, confusion.

 

!o:37;

On 6/17/2022 at 7:10 PM, jak2002003 said:

No one needs to take these supplements unless they have some medical condition that stops them getting enough from their diet.

 

Calcium does not boost immunity.  Yiu will get all the vitamin D you need from indirect sunlight.. even in the shade.  You don't need direct strong sunlight to make it..so not skin cancer worry!

 

Your body can only uses any particular nutrient at the amount it needs. Taking more of something will have no benefit as excess will be filtered out of the body.  Exceptions are far some fat soluble vitamins and some minerals...these are toxic and will cause you serious harm in excess.  

 

Just eating an averaged balanced diet, getting sunlight on your skin, is all you need to do.  

 

There is a lot of evidence that man made vitamins are not absorbed or utilised by the body in the same was as ones obtained through the diet.  They have zero benefits to health at best and are harmful at worse, unless your are malnourished or have a metabolic disease. 

 

So please, unless told by a doctor, do not waste your money. 

 

Well said. The Big Suppla industry has a lot to answer for. Makes billions from the vulnerable and the gullible. As you say as reasonable diet provides all you need, except in a few rarer medical conditions.  

23 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

My joints are so much better now.

 

 

Is that because of the legalization of Cannabis?

On 6/18/2022 at 10:28 PM, Stubby said:

I hear what you're saying, but the counterargument also makes sense. Here's one of many extracts of similar research:
 

Several studies of historical food composition tables show an apparent decline in food nutrient content over the past 70 years. This decline has been attributed to soil degradation and the "mining" of soil fertility by industrial agriculture.
 

Source.
 

And I think even the honest producers of vitamins and minerals say not to replace a healthy balanced diet with supplements. Instead, use them with food to ensure the body gets all it needs.
 

Stubby

I think this is a significant and very valid point about 'nutrient density' in the food we eat. 

 

"Just eating an averaged balanced diet, getting sunlight on your skin, is all you need to do."  

This is a beautiful fantasy, but as a soil analyst having evaluated soil tests from agricultural soils in Chiang Mai as well as other regions of Thailand, I can verify that we have some of the most degraded ag soils that I've seen, including in most "organic" farms. 

 

Unfortunately, organic grower certification and food product labeling does not require a minimum soil organic matter content, healthy soil biology populations, adequate and balanced soil mineral integrity, or plant sap analysis for assessing nutrient density, but only avoidance of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Which of course is not nearly enough to ensure food quality. 

 

 

On 6/17/2022 at 12:52 AM, Stubby said:

I've been paying around 600 Baht for 600 x 1000 IU. It's all the high-street pharmacies seem to sell.

My wife buys my Vitamin D3 supplements online from Lazada I believe. The last batch she purchased was in March 2022, 500 tablets x 1,000IU for 754 baht delivered, brand is Healthy Care from Australia.

 

Prior to this we used to buy NAT D online for a little cheaper than our local chemist, who would charge us 420 baht for 60 tablets, so we were paying through the nose so to speak.

 

Now she shops around online until she finds a bargain which includes vitamin C 500mg for cheap as, again Australian brand.

 

You only really need 1,000IU per day, I did a vitamin D blood test and was in the mid 30's which is good, perhaps you should do the same if you haven't already and then you can determine if you need the extra 1,000IU.

15 hours ago, drtreelove said:

"Just eating an averaged balanced diet, getting sunlight on your skin, is all you need to do."  This is a beautiful fantasy...

I used to buy into that line until I opened my mind and started to read scientific studies about soil degradation. 
 

If there's one thing I've learned in this life, it's that people believe in anything if they want it to be true... and discard anything to the contrary. The counterargument—not only on nutrition but anything—usually goes something like thing: 
 

"Oh, that's BS, that is!"
 

I don't want to take or pay for supplements, but hey, if they fill a few nutrition caps, then why not.

15 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

My wife buys my Vitamin D3 supplements online from Lazada I believe. The last batch she purchased was in March 2022, 500 tablets x 1,000IU for 754 baht delivered, brand is Healthy Care from Australia.

 

Prior to this we used to buy NAT D online for a little cheaper than our local chemist, who would charge us 420 baht for 60 tablets, so we were paying through the nose so to speak.

 

Now she shops around online until she finds a bargain which includes vitamin C 500mg for cheap as, again Australian brand.

 

You only really need 1,000IU per day, I did a vitamin D blood test and was in the mid 30's which is good, perhaps you should do the same if you haven't already and then you can determine if you need the extra 1,000IU.

Thank you, 4MyEgo, good advice. ???? I'm not sure about IU, though, as that advice seem to change seems between "experts." 

6 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Thank you, 4MyEgo, good advice. ???? I'm not sure about IU, though, as that advice seem to change seems between "experts." 

I did a lot of research on this before starting to take vitamin D and the majority of experts suggested 1,000IU although I know a lot of people go as high as 5,000IU per day, that said we only need to have a level greater than 30ng/mL and I was 33.31.

 

The above said, I had Omicron and it was like a head cold, did the vitamin D 1,000IU, the Zinc 15mg, the Vitamin C 1,000mg, help, I don't know, but for someone with an underlying condition in their 60's, I am still taking them daily at those doses, however will drop to 500mg of vitamin C when this batch runs out, as they say 500mg is enough.

 

Recommend you get a vitamin D test done, that way you can determine you level and then what amount you should take, then retest yourself a year on.

For an older person (we need more to get to that level), for longevity, mental acuity and anti depressant, cancer preventative and maximum immune boost, keeping your D levels higher than 50, closer to 75 is the optimum level. With Mediterranean skin, I've been taking 10,000 IU daily. I test often. My last test was just over 55.. We all absorb at different levels, depending on diet.  Sub Lingua is the best way to take. Can get 5 or 10,000 IU microdot, Superior Source on Iherb, as well as K-2 by them, which optimizes all aspects. Needs a bit of fat or oil, if taken via stomach, to absorb optimally. Sounds like a lot, but only 1mg is 40,000 IU. A good tropical sun soaking, tan inducing, full body, before burning levels, can give 20,000 IU, but monsooning cloudy days, mostly indoors, doesn't give nearly enough. Darker the skin, the more sun time.  Found the cheapest test and quick results at the BNH hospital. Not necessary to take daily, as it remains in the system for quite awhile, so some take 50 -100,000 IU weekly. The overdose limit is much higher than that. 

On 6/18/2022 at 9:20 AM, Stubby said:

Yes, I also looked for the K2 with D3 combo pill but was told they're not available in Thailand pharmacies ???? I usually make sure I eaten little fat when I take mine.

As I have been living in Thailand for over 20 years I have been doing a lot of research when I fist came here  I also started taking vit. C in large amounts  as I was getting sick often from the food and the bacteria. I started with 10 grams a day and was running to the toilet often so I cut it down to 5 grams a day and I have never stopped taking it for the last 20 years .I have been in great shape. All my 3 brothers and my sister have cataracts but not me, so supplements do help, you just have to find the one's that's best for you.