Getting enough Vitamin D via sunlight

[ukrules]

Anyone here taking Vit D supplements. I did try them many years ago when working in the northern Norway winter and found they gave me extremely vivid and strange dreams.

I take them. I haven't noticed anything unusual.

'MEGA' NAT D Vitamin D3 1000 IU - I've been taking two of these each morning so that's 2000 IU per day.

They cost just over 500 Baht for 60 tablets. I started taking them because I hardly ever go out in the sun.

[CapraIbex]

Anyone here taking Vit D supplements. I did try them many years ago when working in the northern Norway winter and found they gave me extremely vivid and strange dreams.

[snip] I started taking them because I hardly ever go out in the sun.

Google: "supplements vs substitute"

(educational)

[canarysun]

Well I had my daily stroll to the beach this afternoon and got a few hours of " Vitamin D " lounging about in the glorious sunshine whilst listening to cool tunes from " the bee gees " ( perhaps you can admire my honesty viewers..)and enjoying a delicious lunch of " Seasonal fruit " ( a kilo of Mandarin Oranges ) " Fabulous "

Farang Jaidee x

[CapraIbex]

Well I had my daily stroll to the beach this afternoon and got a few hours of " Vitamin D " lounging about in the glorious sunshine whilst listening to cool tunes from " the bee gees " ( perhaps you can admire my honesty viewers..)and enjoying a delicious lunch of " Seasonal fruit " ( a kilo of Mandarin Oranges ) " Fabulous "

Farang Jaidee x

+1 !!!

[Jingthing]

So is there any reason not to take a supplement on days when not getting any sun? Especially if it's more than a few days? And then not take it on days getting sun? Like insurance? Looking into the food sources, even on days that I eat sardines that isn't even enough for one day's D.

[beammeup]

Yes because Vitamin D from supplements can be toxic (Google Vit D toxicity) and Vitamin D from sun is not toxic and stays in your system for 6 weeks or more (Google Vit D half life), so as long as you get enough sun you are OK.

[canarysun]

So if I spend 4 hours on the beach every afternoon would that mean that I am " overdosed on Vitamin D "?????

Farang Jaidee

[Jingthing]

So if I spend 4 hours on the beach every afternoon would that mean that I am " overdosed on Vitamin D "?????

Farang Jaidee

No, as above.

Only the supplements might get you into overdose.

You are risking skin cancer though.

[Jingthing]

Yes because Vitamin D from supplements can be toxic (Google Vit D toxicity) and Vitamin D from sun is not toxic and stays in your system for 6 weeks or more (Google Vit D half life), so as long as you get enough sun you are OK.

So you're saying that might be a good plan or not ... only popping the supplements when I'm sure there is no way I'm getting enough from sun and food and then dropping them when I am?

[beammeup]

I would only take supplements if I lives in northern countries that get very little sun in Winter. Or I would eat a lot of food high in D. You said is there any reason not to take supplements and I said yes, as in yes there is a reason not to take the supplements outlined in the post above. But that's me, I don't think there is anything wrong with D supplement as long as you don't overdo it. If it makes you feel better then go for it. If i started feeling sickly catching colds or getting the flu then I would look into my D levels. With all of the sun in Thailand and the seafood,I just don't think its necessary. My wife and kids have never had a cold.

Edited November 23, 2014 by beammeup

[moe666]

A few years ago I read a very good article about sunshine and vit-d the article recommended exposure during the witching hour 11am until 2 pm as the best time for conversion of vit d and getting the correct amount of sun exposure. But as someone said get a test

[canarysun]

Well after living in Thailand for almost 3 years.I have spent almost everyday outside in the sun.( A short gentle 15 KM stroll in the morning and afternoons lounging about in the sun on the beach) I eat fresh fruit everyday and eat a lot of fresh vegetables ( steamed ) and so far i have never caught " a cold " or had " Flu " . I have noticed that a lot of Thai people who " lock themselves indoors " all day seem to have colds on a regular basis.

Farang Jaidee

[h90]

Well after living in Thailand for almost 3 years.I have spent almost everyday outside in the sun.( A short gentle 15 KM stroll in the morning and afternoons lounging about in the sun on the beach) I eat fresh fruit everyday and eat a lot of fresh vegetables ( steamed ) and so far i have never caught " a cold " or had " Flu " . I have noticed that a lot of Thai people who " lock themselves indoors " all day seem to have colds on a regular basis.

Farang Jaidee

Well there are still people who have to work......

[chubby]

Here in the US: its 400 baht or so for a generic 600 tabs of 2000 D3 , seems way overpriced in Thailand to me.

http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?langId=-1&storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&keyword=vitamin+d&sortBy=PriceMin|0

at that price, might be cheaper to just get a blood test, or import them. I believe the D level, is a relatively recent phenomenon, on MDs recommending, the lecture for MDs I went to, put on by a hormone Dr. , endocrinologist, was very persuasive, as the 'vitamin' really being more like a pre-hormone, that works on a wide variety of body systems, not just 'preventing flu' , even in the tropics, in the usa, the number bandied about was most being deficient of the 'elderly' , as they don't go out much either, the number i'm familiar with is '>30' being normal, with there being no upper limit established, a 50,000 dose, I believe is used as a catch-up for those deficient for a short period of time only, and can only be received by Rx here.

my dermatologist have said: 'anyone who has had 3 skinburn, that peeled in a lifetime' is at risk already, and yes, any exposure for skin, is not great, but, the elderly don't sleep well, either, so probably moderation is best, as in everything. I believe a lot of UVA or is it UVB will penetrate some clothing, esp. what your likely wearing in BKK.....

I wonder how many go to dermatology annually for good 'skin checks', if they do, then they can get bit more exposure, as needed.

Anyone here taking Vit D supplements. I did try them many years ago when working in the northern Norway winter and found they gave me extremely vivid and strange dreams.

I take them. I haven't noticed anything unusual.

'MEGA' NAT D Vitamin D3 1000 IU - I've been taking two of these each morning so that's 2000 IU per day.

They cost just over 500 Baht for 60 tablets. I started taking them because I hardly ever go out in the sun.

[CaptHaddock]

Here's the case against vitamin D supplements altogether. Turns out there is no evidence that raising vit D levels in a healthy person who is not showing symptoms of D deficiency will improve health either in the short term or the long term. The article doesn't address increasing sun exposure in the tropics as an alternative to supplements, but given the high, but not quantifiable, risk of skin cancer, that seems like an even worse idea.

Those who have looked at the evidence base for vitamin D screening have found that it appears to be pretty useless for healthy adults. What's more, there is no good evidence that treatment for insufficiency (again, in otherwise healthy adults) leads to clinically important health benefits.

"We really don’t have good data this intervention," explained Dr. Clifford Rosen, one of the country's foremost experts on the health impact of vitamin D screening. "It would be great if you said the reason we screen is that we find out if a patient is low on vitamin D and we do something about it, we can prevent disease." But right now, doctors can't confidently make that case.

"Unless you really are truly symptomatic," Dr. Rosen summed up, "it might not be worthwhile to measure vitamin D, and tag you with the diagnosis of deficiency, when it’s not clear those levels make you deficient and you’re not at risk for disease."

http://www.vox.com/2014/11/24/7277711/vitamin-d-test

[Sheryl]

The findings you quote are not a case "against Vitamin D supplements altogether". They are a case against (at the current level of knowledge) routine screening of Vit D levels in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adults.

Vit D supplementation is still recommended for people with documented clinical vit D deficiency, and for the following special groups of people:

- pregnant women

- people with osteoporosis

- people at high risk of osteoporosis

-people with calcium deficiency

[Tolley]

Low vitamin D levels can also be a marker for those at risk of getting cancer.

Another good reason to get your Vitamin D levels checked.

[chubby]

del

Edited November 26, 2014 by chubby

[chubby]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/835226

[ukrules]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/835226

Subscription only / paywalled article.

[chubby]

Vitamin D Deficiency Predicts Cognitive Decline

By Megan Brooks •

medscape.com • November 20, 2014

A new study supports a link between low levels of vitamin D and increased risk for cognitive decline, prompting calls for clinical trials to test whether vitamin D supplementation may delay or prevent dementia.

In a group of cognitively intact older adults, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels below 75 nmol/L at the outset predicted cognitive decline over roughly the next 4 years, independent of other factors.

"[N]eurologists and geriatricians should be aware of the possibility that in elderly individuals, vitamin D supplementation might be a potential cost-effective strategy for preventing neurodegenerative diseases," Elena D. Toffanello, MD, from University of Padova, Italy, and colleagues say.

Their study was published online November 5 in Neurology.

For this analysis, the researchers looked at data on 1927 community-dwelling elderly individuals (mean age, 73.9 years) participating in the Italian population-based cohort study, Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.).

At baseline, participants had a mean serum 25OHD level of 84.1 nmol/L. Roughly 28% of the cohort had 25OHD deficiency (<50 nmol/L), and it was severe (<25 nmol/L) in 6.5%.

Participants with 25OHD deficiency or insufficiency (50 to 75 nmol/L) were more likely to have declining Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores over 4.4 years of follow-up than their peers with sufficient 25OHD levels (75 nmol/L or greater).

Among participants with intact cognitive function at baseline (MMSE score of at least 24), 25OHD insufficiency was strongly and independently associated with a higher risk for onset of cognitive decline over 4 years compared with those with normal 25OHD levels, the researchers say.

Table. Risk for Cognitive Decline by Vitamin D Level

50 to <75 nmol/L 1.29 (1.00 - 1.76) .03 <50 nmol/L 1.36 (1.04 - 1.80) .02

In individuals already cognitively impaired at baseline, vitamin D deficiency was also associated with a higher risk for decline in cognitive function, but the association became nonsignificant after adjustment for other medication conditions.

It's possible, say the researchers, that the role of vitamin D on further cognitive decline may be less obvious because of the presence of other comorbidities and disabilities that might accelerate cognitive decline regardless of the starting levels of vitamin D.

Supplementation Trials Warranted

Dr Toffanello and colleagues say studies are needed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation might help to delay the cognitive decline, especially in patients who already have cognitive impairment.

David J. Llewellyn, PhD, from the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom, who has studied vitamin D and cognitive function but wasn't involved in this study, agrees.

He told Medscape Medical News that this new study "effectively replicates" a 2010 study by his group showing a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk for cognitive decline.

He said the Pro.V.A . study results are also consistent with a study his group published just this year in Neurology. That study suggested older patients with vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L have about a 122% increased risk for dementia compared with those with higher levels.

"Taken together, this rapidly evolving body of evidence suggests clinical trials are warranted to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation helps to delay or prevent dementia in elderly adults," Dr Llewellyn concluded.

The study had no commercial funding, and the authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Neurology. Published online November 5, 2014. Abstract

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/835226

Subscription only / paywalled article.

[fvw53]

Vitamin D Deficiency Predicts Cognitive Decline

By Megan Brooks •

medscape.com • November 20, 2014

A new study supports a link between low levels of vitamin D and increased risk for cognitive decline, prompting calls for clinical trials to test whether vitamin D supplementation may delay or prevent dementia.

In a group of cognitively intact older adults, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels below 75 nmol/L at the outset predicted cognitive decline over roughly the next 4 years, independent of other factors.

"[N]eurologists and geriatricians should be aware of the possibility that in elderly individuals, vitamin D supplementation might be a potential cost-effective strategy for preventing neurodegenerative diseases," Elena D. Toffanello, MD, from University of Padova, Italy, and colleagues say.

Their study was published online November 5 in Neurology.

For this analysis, the researchers looked at data on 1927 community-dwelling elderly individuals (mean age, 73.9 years) participating in the Italian population-based cohort study, Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.).

At baseline, participants had a mean serum 25OHD level of 84.1 nmol/L. Roughly 28% of the cohort had 25OHD deficiency (<50 nmol/L), and it was severe (<25 nmol/L) in 6.5%.

Participants with 25OHD deficiency or insufficiency (50 to 75 nmol/L) were more likely to have declining Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores over 4.4 years of follow-up than their peers with sufficient 25OHD levels (75 nmol/L or greater).

Among participants with intact cognitive function at baseline (MMSE score of at least 24), 25OHD insufficiency was strongly and independently associated with a higher risk for onset of cognitive decline over 4 years compared with those with normal 25OHD levels, the researchers say.

Table. Risk for Cognitive Decline by Vitamin D Level

50 to <75 nmol/L 1.29 (1.00 - 1.76) .03 <50 nmol/L 1.36 (1.04 - 1.80) .02

In individuals already cognitively impaired at baseline, vitamin D deficiency was also associated with a higher risk for decline in cognitive function, but the association became nonsignificant after adjustment for other medication conditions.

It's possible, say the researchers, that the role of vitamin D on further cognitive decline may be less obvious because of the presence of other comorbidities and disabilities that might accelerate cognitive decline regardless of the starting levels of vitamin D.

Supplementation Trials Warranted

Dr Toffanello and colleagues say studies are needed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation might help to delay the cognitive decline, especially in patients who already have cognitive impairment.

David J. Llewellyn, PhD, from the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom, who has studied vitamin D and cognitive function but wasn't involved in this study, agrees.

He told Medscape Medical News that this new study "effectively replicates" a 2010 study by his group showing a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk for cognitive decline.

He said the Pro.V.A . study results are also consistent with a study his group published just this year in Neurology. That study suggested older patients with vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L have about a 122% increased risk for dementia compared with those with higher levels.

"Taken together, this rapidly evolving body of evidence suggests clinical trials are warranted to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation helps to delay or prevent dementia in elderly adults," Dr Llewellyn concluded.

The study had no commercial funding, and the authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Neurology. Published online November 5, 2014. Abstract

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/835226

Subscription only / paywalled article.

During my recent visit to Belgium a blood test showed considerable vitamin D deficiency and the family doctor prescribed an OTC pack of 4 capsules "D-CURE" - to be taken one a week - in order to eliminate the shortage.

For reasons I do not understand this can also be ordered only but only in a few countries (it is really cheap)

http://www.newpharma.be/apotheek/omega-otc/265331/d-cure-ampulle-4-ampullen.html

I mentioned this because after taking those capsules some annoying pains in the joints and bones which I thought to be caused by old age, have all disappeared...

Edited November 29, 2014 by fvw53

[mommysboy]

I am out and about in the sun an hour or two most days walking around. I wear a hat, short sleeved shirt, and cargos. Don't look sunburned at all. Walking is the single most beneficial exercise er can reasonably do all the time and the benefits are well documented.

[Jingthing]

Even though I haven't bothered with a blood test, knowing what I know now about D sources there is NO WAY my levels were adequate with my previous sun exposure and diet. I had thought the occasional sardines, tuna, and salmon was a better source than they actually are and I was REALLY getting almost no sun for long periods of time.

So I have made a concerted effort to increase the sun ... protecting my face though ... most days of the week. I figure this will also be good for my mood, blood pressure, sleep cycles, and hopefully D levels as well.

I've already felt an improvement in my mood and sleep cycles and it feels like it's probably helped with BP as well (perception of stress).

I think it probably makes sense to get a D test later to see how this is working in my case. The concern I have now is stuff I have been reading about STATINS blocking D absorption (I'm on statins) and also something about the relation to thyroid hormone (I need to take thyroid hormone).

Edited December 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[mommysboy]

Walking outside probably beats the gym treadmill too. The heat can be unpleasant but sure as heck makes it real exercise whereas exercising in a gym can be a bit artificial. My walk to and from my gym probably does as much or more than the weights I push.

[canarysun]

Walking outside probably beats the gym treadmill too. The heat can be unpleasant but sure as heck makes it real exercise whereas exercising in a gym can be a bit artificial. My walk to and from my gym probably does as much or more than the weights I push.

I totally agree! I walk absolutely everywhere! I think motorbikes make people " bloody lazy " when you can just walk! we are not in a rush ( if you are then just leave earlier! ) We are in a fabulous climate so get out there and enjoy the sun! Which would you rather look like viewers " Julio Iglesias or Rentaghost "...? F.J x

[jimcooper1]

I think if you sit only 20-25 min in sun you will get enough vitamin D.