Vitamin D Deficiency – A Disease of Neglect
July 30, 2008 by Sandy Robinson
Filed under Vitamin D Deficiency
If you are concerned about vitamin D deficiency, you will want to watch this great free video presentation by Dr. Michael Holick, PhD, MD – “The Vitamin D Pandemic and Its Health Consequences”. Dr. Holick is the author of the book, The UV Advantage: The Medical Breakthrough that Shows How to Harness the Power of the Sun for Your Health. He also the directs Boston University’s General Clinical Research Center. He is a Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics.
In this video, Dr. Holick discusses the little known facts about vitamin D deficiency and all of the health problems it causes and its role in several chronic illnesses. Dr. Holick also offers advice on how to avoid vitamin D deficiency.
After watching this video you will probably find that you want to forward the link to others, but here are some references from the presentation:
Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?
According to Dr. Holick, everyone is.
How do we get Vitamin D?
From the sun, artificial light sources, foods and supplements. It is hard to get enough vitamin D strictly through diet alone.
How is Vitamin D deficiency defined?
The level of 25(OH)D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) measured in blood (serum) should be at least 50nmol/L, and Dr. Holick advocates 60 to 75. Insufficient/deficient is under 50, and to be conservative, toxic upper levels might start at about 150 to 200nmol/L.
Is Vitamin D deficiency common?
Yes – approximately 50% of all Americans and even higher numbers of darker skinned people and older age groups fall below the normal levels.
Why is Vitamin D deficiency a big deal?
In children, vitamin D deficiency can cause a condition known as rickets. This causes bowed, soft bones, muscle weakness, stunted growth, and high risk of low bone density later in life.
In adults, this condition is osteomalacia (a defect in the bone building process, by contrast with osteoporosis, which is breakdown of existing bone structures). Osteoporosis is silent, but osteomalacia involves aches and pains in the bones & joints, and muscle aches/weakness that can be generalized or isolated. As Dr. Holick explains it, the defective bone matrix absorbs water and expands, causing pain in the bones fibrous outer membrane (the periosteum), which contains the blood vessels and nerves providing nourishment and sensation in the bones. He diagnoses this condition by pressing to test for pain in certain places such as the breastbone and shin.
Dr. Holicksays that patients withthese symptoms are often diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. In Dr. Holick’s practice, 40% to 60% of patients presenting with these symptoms are vitamin D deficient, and of 150 patients presenting with these symptoms in a Mayo Clinic study, 139 were deficient.
What is even scarier are all of the other chronic illnesses and diseases linked to vitamin D deficiency: common cancers, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, TB, psoriasis, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and even infections.
How much does sun block reduce the body’s ability to make D from sunshine?
SPF 15 reduces it by 99%.
What is the recommended amount of sun exposure one should get?
Except in winter in areas above the 35th latitude (only a bit north of even such southern cities as Atlanta, Georgia, which is at 33 north), Dr. Holickadvocates at least 10 minutes on 10% of the body surface (e.g., arms or legs) followed by good sun protection, two to three times a week. This balances the need for vitamin D with need to minimize skin cancer risk. Click on this link to check the latitude where you live.
Are obese people more likely to be deficient than normal weight people?
Vitamin D levels averaged 55% lower in a study group of obese people who had the same amount of UV exposure as normal weight participants.
Can you make any vitamin D in winter?
Little or none, even in sunny areas, if it’s above the 35th latitude north or south of the equator.
Does taking supplemental calcium and vitamin D work to counter osteoporosis and osteomalacia?
Yes.
Thanks to Fit Buff for including this post as part of their Total Mind & Body Fitness Carnival 63.
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just wanted to say my vit d came back ok…….so my wishful thinking that i could feel normal again goes down the drain…..i dont get it ….i had all the symptoms and it made since since im a vegan and moved from a sunshine state to up north…..im so upset because im back to square one here….no answers at all …..
im so depressed right now…….i feel now that maybe there is no answers…and i have to live like this still……..i have to keep praying and hopefully something will show me whats wrong..
no answers is so frustrating……..upsetting…….im at my witts end here , just got off the phone with the nurse crying because im so frustrated over this…..
i too wonder if toxicity is possible…cause i do get sick to my stomach like laura was saying and i havent been real hungry and had headaches…..nausea…but its hard to tell……….yet a day in the sun was nice and helped me relax helped twitching and muscles and tingling in hands …..hard to tell whats going on …..
will wait on my numbers……..
oh my , i got a call from my docs nurse this morning ….the nurse yesterday mis read my results …..
my d2 is 4, my d3 is 17 and my total is 21…….
any advice on where to start? my doc wants me on dvit 1000 daily….she said just get plain d……..but most ive seen are either d2 or d3 as far as supplements go…..
are my numbers really low? any advice or recommend what d to get?
im so confused …….but relieved! the nurse said an RH doc would want my numbers at 80 so does this mean im extremely low?
Direct sunlight for about 20 minutes is the easiest way to get your daily dose of vitamin D.
I’m sitting here in pain and nauseated like hell. I must say that i have tears in my eyes after reading these posts because I’ve been made to look like the idiot that always go to the doctor or complain because she “thinks” that she is sick. For years, I’ve given all the symptoms and no one ever thought to just test for Vitamin D deficiency. I was beginning to lose my short term memory so I went to a neural doctor thinking that my childhood epilepsy was coming back. Thank God he took thorough blood work and found out that I was severely deficient in Vitamin D and B12. I also have antigens ANA and ENA in my bloodstream. I don’t know what this will lead to if anything I just hope that after taking this 50,000mg pill for 12 weeks I will feel better. I pray that all you feel well too. I’m really sick of the headaches and shoulder and hand pains and just all over body pains…its getting really old. Years of this sucks…I’m ready to be the old me again…we’ll see what happens. I’m glad I found this site!
Tee – You ARE sick. The idiots are the ones who don’t get it, not you. It’s real and it sucks, and I’ve said exactly what you wrote many, many times….its getting really old. I miss life. I resent some Physicians along this journey, and have spent too much time and energy that I don’t have trying to educate people on ME/CFS. I told my Mother “Do not ask me one more time if other people have this condition” I have a brother who could give a crap less and a mother who is out to lunch – totally clueless. I’ve had to limit interactions. My husband and two sons know what I live with as closely as someone without the illness can understand.
It’s changed my life dramatically, along with my husband’s life. I don’t know what it is like to be well any longer, and I have been through countless protocols. I have a recommendation from someone who has had me/cfs for 12 years for a Doctor in NYC who has helped with some of the symptoms. No miracle cure. Perhaps an improvement in quality of life, which would be greatly appreciated. I just have to get up the strength to do another Doctor.
People questioning your depth of illness should only experience what you live with, and they would shut their big mouths. Also, it is very draining and only exacerbates the entire manifestation of the illness when faced with accusatory, questioning and unbelieving people. Would they doubt the reality of Diabetes or MS or heart disease? It’s truly unfathomable to face the ignorance (including some Doctors) that exists regardless of the reality and nature of our disabling and at times discouraging journey.
I began researching vitamin D on the internet about 3 years ago after I read an article about it. Not many lay people knew about the deficiency problem then. I had Fibromyalgia for years and a lot of chronic pain. I was diagnosed by two different Rheumatologists. Nothing stopped the achey, tired and listless feeling.
I went to the computer and typed in Vitamin D Deficiency and Fibromyalgia.
Wow, there was lots of information. I starting taking 1000iu of D3 for a month. One morning I woke up and felt so good, I was giddy! After a few minutes I realized the pain was GONE! I was so thrilled. It still is.
This list looks interesting. Do any of you do much researching on the net?
Smiles,
Nessie
I too was just diagnosed with D3 defiency. Also for me I ‘m borderline with metabolic syndrome. I have been having pain, bloat, fatigue and depression no matter how hard I tried to smile so no one would know. went to a couple doctors and it seems they had to keep hearing me complain, all standard CBC were coming back normal. Now with a new doctor listening, he ran c-reactive,
which also I was borderline with imflamation. I’m also taking 5000IU for 2 months then will retest to check my levels, I too was told my bones were fine but my muscles were the cause and was placed on cymbalta for fibromyalgia. when my insurance ran out my could no longer take the medicine. however, I noticed one thing after losing my job, in about one month, the pains I was getting mainly in my inner elbows, hips legs had went away by 90%. I could hardly walk sometimes. I have to say that the long commuting, work was stressful as much as I loved doing it. The goal now is to find a job closer to home, de-stress as much as possible. get outside more. i’m 46 yrs, suffering from the perimenopausal ,fibroids too. But with HOPE, I hope one day I can wake up fully no pain or bloat, no blood pressure issues. I’m not trying to find out how to eat less, and excercise more. have a lovely day ladies!
made an error at the last commet. I AM trying to learn to eat less and exercise more.
Hi I just discovered that my “D” level is five and the Dr. put me on 4000iu plus calsium/500iu of D.plus b12 injection. After reading the above discoveries most people are falling in this catergory of defiency.I must admit it is good to know that there are reasons as to why various problems {health] THAT had been affecting me for awhile. I hope that more and more people will be helped because of the new information..Sincerly LC
This is my very first post on Vit D deficiency & Fibromyalgia. Just found this site. So helpful to know others are out there and I am not alone. Heard a medical broadcast on FB today and realized how vit D may be my problem instead of or in addition to FB! I’ve been so preoccupied with trying to stay at work and feeling better and dealing with drug side effects that I didn’t realize that I never bought my Vim D supplement (per doctor’s order). Got it today! I also found info on pH testing and how it may be linked to FB. This confirmed why Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath had such a positive effect; it balances pH level & eliminates acid waste. Try it! Trying to go with natural alterntives. Will post again to update. Praying for you all, as I do for myself, to be healed
My husband was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency in Oct. ’09. The actual blood-work had been performed back in July, ’09 but the doctor never bothered to read the results. Here we were with a reading of 12 nanograms absolutely stunned that something this dangerous was overlooked. He was immediately put on massive Vit. D capsules. The problems he had been having over the time from about Jan. to Oct. ’09 were chronic, severe back pain especially from L3-SI, constipation, difficulty urinating, and weight loss. Over the time from Oct. 5th when he started the Vit.D supplements he nas lost 22lbs. and a total of 134lbs. over the last year. At present he is dropping at minimum 1 pound/day. Now gone from 275 to 144 he is skin over bone and although he is eating good, healthy food we cannot stop the weight loss. There are other issues too, but space is small. Does anyone have knowledge on this that can help?
I’ve been feeling extremely tired and fatigued since I had the flu late September. After about 6 weeks I just couldn’t take it anymore–I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Thankfully my doctor tested me for everything–diabetes, anemia, pregnancy, thyroid, and vitamin D. I was starting to feel even more depressed when the first results came back negative–was it all in my head? When the vitamin D came back at 20 I was so thankful–I wasn’t crazy! After talking to my mom (retired nurse) and reading this site I am extremely blessed my doctor was so thorough–it seems not many doctors test vitamin D levels. I’m taking my weekly 50,000 units of vitamin D and trying to spend more time in the sun. Now I can only hope that I will be back to full energy soon.
Just took my 3rd weekly megadose of Vitamin D yesterday and I think it’s beginning to work….today was the first day in I can’t remember how long that I actually had the energy to get through the day with no naps and no brain fog!!! I was up early and did more around the house today than I would normally have accomplished in three weekends!! I even had the energy to go to the park with my dogs and walk briskly for over an hour – then I mowed the lawn, front and back, pulled weeds in the flower beds, and still had the energy to wash my car and then come in the house and rearrange the kitchen cabinets…then i sat down on the couch and it hit me – I was still wide awake at 6:00 PM and not exhausted…I’m hopeful it’s my vitamin D kicking in and not just a lucky day, but I feel terrific!! I still cannot believe that after 15 years of suffering “chronic fatigue syndrome” with no treatment that I may have been suffering vitamin D deficiency all along…it just took one new doctor on my first vist to her to order the test that my previous doctors never tested me for = my vitamin D levels – which came in @ 15.4.. I hope this is the start of a “new me” – active and fit like I was before – I feel like I’ve slept away so much of my life and I’m ready to make up for lost time…I’m so excited to feel normal again!! Now I need to write a Thank You note to my new doctor!!
Cynthia,
Your story sounds similar to mine. . .for the past year, I have had really bad fatigue, depression, thinning hair, weight gain. I just went to the doctor after my periods became irregular and you could’ve imagined the shock as everything came back normal. She did a pelvic sonogram, and did a battery of lab tests for diabetes, insulin resistance, thyroid disease, anemia and Vit D. My Vit D level was 11.9 so she started me on 50000 IU /week for 6 months. I can’t say that I feel a difference yet, but it has only been 1 week. I was upset because I had begin to feel like my random aches and pains and fatigue was all in my head. It’s good to know that I have found something. . . I hope it works for me so that I can get back on track.
I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency about 2 years ago, so I started on a vitamin supplement. Unfortunately, I also am prone to kidney stones, calcium type, and the first ingredient in all of the vitamin D supplements at the drug store is a type of calcium. I didn’t know this until I wound up in the emergency room with the largest kidney stones I have had to date, so I stopped the supplement, but now I am getting run down again. HELP?
I was diagnosed with thyroid disease six years ago. After trying for several months to get my thyroid hormone regulated; I opted to have my thyroid removed. I went through a point of feeling better and then things went downhill from there. I am aware that thyroid disease can cause calcium defiency. I started drinking Red Bull, Cokes, and Coffee hoping that I could get a boost of energy. In the mornings while trying to get ready for work, I would feel exhausted; despite sleeping 8 hours. I have been terrible irritable for no reason and I had no clue why. I just couldn’t get enough rest. I thought I was going crazy. I made an appt with a new endocrinologist and blood work was performed. I found out that my thyroid meds were the wrong dosage. I needed more hormone and I am vitamin D defiecient. I am hoping to have energy real soon and that I will start feeling like myself again.
Elisabeth Bailey, I just read your post~Omg, i just started to cry and couldnt stop~I have felt horrible for years and thought I was crazy~fatigue, weight gain,muscle aches and weakness, tingling, etc. This has been a nightmare and found out my Vit d levels were very low also~my doc put me on 50,000 ui for 4 weeks~Im only on my first week so I do not notice any change~I’m praying this is the answer because for years I’ve had everything checked including sleep apnea which I do have but minor~reading houw you had this incredible energy just made me cry because for so long I have had very little and I think my husband and kids think I’m crazy~I’ve always been energetic and been able to get a lot done in a day, but in the last few years, I’m lucky if I can last ten minutes before I have to sit down~your letter gives me hope, thank you!
I have been slowly declining in health since the birth of my son in 1997. I was older (39) and developed hypertension during the pregnancy and then it went away afterward…not preclampsia. Then it returned 11 months later. I have been going to a chiropractor for at least 20 years but over the last 8 years I noticed that my adjustments wouldn’t hold and I sometimes was out as soon as I got off his table. I started getting horrendous headaches, increased immune suppression and on and on. 12 years later I was depressed, ill, weight gain, fatigue to the point of having to take naps or go back to bed when my son was at school and each time I went to the doctor they only wanted to put me on more medicines for my HBP. I struggled to get tests because no doctor wanted to. I finally got one and she came back with the results that I had potassium deficiency and dehydration but no high cholesterol, normal salt, normal everything that leads to hbp. Her response was eat a banana daily and drink more water. Very discouraging…until I started to do my own research and even with my ability to look endlessly I had troubles putting everything together. Somehow through my research I started looking at Vitamin D deficiency and took way more than the FDA recommends and with-in days I had increased energy, 2 weeks later I realized that I hadn’t been to the chiropractor when I had been going several times a week because my pushed out joints gave me migraines. I haven’t been sick even though both my son and husband have been. I am not done with the increased D and even have considered increasing again to see if I can get some positive results for my HBP. I use the Purity Products Vitamin D, comes in a blue bottle. I like using VAXA products but I couldn’t find Vit D there because they produce mostly homeopathy products. Great company, but Purity’s D is working, thankfully. I forgot, I have been doing the D for about 2 months. Since I was so deficient, I think that is why it hasn’t shown any results with my HBP yet…or maybe I have had it so long that I am stuck with it…but I am thankful that other struggles I had are responding. I should also say that I am taking colloidal silver several times a day and sometimes take 3 dosages of the recommended amount several times a day. I started doing that about 10 days ago because my hubby got sick and it was a good antibotic. I don’t attribute the silver to the things that changed before he got sick! I do think that both products may have had a synergistic effect to support my immune system. I hope this helps…I am still on my health journey and am weary of the time invested to get healthy. I thought going to the gym would help me until I figured out that every time I went to the gym (and had paid for a trainer) I got sick… two months of hit and miss at the gym I finally emailed my trainer and said I think I am getting sick from the place because I couldn’t get consistent and he had to admit I was right…he and some of his clients were also getting sick at times. I think it was due to ill people coming in and I would get the virus on my hands which would touch my water bottle and I would leave with it. I needed to take a break and workout on my own to build up my immunity and get stronger so I can handle the gym’s regiment. So I am doing walking -still not consistent- and watching my food now. Hope this helps someone.
To Sue(and others):
You can get injections of D-vitamin..
Normally given if you have an extremely low level of D-vitamin.
Also the doctor should be able to prescribe a specific D-vitamin product
which doesn’t have calcium as filler.
Also i have seen examples that some doctors have prescribed D2 instead
of D3 D-vitamin(cholecalciferol), D3 is almost certainly the one needed.
Check what type the pharmacy gives you and ask the doctor.
(but i don’t know for sure, my research hasnt uncovered anything D2 vs D3)
).
Except some chemical mumbo jumbo(that i don’t understand
Ask: the doctor about D2 and D3 and what the measurements for each were.
Ask: what the doctor thinks, has caused the deficiency.
Disclaimer: I’m just i guy who had a D-vitamin insufficiency (D3 = 17)
And used ALOT of time researching everything i could/can.
I had pains for a year before D-vitamin lack was diagnosed.
Partly the diagnose was a long time coming because of lacklustre doctor(s).
But I probably suffered otherwise from since about 8 years ago.
ALso i’m not convinced that it was the only problem. But that remains to be seen.
I also had severe pains etc. in about 4-5 years from 19-23-24 , which was like
What i suffered recently. But i was newer diagnosed with anything at that time.
I was diagnosed mid january 2010. i’ve had normal levels for about 2 months.
I couldnt work in december and january. and couldnt sleep at night.
Im much better now, but it takes some time for the body to adjust.
Up to six months. i’ve been told, but where this number comes from i don’t know.
So i still have pain but not the severe kind i had earlier.
I recommend that you look over what you eat and your supplements.
I myself changed my “Diet” (what I eat and drink).
Not only what i eat but also at what times. As regular intervals
as possible, at the same time of day every day.
#
D-vitamin deficiency – might be a sign that you have other deficiencies.
I choose to take B vitamin complex – a collection of Bxx vitamins:
B1 B2 B3 B6 B12 and more.
B vitamins is a helper vitamin and it is difficult to overdose since they are water soluble
I eat as varied as possible.
Because i **believe**
That it is better to get as much needed from the standard
food sources. Rather than as supplements.
Also it helps ensure that you negate other deficiencies.
That you might not have noticed, discovered and or diagnosed.
(+ a diagnose is not a reason why it happened in the first place).
I eat:
cod fish – Tuna
Garlic – onion as supplement
Meat (cow)
Tomato
Cabbages – broccoli
Eggs
Cheese
Rugbrød (danish)
Bread – not the completely white bread.
Fat products – milk 3.5% fat.
A38 – fat milk product (but contains calcium
A sortement of vegetables and fruits,
I always try to look at what i eat, and periodically research/think about if im missing something from my intake.
I also consider if there are other steps i can take.
F.ex i do memory exercises. and play different games.
(computer and sport like things, others).
You might need some special advice from your doctor about diet.
If you have trouble with calcium and diary products.
D vitamins needs fat to be absorbed by the body. And everybody
today is scared stiff of fat in products, but we need that too.
I am careful not to eat to much bread, better to load
up each with the ingredients
Since you had problems with the “”kidney stones” maybe ask your doctors
advice.
It could be because of the low D-vitamin which helps the
bones accepting Calcium, otherwise to much is in the bloodstream,
Also magnesium might be the issue.
Here as far as i can see in my research, it could be both to much and to little magnesium / calcium.
I was diagnosed with osteopenia when I was in my early thirties after having a pathological fracture. I was taking actonel, but it was so hard on my stomach (and wallet) that I stopped. I have been gaining weight so fast and now am looking into having bariatric surgery. One of the tests that were required was a Vit D (D125) I tested at 12. Now I know why I am so achy and grouchy. Now I wonder (since I meet with my MD this week) what the treatment will be and who it will affect me physically and emotionally. How did I get in this position anyway?>
This whole thing is new to me and I am still searching for information regarding a vitamin D deficiency. If anyone can answer a question for me, that would be great and most helpful? Is a vitamin D level of 16 dangerously low?
To Sue,and anyone else
My dr put me on a liquid vitamin d3,which is in an olive oil base,you just need a drop or two a day.It is easier to digest for me,the powder or capsule forms don’t agree with me.So far I like it much better.Good luck,oh,I am also newly diagnosed with a low thyroid as well,and lots of things bother my stomach.Hope this helps….