I have read a lot of info about vitamn D deficiency and it's negative affects on the body. One is depression and a host of problems. I live in northeast Ohio so sunshine won't come for a while. I just ordered a ZRT blood Vit. d test to see if I am actually deficient. Has anyone else done this and has anyone had good results after supplementing Vit D -3 ? Peri-meno is bad enough but add Vit. d Def to it and it is worse from what I have read. Thanks ladies for any input you can give me.


Wendy _ Ohio

Hummm... well I've been taking Vit D3 for a long time now, and I've never had depression. Come to think of it, I'm usually pretty happy!! I also live in CA, so I get a lot of natural sunshine.

I've never had the test.

I am glad to hear that. My girlfriend used to live in CA ( Huntington Beach ) She seems much happier in the Sun of CA and is so depressed every winter in Ohio. I hope taking Vit D helps. I just wanted to do the test to actually confirm if I need more or not. I like hard numbers and not guessing when it comes to any Medical stuff. Thanks for sharing !


wendy

Hi there,

Just wanted to jump in here about this. I have never had my vitamin D levels tested, but at every check up visit with my doctor, he asks me if I'm taking my 1000 mgs of vitamin D. I do take it every day and also give it to my kids. They get 400 mgs. We live in the Great White North and get lots of sunshine in the summer months, but not in the winter.
I'm taking it to help prevent cancer. The fact that I feel well with it is a bonus!
There is a lot of good info on line about it and how much to take. All the new information based on recent studies are saying 1000 to 2000 mgs. for an adult.
Hope this helps.

Cathy

Thanks for the info. I have read a lot about it and there is a large range for dosing. Some need upwards of 4000mg in the winter. I wanted to acutally see if the test indicates a deficiency but I am sure I am. My fathers cardiologist has him take 2000mg daily without the blink of an eye. My mom is diabetic and she takes 2000 a day as well. I have a pool and I love summer but I cover up with sun block which I just found out inhibits Vit. D by 95 % even if you use a low SPF. I am fair skinned and burn easily so I have to use the sun block. I will have to take the Vit. D year round. I wonder how long it takes levels to go up if you are deificient ? I have not found that data anywhere. Thanks for responding and I too have my sons take D , especially in the winter. God Bless

Wendy-Ohio

[quote name='WAW' date='Feb 9 2009, 02:43 PM' post='266910']
I have read a lot of info about vitamn D deficiency and it's negative affects on the body. One is depression and a host of problems. I live in northeast Ohio so sunshine won't come for a while. I just ordered a ZRT blood Vit. d test to see if I am actually deficient. Has anyone else done this and has anyone had good results after supplementing Vit D -3 ? Peri-meno is bad enough but add Vit. d Def to it and it is worse from what I have read. Thanks ladies for any input you can give me.


Wendy,

I've been watching out for Vitamin D posts. I've been supplementing with calcitriol and drisdol for about eight years. I don't notice any huge improvement in depression, although my mood is improved. I use my 'happy light' during dark months and don't get a lot out of it. For me, depression = a disinterest in life, inability to get going. No feelings of sadness or worthlessness, more like my lights got switched from 100W to 20W. I find that no force of will can turn it around. It's hard to impossible to get anything done and then, come summer, I run around playing catch-up. I do feel much, much better between May - November, so am convinced there's a Vitamin D link at work here for me.

Elsewhere here on PS, there's a thread about Vitamin D. It contains a link to a 50-minute presentation by Michael Horlick. That cinched it for me. He draws a link to Vitamin D deficiency and (misdiagnosed) depression which is pretty compelling. Much of what he concludes is compelling, but that's another story. I hope you might be able to view it. After watching that video last week, I upped my dose of calcitriol. If i notice any super improvement, I'll post here.

I hope you find some help - I'm wishing you well.
GK

I've been taking 2,000 mil of Vit D-3 for a few weeks now and haven't noticed much of a difference in my mood.
Perhaps I need to increase my dose? Hmmmm. These dark, cold Connecticut days don't do me very well. C'mon spring!

All I can say about sun and depression is every year right about now, I so seriously need to be in the sun, heat and by the ocean.....:-) I know I feel much better when I'm in the sun and like gillk says, once the warmth and sun comes in spring it's a whole different ball game!


Cathy

I just saw a new Dr. here in sunny California whol told me that she puts all of her patients on 5000 mg of Vit D. Generally speaking most everyone is deficient. She also told me that she wouldn't run a blood test for about 6 months because that is how long it takes to build up in your system.

My pharmacist told me it can take 6 months to get levels back up. Nothing seems to be quick when you feel crappy:)

Wendy

I'm in NYC area and I also use sunblock in the summer. My Vitamin D came back 28 and my endocrinologist didn't even mention it to me. I had the report and saw it listed in the low column and researched it up and down. I decided that a lot of my hypothyroid problems, peri problems, and muscle pain, depression must also have a low vitamin d link too so I upped my daily from 1000 D3 to 2000 D3. I haven't noticed much difference either and I also started thyroid medication. I'm thinking of going up another 1000 per day for a week and then increasing again. So no results from me as yet either, but it's very important to up that dose and get your blood level checked. I believe a level of 50-70 is good for well being anything under 30 is insufficient and anything under 20 is deficient. I also take 1200 Fish oil too which has Vitamin D but not the D3 maybe?

It figgers...

It is importand to take calcium and magnesium with it to get the D 3 to work. Some suggest 1000mg calium & 500 mg magnesium with the D-3. How long have you been taking the D-3 ? I am taking 2000IU daily. I need to up my calcium & magnesium.

Blessings to you

Wendy

Well that is interesting. I will have to wait and see if it has a positive impact on my moods.

I am taking sooo many vitamins these days. Living in the north though, I can see why it is important to take Vitamin D.

Suzanne

Yah I know what you mean . I take a lot of vitamins but I figure that's better than pharmaceutical drugs. Depending on how Vit. D deficient a person is will determine how long it takes to kick in. For those of us in the North we will not be as fortunate as those down South. AHHH Florida, wouldn't that feel good right now


wendy- looking for the SUN

My son (15) has had depression over the last 4 years. Now they are looking at his D levels and his thyroid. His thyroid is off, the t3 anyway and they are trying a beta blocker for that.

For the vitamin D level, he was at 20 for levels and after the doctor prescribed a 50,000 unit once per week he's up to almost 50. His mood is better but I can't say for sure if it's the D vitamin or the fact that he's still on prozac. We will attempt to end that drug again this summer and see if his mood stays up. I can guess that it might be low vitamin D levels or the thyroid and not just depression.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...90111/20090111/

Has anyone tried inositol???
Here's an interesting article about it and depression (and cancer).


Cathy

I am glad your son is doing better. My youngest son will be 15 in July. I'd bet it was his Vit D deficiency. Time will tell. God Bless you and your family


Wendy _ Ohio

-- Has anyone tried inositol???

I heard about inositol and saw that it was in my B-complex vitamin. I started taking it about four weeks ago, when I was in a major anxiety crisis. I also got a light box and tried to exercise. I'm a bit better emotionally but still feel horrible physically (exhaustion, off balance, aches). I do have fibromyalgia, though, so that may be contributing. It had been under control for a long time but I hear it can flare during perimenopause.

At much urging my doctor finally decided to test my Vitamin D, which was at 9, which is extremely deficient. I had been having serious leg weakness and I'm sure this was contributing. After taking 50,000 IU of D3 a week for four weeks, my legs are a better but nothing too dramatic in the way I feel. My doctor only prescribed four pills and then said I should be retested.

I will get retested on Friday and it will be interesting to see what the four weeks of dridol did to my D levels. I will let everyone know.

By the way, I thought about taking calcium/magnesium levels with the D, but my calcium levels were borderline high at 10 so I decided not to. I haven't been able to get good information about why my D would be so abysmally low but my calcium on the high end. My doctor says it's because the calcium is in the blood instead of the bones.

Missy

Missy,

Am glad to see you're on Vitamin D. I don't quite understand the mechanism, but phosphorus is involved with calcium absorption. Did your MD check for it? Up above, I referred to Michael Holick's presentation which someone posted in a recent thread on Vitamin D levels . In this 50-minute presentation, he makes a compelling case for inadequate sun exposure causing Vitamin D deficiency leading to a host of disorders and serious health risks, depression and fibromyalgia among them. He gets into the heart of his case about half-way in. I am so grateful this presentaton was posted and saved the link. Here it is:

http://www.uvadvantage.org/portals/0/pres/

btw, I tried Inositol awhile back. Nothing.

Wishing you well,

GK

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My friend just e-mailed me and said she has had great results on 2000 IU of vitamin D . She has fibromyalgia and in post meno from surgery ( age 48 ) She started taking it last June , so it took several months for her to see results. I pray I have the same results. I have only been taking it a month so I am impatient A watched pot never boils I guess


wendy

As far as I know vitamin can help to fight depression but you should combine it with a therapy or the like. Vitamins can only help to be more active and feel relaxed and balanced. But they won't solve any other problems you have. I would also recommend getting as much natural vitamins as possible because vitamin pills aren't always the best way to treat deficiency.

It is suggested by the experts that you try 20 minutes in the sun before you apply your sunscreen. That is all the body requires to produce your daily Vit D. Which reminds me, with all the rain lately I better start taking my Vit D again!!