View of Cow Creek as it flows in to the Missouri River, upstream from Cow Island, Missouri Breaks, Montana. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What is your Vitamin D Level?
I lived in Montana on the Missouri River, for 20 years, before moving to Alaska. We have sunny and bright winter days even though it is very cold there. I walked outside in the sun bundled up like a mummy! Our summers often hit 90 degrees but I got a lot of sunshine exposure or so I thought!
It is fabulous to grow gardens there with so much sunshine. I spent hours in the summer on our raft floating rivers, playing outside or hiking, Thinking my Vitamin D level was just fine being in the sun so much of the time.
Moving from Montana to Alaska:
When I moved to Alaska, I had vague complaints of muscle aches and pains. But, who doesn’t as you get older? My doctor at the time was implementing a study on her patients to see how many Alaskans are deficient in Vitamin D. I poo poo’d having my levels tested. After all, I had just moved here and was in the sun alot! But I went ahead and had the test done.
After getting my results back, I was absolutely SHOCKED! My doc told me my Vitamin D Level was, 10 ng/mL! She said I needed mega supplements!
What should your Vitamin D level be?
The normal range for Vitamin D is 30.0 to 74.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Each lab, physician or naturopathic physician has their own idea of what is low. But ,it is pretty much agreed upon that anything below 30 is not good. High end target range for Vitamin D levels vary with each practitioner, but seems to be around 40-50. However, Mine wanted my levels in the 70’s.
My journey continues:
Missouri River (Photo credit: cm195902)
So, I spent the next 8 years taking mega Vitamin D2 supplements. Vitamin D2 didn’t seem to make much of an impact in raising my vitamin D blood levels.
Vitamin D3 is the preferred way to supplement. Even so, with taking large doses of D3, my Vitamin D levels had only come up to 22 ng/mL. However that is still considered a very sub therapeutic level.
Change of Doctor:
I continued to have fatigue and lots of muscle pain issues. In January of 2012, I decided to see a naturopath physician, because traditional western medicine had not helped me much at all.
Gluten Enters the Medical Problems:
My naturopath did more testing, finding a severe gluten intolerance! In other words, I have gluten intolerance to the point of almost adrenal fatigue. After that, I was off of gluten for 4 weeks. Then retesting my blood showed an increase in my Vitamin D levels, from 22 ng/mL to 44 ng/mL! A HUGE change just from being off gluten!
What symptoms do you have if you have a low Vitamin D level?
Wed MD states that bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. But for many people there are hardly any symptoms! What we do know is that low blood levels of vitamin D have been associated with the following:
- Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Cognitive impairment in older adults
- Severe asthma in children
- Cancers
What should I do next:
So what should you do to make sure your Vitamin D level in a healthy range? Ask your health care provider to order a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. Then see what your levels are, and go from there.
I’ll be sharing information on low Vitamin D being linked to psychosis in teens, next.
I dont think people realize their Vitamin D levels really are important for Fatigue, Bones mass and stress levels
Oh Im sure mine is not what it should be!! Living in Wisconsin we get such little sun most days of the year lol!! I do take supplements though!!
For so many people it is hard to get the adequate amount of Vitamin D from the sun so supplementation is a must! I’m not sure what my levels are. I am in the sun a lot but should have them checked. I just wish you didn’t have to pay to get it checked.
Vitamin D is good in the sunshine. The UV rays are bad so wear sunscreen too.
This is a very interesting article to me as I just learned today my older son is Vitamin D deficient . I knew Vit. D from the sun but I never would have known all these other things your blogged about. Thanks you so much for this information
AnnH don’t think twice about starting your son on 3-5,000 IU of oral vitamin D3..but make sure it is D3. I take 10,000 IU daily! I feel so much better.
How interesting… I suffer from muscle aches and fatigue as well, especially in the winter. I bet my D level is super low.
Very interesting information. I have some of the symptoms described above. A good reminder to start taking my vitamins! Thank you : )
I just got my bloodwork back yesterday, and my D is half what it should be. The doctor prescribed me a very large booster dose of D, and I will probably have to take it for the rest of my life. Thank you for the info.
I take some everyday. It does seem to help a little with the winter doldrums.
I have malabsorption issues and take 100,000 units of dry vit. d3 everyday. My vit. D has been super slow to respond to rising. It actually started going up more when I added magnesium and potassium to my vitamin regime in the morning. My initial Vit. D level was 3, I’m not up to 20, but it’s taken two years of 100K i.u. everyday to get it there. I have to take dry vit. d (not the oil kind) because I malabsorp 90% of fat that I eat.
Thank you for sharing this information, This is something I need to check with my doctor .
Have a great day!
I recently have been having fatigue and muscle issues. I will get this test.
6 months of the year I do getting plenty of sunshine (with an abundance of sublock on my face and hands, however!). Regardless, my doctor told me to take supplements and I do. I am now reading into the benefits of mega-doses of D – there may be additional benefits.
I obviously take D supplements. Your Vit D level should be checked every few months to make sure you don’t suddenly go over but I don’t think that occurs very often in people who have low Vit D to begin with.
I have malabsorption issues so I’m chronically suffering from low vit. D levels. I take 100,000 units of Dry D a day. I found that my levels were static, until I added magnesium, copper and zinc every other day. My levels have come up some. It will be a while before they reach a “normal” level. Taking calcium throughout the day has helped a lot too.
I have been taking D3 for the past several months to try and get around the winter blues. I need sunshine! Not sure if it is helping since this winter has been somewhat mild.
My doctor, who never recommends supplements without first seeing a deficiency, recommended D for me and I am so glad she did!
Yes MD…there are lots of other fantastic benefits.
I would like to start taking vitamins everyday. It seems like I have no energy during the day but at night time I have all kinds of energy!!
I take Vitamin D and have felt a lot better after doing so. I live in the North East United States.
So happy to have raised my Vit. D levels to normal after working hard at it for 2 years when I found out they were low. Now take it daily to hopefully keep it up.
I have a niece that just found out her Vitamin D levels were very low. I was surprised when she said everything that it can affect. I need to have mine checked! Thanks for the article!
Renee it is such an easy test! And can make such a difference in how you feel if you need supplementation! Go for it.
I have never had my vit D level checked before so I guess maybe I should do that, thanks for the advice!!!
This is very interesting. I might check into this.
I think I need to take more vitamin D :/
wow! i think i will start being more diligent about getting out in the sun and making sure my family and i are getting enough vit d!
I have vitamin D added to my blood 3 times a week through dialysis
I don’t know exactly what my Vitamin D level is but, I know it isn’t low. 🙂 I love cereal and cheese lol. A few months ago I had blood work and I was low on Vitamin B, so I had to start getting a shot once a week for 6 weeks… I also started taking vitamins, I finished the 6 weeks and I guess all is well, they took my blood work again the last day before I received the final shot and I’ve heard nothing….so I guess no news is good news.
Great article – I was told that I needed to take supplements because of my MS. There is so much that science is finding out about basic vitamins and minerals and our lack of them.
Vitamin D is very important in all aspects of our health. In order too get your levels up did a doctor give your a dose of D3 to take a day? Thank you for your post.
Hi Sue,
Yes my doctor started out giving me 50,000 D2 but it didn’t bring it up..You need D3
AND it still didn’t bring it up much until I found I was gluten intolerant and quit eating gluten. THEN my D levels came double up in 1 month!
I was reading about this awhile back and I absolutely agree. Children do not get enough sunshine. My granddaughter is two and when I have her she has her TV time but then we have outside time. We play in the garden or watch the birds. I have an exercise ball and I take it outside and she rolls it around the yard. She loves outside. I just hope I can keep her interested in the outdoors as she gets older.
Never realized lack of Vitamin D could cause those problems. Now I will make sure we get plenty of time in the sun 🙂
Wow, I never realized this. During the school year my kids don’t get a chance to get outside due to the demands of homework. This may be something to discuss with the doctor.
Thank you for the article. Very interesting.
Great picture. I miss the mountains. I think I will just pop multivitamins everyday and not worry.
I’m taking Vitamin D to help control osteoporosis. I have a cousin who I wonder if she knows her levels. She seems sad and depressed all the time. I didn’t know the connection with depression. Thanks so much for this great info.
this was a good thing to know i need to get more Vitamin D in my daughters diet then
I have checked my vitamin D levels and your article has helped me so much! I am now taking a daily supplement and am happy to say that I am warding off dementia, cancer, etc. Thanks so much for your informative article! You rock!
Thanks for the articles on Vitamin D. I also have extremely low levels of Vitamin D and this caused horrible muscle cramping. I couldn’t even sleep at night because of the cramps and if I relaxed at all, the cramps would start. I was miserable. I researched on the internet about the cause of muscle cramps and it said Vitamin D deficiency was one cause. I started taking Vit D3 and the muscle cramps stopped. Also I have not had any asthma attacks since I started taking D3.
Oh wow… I had no idea low Vitamin D could be so bad! I really need to get mine checked then. I’m tired all the time and have other things going on that make me think I’m probably low in a lot of areas. Thanks for letting me know about how serious this is!
Thanks for this info…especially important now that we’re starting into the dreary winter months! I keep saying I’m going to get my levels tested, but need to get to it. I do take a supplement every day and make a point to get some outdoor exercise a few times a week, and I definitely feel better when I stick with these routines.
i was recently told to take vitamin d, but not how much,so i researched and found out if you get a good balance of foods with vd and r in the sun a little,you dont need it.
Vitamin D is being linked to a number of chronic diseases. I agree that getting your vitamin D level checked is very important. Physicians are now realizing the importance of this vitamin.
awesome article i think i will start taking vitamin d pills
thanks for the information!!!! Finally someone writes it in a way that the lay person can understand!!!!!!!!
I Recently had my levels checked and was told they were low so I started taking D supplements, I also give supplements to my son
Thanks for a thought provoking and imperative post for all, there are many who suffer from SAD as well during winter months.
I don’t know what my Vitamin D level is
Great food for thought and additional reading, especially in the winter months we are just coming up on. I am glad your article noted and I hope people caught that taking supplements is not likely to be the solution. Our bodies may not absorb the ingredients or the ingredients actually may not be usable by our bodies due to manufacturing processes. Thank you for articles like this to teach (or remind) us about possible reasons for health issues. I am going for a walk in the sunshine as soon as the sun comes out from being the storm clouds. I wonder if the vit d makes it through the clouds….
Wow I’ve never really delved into the effects of not enough vitamin D! I just assumed I was getting enough with a multi-vitamin, but this is worth getting checked out, thanks!
Thank you for this! I am the caregiver to my 59yr old mother who suffers from severe dementia and I am constantly trying to improve her way of life in whatever way I can. She was recommended to take B12 shots but I am going to speak with her doctor at next months appointment about checking her Vitamin D levels. She doesnt get out much now, and with the dementia she has a great deal of cognitive impairment. Maybe this would help her a bit? Thanks
I don’t know what my level is but I do take a Vitamin D supplement everyday. Until reading your article I had no idea the danger to one’s health having low levels of vitamin D. I am achy and suffer from fatigue most days and though I take a supplement perhaps I don’t take enough. I have a checkup scheduled for the end of the month I will have a blood test done then to check my levels…thanks for this excellent posting.
I’m not sure what my level is. Last year my husband had to be put on prescription Vitamin D because his was low. He was experiencing extreme fatigue and knew something was up. I’m glad I made him go get himself checked out.
I am not sure what mine is, I should find out because I am really interested in keeping my body healthy with out medical intervention.
Very good read. It amazes me how interconnected our bodies are. I had no idea how gluten was related to vitamin D — and their combined effects on the body. Thank you for sharing.
I too am low in Vitamin D My doctor suggested D 3 so I hope it raises as yours did. I have fibromyalgia so already have aches and pains and don’t need more!
I had no idea low vitamin D levels could cause so many problems until recently. I seriously think I may need to get mine checked. My step mom has low vitamin D levels and they just told her to spend more time in the sun. I haven’t been to the doctors in a while and I think it is about time for me to pay them a visit.
Thank you for the information, I battle low Vitamin D!
Wow, thanks for the information. I had no idea how important it was & the effects that having low vitamin D could have on you. I better start taking a supplement.
This is good to understand. I have low vitamin D and I have to take medicine to increase it. It’s getting better but the things that could happen if you don’t increase your Vitamin D scares me. Glad I have a good doctor.
I had no idea that muscle weakness could mean low Vitamin D levels! Good to know!
I had no idea that low Vitamin D levels were so detrimental! I’ve lived in the southwest and Hawaii for the past 10 years, so I get plenty of sun, but my parents work graveyard shifts every other month and are hardly ever in the sun. I think this could be why they are constantly fatigued and sore. I’ll let them know!
I never realised that a vitamin D deficiency could have such a wide range of impacts. Nor did I know thta there were a number of different types of vitamin D
I’m in WI, much like Montana plenty of sun…yet I’m low on D too. I take a vitamin D pill. It does help. My doc said it can also contribute to not being able to shed pounds.
Kinda scary to think that you may be lacking a certain vitamin that is essential to one’s health. I rarely go to the doctor’s so I’m not sure how much my levels are. I usually go when I’m really really sick which is rare so I hope that’s an indication of good levels of all vitamins in my body. I should really go get regular check ups just in case.
wow, your Vitamin D level was low! I wonder if it has any correlation with ear infections in children…and if cod liver oil with vitamins A&D can help.
I haven’t had my levels taken in a couple years but i know that they were super low. The only reason that my OBGYN had me take a D3 supplement once a week was because we were experiencing infertility, and low D levels can effect that.
My best friend and roommate from college learned a few years ago that her vitamin D level was alarmingly low. Six to twelve months later she found out that she had pancreatic cancer and has subsequently passed. I don’t know if there was any connection, but her low vit. D may have left her more susceptible to cancer. As for me, I have to avoid the sun due to my lupus, and I take it 2-3 times daily for my fibromyalgia. Additionally, my husband, after hearing a number of doctors reporting on tv of the importance of Vit. D3, has been taking it daily as a preventative. Good blog, Colleen. Thanks.
I live in northwest Georgia but I’m still going to get my Vitamin D level checked now!
After reading your post I realize I have many of the symptoms you described that are associated with low Vitamin D levels. Thank you SO much for this information!!!
I never realized how much Vitamin D can affect our health. I do take a general supplement, but maybe I should get my level checked. Thanks for all this info.
thanks for the info on vitamin D I am sure I am low on it and many other vitamins so I am going t0 start taking a suplement
Thanks so much for the blog!! This was really interesting for me because I don’t think I am getting enough vitamin D either. I will definitely look into getting more into my diet, thanks!!!
I have been taking Vitamin D for about a year, upped the dosage from 600 to 1000 IU. I feel somewhat better and have been doing a lot of reading about the safety of higher dosages as well as the claims of miraculous cures. It is hard to know what the truth is. I have started taking vitamin K, as it helps with the calcium, vitamin D synergy.
I’ve had low D on and off for years. Twice I was put on prescription strenght of 50,000iu once a week. I was doing well when I was taking 5000iu daily easily available at Walmart. Now that I have a whole host of other health problems my D levels went down to 22. I had been off my supplement for a short time. My Holistic health doctor has recommended that I take vitamin D drops so now I get 3000ius daily subligually. Good information. We all need to take command of our own health and take the USDA’s recommendations with a grain of salt, I think they recommend like 400ius!
I take vitamin D and have for a while. My Doctor said it was causing the dark circles under my eyes. I did not even know that was even a symptom.
Very informative post…thanks!
Glad you have taken care of yourself. I don’t know my levels, but I am sure they are not optimum. Maybe I should start taking a one a day?
Wow, I have no ideal what my level is, I know that I don’t get as much sun as I should, but I burn so easy. Something to really think about at my next checkup.
I have the same aches and fatigue, and other than a Lyme dx, they never have found the culprit…bacterial, viral, or other component. I did have a lot of tests done and besides low white count they said my D was low. It was 19 at last check. I was given mega doses to be taken every other day and told to retest. Back then, in Feb., I was just getting into going outside for some sun and it seemed to help. Now I am back in the dark and sick as can be. With the terrible heat this summer in July and Aug, I know I didnt get out enough. I had no idea the D3 is what needs supplementing. I know I need to see a Naturopathic doc as my western med MD’s have been no help for over 11 years. They all said, quite angrily, when I asked if I could have mineral or vitamin imbalances, parasites, etc…that only people in 3rd world countries have these kinds of deficiencies. That was probably about 10 years ago and now more has come about concerning our American diet and lack of MANY if not most vitamins and minerals, etc…and other factors like yours that can limit the absorption of these very important vitamins and minerals. I sure hope our country gets their ‘stuff’ together before the next generation suffers such rotten maladies just because we don’t get the SIMPLE things we need and docs are too stuck in the pharmaceutical dept. to TELL people about some of these simple fixes! So glad you got the help you needed!
My husband just found out he has low Vit. D – I’ll have to have mine checked as well.
Ive been taking vitamin D supplements for about 6 years now, and feel great
My boyfriend and I were thinking about moving to Alaska. He used to attend college there and has been wanting to move there permanently. If we do go this is something I’ll have to keep in mind!
holy cow…this is a gorgeous picture. I just sat and looked at it for 10 minutes. ANd i never realized that gluten was affected by vitamin D.
Living in FL we get a lot of vitamin D as a family however this has made me think about my grandmother at age 90 and stuck inside in a nursing home. 24 hrs a day everyday. Today I am going to talk to her nurse about additional vitamins. Thank you.
I have been on the verge of contacting my doctor to see if they can find a reason as to why I have also been having constant malaise, fatigue, muscle & joint pain. I did just have back surgery 10mos ago, so I know that some of my pain comes from the healing process & the weakness of a lot of my muscles due to that, but I feel like it goes deeper than that. I have never really thought that the answer could be as simple as adding a vitamin to my daily regime. A lot of my friends have been recently finding that they are feeling physically healthier with the absence of Gluten in their diets too. One friend even has Fibromyalgia & she has found it to be a huge help. Now I am very curious to see what that blood test may reveal about my Vitamin D level & if a gluten free diet may change that, if it is low. Thank you for this info!
i never would have believed that vitamin D deficiency could lead to asthma in children…. i definitely will be speaking to my doctor as soon as i am able to afford health insurance and see if that may be part of my problem with severe fatigue.
My sister and I just talked about this. She works with kidney disease patients and was telling me a correlation. I had no idea that a gluten allergy could bring on low levels of D!
I don’t know what my levels are at but my Dr had me start taking supplements a couple of years ago along with my anti depressants. It does seem to help. Next time I see him I’ll ask about the levels. Thank you for a very informative post. 🙂
Thank you for the great information. I also have low Vit D and I will try a gluten free diet. I am looking forward to trying some of your recipes.
Great information. Most people have no idea how important it is to be aware of there Vitamin D levels and that it is something that should be checked especially if you haven’t been feeling well.
I wish there was a cost effective way to address this. I know something is off, but I am kind of stuck.
I’ve been taking multi vitamins and just keep plugging along.
I had no idea that gluten can affect absorption of vitamins. I drink a lot of milk and eat plenty of dairy products but I think I should have levels checked anyway. I take B complex vitamins, and a C vitamin along with Omega 3,6 and 9. I find it very intriguing about your next article about teens and vitamin D. Definitely will be reading that! Thanks for the info!
I live in WI, its getting closer to winter and I’m pretty sure I am deficient in Vitamin D. When doc checked two years ago I was so deficient she had to write me a script for Vit D because it didn’t come in a large enough dose OTC. Lets hope it’s not the same once I finally go in to the lab.
I also have never had mine checked. Never really thought about this. Thanks for the information you posted.
Wow I really dont know my D level but I guess I better have that checked! Thanks so much! Momma always said u always learn something new everyday! And I did today!
My husband was told last year that he should start taking supplements. I need to have my levels checked as well. I feel like this might be one of the reasons I have been feeling so tired all the time!
This post has really made me think about my supplementation! Who knew one vitamin could have such a big effect on your overall health? My mother in law is gluten intolerant and keeps insisting I just try going gluten free for a couple weeks and see how it makes me feel. Maybe I should? Worth a try I guess 🙂
i definitely need to increase my vitamin d.. i rarely go outside!
This was so imformative! I’m gonna get my d levels checked!
Great article! Everyone should be aware of their vitamin D and calcium levels too. I’m actually EXTREMELY low on vitamin D and I have to take at least 1000 units daily,and I still wind up being on the low side from time to time.I would never have known of my almost non-existent levels if I didn’t have the best endocrinologist in the world 🙂
Very good information…I need to pay more attention to my levels and my children! I was told recently that my son’s levels were low even though we spend a lot of time outdoors.
This is why I love living in sunny Florida!
My husband has very low Vitamin D levels, even though he is on a prescription plus OTC supplements. I have never heard of the gluten/Vitamin D link…I am going to do some research on it now. I’m really glad I saw this! Thank you. 🙂
I’m very lucky to live in a very sunny area, have pale skin, I have decent levels without supplementation just from diet and sun exposure. I make sure my kids and I have some exposed skin when we go out, and don’t put sunscreen on unless we’ll be out for more than 15 mintues (and do it after that first 15 minutes) so our bodies can produce enough!
I see that you say a low Vit D level can cause cancer. I have recently been diagnosed with cancer and I have always thought my vit D levels were ok. I’m not exactly sure where they are, but next time I go to my oncologist, I am going to ask, if nothing more than for curiosity! I will def start taking a supplement if need be, though I am trying my best to be on an alkaline diet.
i too take a D3 suppliment every day. I’m glad that your gluten free made your mls come up! its going to be hard for me to give up the gluten, but it seems like it must be worth it to increase that much!
Very interesting. I am now wondering what my Vitamin D level is! Gluten intolerance is getting more and more common these days. I work outside in the spring, summer & fall. I think I get enough sun in those months. However in winter, not so much. I am going to work on that this winter! Happy to hear you have had positive results! 🙂
I think most of us have low levels of vitamin D. I wonder though, does taking the supplements help with leg cramping? I went to a health food store and the gal suggested a little pill that dissolves under your tongue. The problem with those are that it was $8/bottle and one had to take one every 4 hours. (which she nor the exterior of the box said) So, it is good to know D3 is what to take for a deficiency. I would have just bought D. Thanks for the post.
Wow I have no clue what mine is. Ive been thinking about doing a daily vitamin. Next time I’m going to ask my DR because I know Im low on something or things. I just feel run down a lot.
i have never been tested for vitamin d but living in hawaii i always assumed i would be ok- i will get checked at my next appt- did not know that absorption could be affected by things like gluten issues. thanks for the info 🙂
I thought you got vitamin D from the sun, is this as big a health concern for men as women? Now I want to go to the doctor…I haven’t been in a while and if taking some Vitamins could make a difference in how I fell, I am in. Thank you for the information, I cannot believe how much I did not know.
I am the worlds worst person and knowing the pro’s and cons of Vitamins! I had no clue what Vitamin D did for us and are everyday living. looks like I better keep up on reading. Lord knows what else am I missing…ekkkk. thank You for all the great info.
I don’t understand quite how I DON’T get enough Vitamin D. I live in a beach town, by the ocean, spend a LOT of time outside and live in a light-filled home. So why is my Vit. D low? (accd. to my doc, it is). Is this something new in our lives? Or have we always had this problem?
This is kind of scary! I need to get mine checked for sure. I also have been considering going gluten free for awhile or at least start cutting back so this might be yet another reason for that.
I have an intolerance to gluten too. Once I cut that out, I found I have more energy! I also take liquid Vitamin D each day.
Thanks for all the great info. I don’t think I’ve ever had my levels checked but maybe I should.
Thankyou so much for this info. Many have no idea about how important Vitamin D is to our health – our bones, cells, everything. The Sun has been scorned for causing cancer when in fact it prevents cancer with proper levels according to your skin type, antioxidant intakes.
Yikes. I was at 13 then increased 22 just with d2 and sun. I know I need to be rechecked but thanks for the reminder. I also probably need to look into other causes like you.
Wow, I had no idea that Vitamin D was so important! I’m glad cutting out gluten from your diet helped with your Vitamin D absorption issues.
Wow what a great informative review on vitamin D-I’m really surprised that my Dr. hasn’t questioned or talked to me about checking my vitamin D levels with all the health issues I have.I’m going make sure I have that done soon. And for the part on gluten-I just have come to the conclusion that we all need to stay away from gluten as much as we can and as far as Vitamin- D and gluten together I would like to read more on the connection there as well. Thanks for sharing your story and insight-it has opened up some concerns of mine and I will ask my Dr.about them. I don’t think the Dr.’s talk alot about Vitamin D. I wonder why????
I saw on Dr. Oz that the ONE vitamin that can really change how you feel is Vitamin D….My dad has started on it and is feeling much better. My aunt swears by a gluten-free diet, but I have yet to make that leap! Hope your absorption improves, thanks for the great article!
I certainly learned something new today after reading your post. I’ve often wondered if I have a problem, since it seems I feel fatigued quite often. I will be seeing my physician soon and will be asking about this. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I have a suspicion my vitamin D levels are low. I think my doctor has tested me but next time I go in for my physical I will definitely ask my doctor to test my vitamin D.
Always knew Vit D was very important, but didn;t realize you could be tested for it. Guess thats one more thing to add to the list to talk to my doc when I go in for my anual physical.
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I’ve never gotten it checked, but the doc says I’m in good health. Maybe something to look into…
Thanks for the reminder. Haven’t been taking my D lately and I’m not much of a milk drinker, although I have been eating more cheese lately.
Nobody ever talks about Vitamin D. I see it on the milk carton but that’s about it. Thanks for the great info.
Magnesium helps with vitamin d absorption. But, we went gluten free here for my son, and when I slip up and eat it, I feel like I’m hungover or I have arthritis.
I have had some serious health issues since about 2008 and the doctors can’t figure out what is wrong. At first they thought I had mono, then CFS, and now a heart condition called POTS. I continue to battle fatigue and muscle pains, so I know how you feel. I had one doctor tell me that low Vitamin D was just a “fad” and there’s no serious need to take medicine for it. I hope you are doing well! Thanks for the great post! =)
Wow, I may have to get some tests and see what my levels are.
I had no idea Vitamin D affected so many things! Thanks for the info 🙂
I had NO idea that insufficient Vita D could cause so many problems! I have been reading that it is important for your calcium use, so you need it for your bones.. but so much else! Wow.
I live in northern MN so I KNOW I don’t have enough sun exposure all winter long. I think I need to re-think the old wive’s rule that “you MUST take your cod liver oil” daily. I remember that. YUCK. But how right they were.
I see now I have a lot of options to take that bad tasting medicine to avoid the bad taste. I am convinced now to look into a good source of Vita D for myself and my family.
I had no idea that gluten affected Vitamin D at ALL! Thanks for the information!
I am a serious believer in having a sufficient amount of Vitamin D in our bodies. I live in Northwestern Ontario where we have a major issue with lack of sun and therefore lack of Vitamin D. I try to take my daily dose of D every day with a multivitamin as well but alas I am terrible at remembering to take pills everyday! {Hence, how I got pregnant with my first daughter ;)} But, somehow my children remember about their vitamin everyday (why can’t I take mine then?) and they also take a children’s multi as well as a children’s vitamin D. Another plus with Vitamin D: it is one of the cheapest vitamins out there! So why not grab a bottle next time you’re at Wal-Mart!?
So glad I ran across you site! My vit. D level has been low for several years and nothing seems to be helping it raise except at a very low rate and drops really quick sometimes so now i have the gluten free diet to try and see if that will get it back up. I am so tired all of the time and really really want my energy back. Thank you for sharing your story and I look forward to reading more.
Never have thought about my vitamin D level–as you I live in S. Idaho– Hot HOt summers, cold winter–great gardens– lots of sun– camping,fish hikes, the whole thing– Very interesting article– I will be checking us all out soon–thanks
Colleen,
I just had my Vitamin D level checked about two months ago and it came back fine. I hope you are well on your way to recovery. I had no idea there were so many types of vitamin D and how important it is to have the levels checked. Thank you for such an informative blog.
never know this could cause so many health problems.
This is a very imformative post. I have an allergy to the sun so stay out of it as much as possible, I will definitely get my numbers checked. I never thought about the Vit D aspect of not getting sunlight. Thanks again.
This was very imforming to me. I learned alot. When I go in afew weeks to my doctor I think we need to discuss my level of vitamin D
I started taking vitamin D3 last year. There are many great health benefits of taking this supplement. I have a friend that lives in Montana where they don’t get a lot of sun exposure and her Dr. said her whole family should be taking it. So based on that I started taking vitamin D3 last year.
take vitamin d and will rec heck levels in 2 weeks
I’m so glad you wrote about this and I found it! My doc just checked my levels and they were on the low end of normal. He has me on a new sun regime (with sunscreen, of course), and I’m already sleeping a TON better! I don’t think many are very aware of this deficiency, I know I wasn’t!
WOW, This was very informative. I was not really aware of any issues of vitamin D and I don’t think I have ever had my numbers checked for this, however I will now. Thank You so much for bringing issues like this to us and informing us on how to deal and discuss these kind of things with the Doctors. You are awesome and I am a new fan but am very glad I found your blog!!
I was advised to start taking D3 supplements after moving north, as well. I don’t usually take any in the summer, since I seem to get enough sunlight, but when my hair starts falling out or I start getting sick more frequently, I know it’s time to start up again. I don’t believe I ever knew my exact level – I should dig around in my medical records to find out. Thanks for the informative article!
I know my vitamin D is very low I have vitamin D Deficiency & when the Dr. tested they had to test me for rickets because it was so low.Thank God it came back that I do not have rickets
I have the same issue. I’ve been taking large doses of vitamin d and still no change. My brother, a celiac, thinks that i should be tested for celiac disease. I’m also a vegan, so I’ve been hesitant, but it’s nice to know of gluten free vegans that are thriving!
I’m suppose to take vitamin d cause i’m vitamin d defficent, but I can’t afford them. Thinking about taking chewables from the shelf.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING ON VITAMIN D..MINE HAS BEEN VERY LOW FOR OVER A YEAR,I WAS TAKING VITAMIN D MY DR HAD ME DO BLOOD WORK AND HE COULDNT BELIEVE HOW LOW IT WAS AND STILL IS..I HAD NO IDEAL LOW VITAMIN D COULD DO SO MUCH TO YOU..I HAVE THE LEG CRAMPS ,STAY SO TIRED ALL I WANT TO DO IS SLEEP..ALL I WAS TOLD BY MY DR WAS HE DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG MAKING IT STAY SO LOW, THAT IT DID RUN IN FAMILYS..HE DIDNT TELL ME I WOULD STAY SO TIRED THO..I NOW HAVE A NEW DR ,JUST SAW HER AND HAD BLOOD WORK DONE..MAYBE SHE CAN HEKP ME..
I had very low vitamin D levels years ago. My doctor discovered I had a problem with my parathyroid glands. I believe the two were linked. They did surgery on me which if I had known the two problems were connected I wouldn’t have had the surgery. But I still have to take lots of D because living in a hot humid climate I don’t go outside much. And with sunscreens blocking the source of the vitamin D conversion meaning the sunshine it makes it doubly difficult to get it. I found I couldn’t take the D doctors prescribed because they gave me an overdose. Be careful not to take it without getting your levels checked. I take the raw D by vitamin Code which has been great.
This sounds a little scary! I will definitely discuss Vit D levels testing with my doctor. Thanks!
I have had my levels checked, but my doctor simply said my level was normal. After reading your article, I think I need to ask what the actual level was. I have fibromyalgia and have lots of muscle pain. I suffer all the time with pain and the meds simply take the edge off. I would love to find a way to bring the pain down to a more manageable level. I do take D3 every day, because I KNOW I don’t get enough time in the sun. I am going to make a notation about this so I will remember to talk to my doctor about this at my next visit in Oct. Thanks for the post!
I had my Vitamin D tested and it was 4. I started on a high dose Vitamin D. Unfortunately, I am an example of what low Vitamin D can do as I suffered a heart attack a month after having been tested. Keep taking your vitamins – it does make a difference.
I probably need this test too. I don’t think I have ever been tested for anything like this. Thanks for the tip!
I had never thought abt this before but it sure would make sense out of the symptoms that both my daughter and I have had. Both of us have been diagnosed with depression and are on meds. However, the symptoms described still exist. I think I will be looking into getting our levels checked. Thanks for the heads-up!
Interesting post, Colleen! Vitamin D3 also plays a role in depression as well. I was told by my doctor it might help taking some with seasonal depression in particular and it was recommended as a supplement when I was pregnant with my daughter for nausea among other things too.
I have very low vitamin day and was told to take a large dose every day. But, now after reading this post… I think I will actally take it everyday. I didn’t realize it affected me cardiovascually and even cancer. Ouch. Thanks for the post.
I’m so glad to see this article. For many years my grandmother said she thought we were all vitamin D deficient and would school us about it regularly. That was a long time ago and as I got older, I tucked the info away and disregarded it. Recently I realized that she was most certainly correct. My Vitamin D levels are severely lacking and when I began to make an effort to get those levels back to where they needed to be, most of my health problems (i.e. aches, pains, joint inflammation) all began to disappear.
I always thought drinking vitamin D milk would be enough for your Vitamin D needs. This makes me realize that it’s time to get a vitamin supplement.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I just now am beginning to wonder if this is a problem for me too. The sad thing is many doctors in the U.S. do not even address such an issue!
I have Vitamin D drops on my shopping list. I have already been giving them to my baby but I know my whole family is supposed to be getting extra Vit D. My doctor’s office has pamphlets on it and supposedly most people are low on it! I live in the fraser valley so we get some nice sun but also a lot of sunless days.
Just found out my D is low…so I have to take it for the rest of my life!!!
I take Vitamin D everyday but I did not know this. Wow good information, it’s always good to know this. Gotta get checked soon then. Thanks
I’m glad to see your publication on Vitamin D. I was reading a medical journal article the other day about people with joint pain and Vitamin D deficiency and how the two can be related. Even those who live in sunny areas like Florida or Hawaii are subject to Vitamin D deficiency. Thanks for the good read!
I really should have my levels checked — being in Canada during the winter it’s very limited sunlight exposure during the day and my outdoor activities are also minimal since I HATE the cold weather.
I also had no idea that low levels of Vitamin D could affect so many things. I will have mine checked the next dr. appt I have. Thanks for sharing this useful info.
Thanks for the information. I will certainly get my Vitamin D levels checked!
I’ve never gotten it checked, but the doc says I’m in good health. Maybe something to look into…
Wow! I didn’t know vitamin D could affect your health so drastically. I will be getting my levels checked soon!
I had my levels checked a few years ago and was told they were low. I’ve been taking D3 since then. I just got Calcium supplements that have D2 so but I will supplement with D3 every other day also. I want good levels but I don’t want to overdo it either. I need to find out more about gluten intolerance. Thanks for sharing this.
Like so many others, I don’t believe that I have had my Vitamin D levels checked. If I have, my doctor has not mentioned anything to me. Although I drink milk daily, the only supplement that I take is a multi-vitamin, which only has 1000 IU of Vitamin D3. I never knew how important it was to maintain a healthy level of this vitamin. I have an upcoming doctor appointment in a couple weeks, so I will check into what my count is. I found the article very interesting and informative. Thanks.
I really need to get mine checked I didnt know there was a test for this
I don’t believe I have ever had my Vitamin D levels checked before. This is some food for thought and I think I should be getting my checked now.
My Vitamin D level has never crossed my mind at all until I read your article. I have never thought about what low Vitamin D levels could do to my body. Thank you for your information!
What a great blog article. I had no idea why Vitamin D was so important to our health. Thanks so much for the info. Time to spend more time out of doors.
I take a Vitamin D/Calcium/Magnesium supplement every single day. I spoke with my primary doctor to see if she could do a blood test to see if I was deficient but she said No because she felt everyone was deficient to some extent. She simply recommended I take a higher dose of Vitamin D. I wasn’t too pleased with her response because I really wanted to see what my levels were. I have an appointment to see her in the next couple of weeks and I think I will persist and ask her to draw some blood. If she refuses, I will speak with my G.I. doctor to see if he will do it. I am a colon cancer survivor and feel it’s important I know what my levels are since they are saying that there might be a link to colon cancer and low levels of Vitamin D.
Thanks for the info! I used to go indoor tanning regularly and lately I’ve become a lot more safety-conscious about the dangers of skin cancer. I didn’t even think about how the SPF30 I’m slathering on might be reducing my Vitamin D levels, I’ll have to get them tested at my next check-up!
i really have no idea what my level is.
I have never had my vitamin D levels tested and had no idea what the normal ranges are. Thanks for the very informative post!
i had to be put on vit. d supplements a couple years ago. i had no idea that we actually need that much. i thought with all the milk i drink and the veggies i eat i would have had enough, but i was wrong.
I had never heard this before. It’s too bad they didn’t have a home test for that – seems so much easier. You wouldn’t have to go to the dr. just to see if supplements, etc were working. At least you found your answer!
I didn’t know all of this. It seems like Doctors are testing everyones vitamin d level and just about everyones is low. I am on vit D pills too. I was told it was best to take it everyday! I am in the sun too! Not as much as I used to be. This might explain why everyone is crazy!!! Ha! ha!!
I am surprised on how it affects us though!! Thanks for your great information.
Wow very interesting article. I don’t think that most of us think about Vitamin D. We always here about Vitamin B and C. I know I do not drink a lot of milk and I do not get in the sun a lot. Definitely something to think about getting checked out. Thanks so much for sharing this.
I had no idea it was linked to some of those things. Yikes! I’ve never had my levels checked either. I’m seriously thinking about it now. Who knows, maybe that’s why I feel so drained.
Thanks for the article. I wouldn’t have even thought about it otherwise.
Unfortunately my vitamin D level is quite low! I burn so easily that I try to stay out of the sun…and I hate milk, lol. I recently started taking supplements to help with this! Hopefully my levels will be where they should be!
After having 2 knee replacements & surgery in my right knee again because of infection, i was having problems healing. Bloodwork was done again, I was way low on Vit. D. I have been taking 5,000 for over a year, with a few other supplements & have lost over 56 pds. This was with no activity. I had been diagnosed with Fibro, neauropathy & severe arthritis also so my activity depends on good or bad days, but women need to keep their Vitamin D levels checked, I truly believe it was a major factor in losing my weight.
Blessings!
I’ve never had my Vitamin D level checked. I drink a lot of milk, but I work inside most days and wear sunscreen when I am out for any length of time, so maybe I should see where I’m at. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the article on Vitamin D. I have been reading quite a bit lately about the effects of not getting enough. I take 5,000 per day. I have seen a difference since starting this.
I have never check mine.your information its very intresting I think I should take the vitamins d
I take a supplement every day! It makes me feel better.
mine is bad and they got me on med now
I guess I need to check mine too! I live in the northwest.
I must et my level checked – thanks for the reminder.
I drink milk but never knew that someone could check that and that were so many different levels of vitamin D.Such a interesting and informative article. Thank you for the review
Hi Colleen.I do not believe that I have ever had my vitamin D levels checked.
Your article is so informative.Thanks so much
Your welcome!
I take vitamin D supplements every day, and need to go back and review my info to see where my numbers fall — I have fructose issues… and get allergic reactions from any type of fruit sugar (fructose) or corn. A few Drs suggest I have a secondary issue because my body is not a typical fructose allergy/intolerance type — wonder if it’s gluten? UG.
Well have them check it out…its nice to start feeling better when you find a practitioner that can really get some answers. Good luck.
I have no Idea what my leveal is,I was never told ,but from know on i will ask My MD.Thank you