Plaque is the stuff of coronary heart disease. It is CONTROLLABLE, it is STOPPABLE, it is REVERSIBLE.
But you must be equipped with the right information on diet, nutritional supplements, and hopefully the avoidance of medication.
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You could take vitamin D and achieve a desirable blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (I aim for 60-70 ng/ml), or you could:
–Take Actos to mimic the enhanced insulin sensitivity generated by vitamin D
–Take lisinopril to mimic the angiotensin-converting enzyme blocking, antihypertensive effect of vitamin D
–Take Fosamax or Boniva to mimic the bone density-increasing effect of vitamin D
–Take Celexa or other SSRI antidepressants to mimic the mood-elevating and winter “blues”-relieving effect of vitamin D
—Take Niaspan to mimic the HDL-increasing, small LDL-reducing effect of vitamin D
–Take naproxen to mimic the pain-relieving effect of vitamin D
So, given a choice, what do most doctors choose? Of course, they choose from the menu as presented by the sexy sales representative sitting in the office waiting room. These medications, of course, are among the top sellers in the drug world, taken by millions of Americans and not just one at a time, but several per person.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, the panel of volunteers charged with drafting a Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin D, says that you are already getting enough vitamin D, so don’t bother taking any supplements and continue to wear your sunscreen. Wonder whose side they’re on?
I continue to be impressed that many of the conditions that plague modern people are little more than deficiencies peculiar to modern life, such as vitamin D deficiency, or the result of the excesses of modern life, such as consumption of sucrose, fructose, corn, and “healthy whole grains.”
I take 8000 units of gelcap vitamin D and haven’t felt better.
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Is taking a high dose of Vitamin D3 during pregnancy safe? I know most of the “recommendations” are to take 200 IU, but I have some 5000 IU pills in my cabinet, and am wondering if those would be safe or not. Or should I find a lower dosage pill?
Hi, Melinda–
Sadly, there are next to no data for how to best manage vitamin D and pregnancy. However, common sense would suggest that achieving a desirable blood vitamin D level should not be harmful, else getting a tan while pregnancy would be harmful, too.
A dose of 5000 units typically yields a healthy blood vitamin D level in the majority of females.
Hi Mike & Dr. Davis!
Doctor Davis can you please please elaborate on these: “parathyroid and adrenal status, e.g., PTH, calcium, and salivary cortisols”. and why they would booby trap the Vit D3 efforts? How does someone work around this ang take Vit D3?? I found out yesterday I happen to have a high Reverse T3 and need to go on thyroid meds and also have adrenal issues. As well as low insulin levels. So I might be the one who is getting booby trapped.
My Vit D3 is only at 31 and have been prescribed 10,000 a day. I really want to start but I have not liked how I have felt in the past on Vit D3.
Any help appreciated
Thank you!
Hi, Rose–
The key here is to find someone who can guide you along while monitoring and interpreting these factors. The greatest difficulty: finding a healthcare practitioner with the knowledge, experience, and interest in doing so.
As crude as it is, you are still best with word of mouth: asking friends and family who has been a helpful advocate with health problems, especially those involving vitamin D.
Hi Dr. D,
I posted a question on another thread about vitamin D and calcium levels and now I think this thread is more current and probably relevant .
I am being worked up at the moment for a possible parathyroid adenoma. My serum calcium has been trending up for the past few years and is now 10.3 (x2).
Way back in 2005 I started reading about the benefits of supplementing with D and used 1000iu/day, as well as 400-800 magnesium and Life Extension’s K2. Fast forward to 2009 and imagine my surprise at my D levels being 26! Increased it to 5-6k per day and went to 43.
Dr. James Norman is considered to be the foremost expert on all things parathyroid here in the US , and his website : parathyroid.com. was very informative for me, but concerned me regarding blanket supplementation of vitamin D.
I respect your opinions greatly and would like your thoughts as to his information.
Thanks!
Reikime (RN)
Hi, Reikime–
I am obviously no authority on parathyroid tumors. Dr. Norman’s website is very interesting and makes great sense. I, too, in looking at vitamin D, calcium, and PTH levels have uncovered several parathyroid tumors. It appears to be a lot more common than previously thought.
The only issue I would disagree strongly with is the statement that the ONLY purpose of vitamin D is to increase intestinal absorption of calcium. In fact, among the most exciting areas of research with vitamin D are a new appreciation for the widespread, multi-faceted effects vit D has in multiple, perhaps all, organ systems.
Hi Dr Davis,
It seems that a finnish University is doing a major study on Vitamin D, check this out!
“The FIND will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 5-y supplementation study of the benefits and risks of vitamin D in the primary prevention of CVD and cancer among 18000 men ≥60 y and women ≥65 y. The participants will be randomized to 3 groups with 6000 in each, with daily supplementation of either: 1) 40 µg/d (1600 IU) of vitamin D3, 2) 80 µg/d (3200 IU) of vitamin D3, or 3) placebo. Compliance, use of non-study drugs or supplements, diet, development of endpoints, and CVD and cancer risk factors will be assessed by questionnaires. Blood samples will be collected for assessment of effect modification by baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D, as well as for future ancillary studies of genetic/biochemical hypotheses.”
https://www.uef.fi/nutritionepidemiologists/find2
Looks awesome to me. What do you think? Highest dose arm 80 µg a day for 5 years is more than VITAL.
Hi, Johnny–
Excellent!
In the meantime, the effects I continue to witness are so powerful that I still advocate correcting vitamin D to 60-70 ng/ml.
Hi Doc,
A quick question on vitamin D:
I recently tested at 17 ng/ml for vit d. (had been supplementing w/ 2000 iu of D3 for 2 weeks previous to that).
The doc is recommending I take 40,000 IU once a week for several months until it stabilizes, and then switching to lower supplementation.
A few questions:
(1) Obviously this will be D2 not D3 since it’s prescribed – just go with it? I believe I read a study somewhere that showed D2 ended up being as effective as D3 despite being slower.
(2) Thoughts on taking these large “catchup” doses rather than a more consistent 10,000 IU/day regimen?
My other stats: Age 31, 160lbs, Total Cholesterol = 204, HDL = 60, Triglycerides around 100.
You are closer to the truth, N, than your doctor. Clearly your doctor is fairly ignorant of the emerging issues with vitamin D.
While dosing can vary, depending on body size, race, genetics, etc., 10,000 units per day of D3 would be a typical effective dose.
I had read that about 20-30 minutes of sunlight daily were required for Vitamin D absorption. Having already gone through Mohs surgery for a tiny basal cell carcinoma on my nose – and being “melanin challenged” – I have always tried to cover up or stay out of direct sun. Sun blocks apparently have some questionable compounds in them. I jog 2 miles every day if its not raining or snowing. So on a sunny day that’s 20-30 minutes of exposure. Should Vitamin D dosage be varied according to daily sun exposure ? Self-prescribing dosage of supplements is a real headache for me. I don’t have a clue. It would sure help if there were affordable food sources of sufficient Vitamin D. What about dairy ?