brissybee

Husband and I have both recently been diagnosed as Vitamin D deficient. (From blood tests.)

I have heard this is an increasingly common ailment being diagnosed in Australia, with people seeking shelter from the Summer heat and sun.

Just wondering if other BE's have been similarly diagnosed and if supplements have helped?

Cheetah7

Yep, I cannot maintain vitamin D levels on low level supplements and am now on a high prescription dose which is stupidly expensive.

It makes a difference though, if you remember to take them you will notice a difference in how you feel, I didnt believe my doctor but he was right. Which reminds me, best get my lot out of the fridge now and take them.

I have my levels monitored twice yearly and am glad that I do as well.

Sally Redux

This is my husband's specialist area of research so I'm always drawn to the topic. I know Australia is a country where deficiency is a problem due to the success of campaigns to cover up in the sun.

He is convinced that keeping up the levels of vitamin D is crucial for your health so supplementation is a good idea if your levels are low.

eddie007

I have vit D defficiency, GP actually told me have to be outside for 15 minutes a day as exposed as I can be to sunlight...

Combination of working nights and being burned in seconds in the australian sun...

Just have to be careful which 15 I do...

Sally Redux

Yes 15 minutes a day without suncream is the recommendation - we also both have skin which frazzles instantly in the sun.

Also as we get older it's harder for the body to produce vit D from sunlight, so may need supplementation anyway depending on your age.

paulry

I've been doing a fair bit of research lately on orthomolecular medicine. It appears that getting the chemical balance right - in some cases with the use of megavitamins, a lot of benefits are possible.

http://www.orthomed.org/

carolinephillips

As a PWMS, I have to keep my vitamin D levels up. I take a supplement every morning (high strength) and go out in the sun when it appears, which isn't often here in Sydney. In winter I double the dose.
Lack of vit. d is one of the main causes of relapses or exacerbations of MS- most happen in the spring, after the lack of sunlight in the winter.

Keep taking the pills!!

Dreamy

I have Vit D deficiency. I was at the dietician this week and mentioned it to her. She'd just been to a conference on Vitamin D deficiency - apparently the latest thinking is to obtain exposure to sunlight equivalent to third of the time it takes for the individual to burn. Also, sunlight is much more efficacious than a supplement.

As any exposure would involve me leaving the house, it ain't going to happen

Cheetah7

I have to avoid the sun or any flouro lights completely as it makes me feel so ill. On the 8000iu doseage a day, I have noticed a change in the amount of bone pain I get with my AI illness, as in a way it has reduced greatly.

If I go out in the sun I get a rash on my cheeks and my neck and feel shite for ages afterwards.

koalakim

Vit D keeps cropping up recently as a deficiency is linked to all sorts of health issues not just major ones but just in general wellbeing. As Caroline pointed out it's a factor in MS as apparently that and bowel cancer is a more common in Northern Hemisphere countries because of less sunlight...and possibly Sydney after this last summer ! I've just had a few days up there and had quite good weather but heck did it rain yesterday morning!

I had a blood test at the end of winter and was shown to have low levels and told to take a supplement. I guess it must be even worse in the UK as I used to go to work in the dark, home in the dark and maybe sometimes not leave the office all day although I did go and make myself go and sit outside a cafe as much a possible at all times of the year or walk around the town to absorb some light...even if it wasn't sunlight! At least they do test for Vit D here so you can do something about it unlike in the UK where you'd have no idea how lacking you could be.

I think Aus probably suffers even more than the UK as they just cover up so much. We've just come past our local primary school and laughed, the kids are out playing with long shorts, mid-sleeve t-shirts and hats in orange and blue and they looked like little munchkins, all these little orange people swarming over the playground.

There probably is a reason why we all feel so much better in summer....sunshine! Also there was an article in the Mail about how summer and therefore Vit D helps with fertility.

I'm a ginger so I do have fair skin with freckles but fortunately I think it stems from my peasant ancestors in Eastern European so I can get a tan and don't burn instantly so I can get my 15-20 mins without worrying. Plus I've practiced a lot over the years .....(but not to the extent of getting too wrinkly)

Wendy

I was deficient, but found out it was linked to my thyroid problem...that and a million other things!

Now my thyroid is being treated properly (have been seeing a very good specialist), the levels are back to normal with no other treatment needed.

tomar

I was also diagnosed as vit D deficient last year and was on 8000 IU's daily for 6 months, now on 2000. As this can be linked to osteoporosis, I only found out that I had both after a bad fall and break, if in doubt it's worth having a bone density test. I am possibly much older than some or all of you, but I had no idea that I had really bad osteoporosis, thought I was fairly fit and took regular exercise, and really wish I had had had it checked years ago. Hope the meds I now take at least stop it getting worse.

papilon

I am outside for work all most everyday, last year went to the doctor to have a skin blemish looked at. Doctor gave me the talk about covering up and protecting myself yada yada. I also mentioned i had been feeling rather run down of late so a blood test was required. Turns out i was lacking in Vit D. She did laugh when she told me the irony of the situation.

Alfresco

Well for me having grown up in the Sun since birth. I honestly believe a reasonable amount of time in the Sun is good.

the troubadour

Yep,bizarre as it may appear in a sun drenched country like Australia,this is a common complaint.
Simplest solution expose yourself to a bit of sun...just no need to go overboard and burn yourself.