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Vitamin D supplement and experience of recovery


Hi all,

First post so I hope it isn’t too long.

I am 33 and live in the UK (so not much sun around)

About 6 weeks ago I experienced muscle weakness in hands, legs and arms. I visited the GP and after a couple of weeks I was sent for a blood test. The results showed my Cholesterol level was 5.7 (which they confirmed was high), a small issue with one reading for the liver (which they didn’t seem concerned about and felt it was linked to Cholesterol).

The surprise was the Vitamin D level which come back at 23 nmol which I believe 9.1 ng/ml. The GP confirmed this is Low and prescribed 20,000 IU 3 times per day for 5 days then 800 IU per day for 3 months.

I have noticed a lot more fatigue over the past few weeks, and finding it more difficult to enjoy life as I used to.  I have also notice the muscles in my face (cheeks) feel tight.

Firstly, would 800IU for per day potentially be enough to correct the levels after the 60,000 per day for 5 days?

Secondly does anyone have any experience of recovery time for muscle the weakness. I have read a number of posts which seem to vary between a couple months to 1 year +.

I have taken the 60,000 IU and been taking the 800 IU for about a week and not seen any improvement so far. I am getting married in 2 months so would hope I might see some improvement by then but this might be wishful thinking?

Any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
4 Responses
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Avatar universal
Your D3 is severely deficient. I was at 19ng/mL in September and will retest my blood in a few weeks.

You may be taking D2. That is bad. You need D3 and taken daily, not weekly or monthly. There's not enough D3 in foods to raise your levels and even on the rare occasion the UK has sunshine, you need UVB rays to convert the D3 in your body. There are no UVB rays in the UK for months.

US lab range is 30-100ng/mL. You need to be above 50ng/mL. Anything below should be considered deficient.
UK should be 150-250nmoL

D and magnesium deficiency can cause depression, fatigue, anxiety, pain, brain fog, headache, eye sensitivity, etc.

You need Vitamin D3 supplements, magnesium and Vitamin K2 (as long as you aren't taking medications that would conflict with K2).

You could start at 5,000iu D3 daily for a few days to see how you feel, then work your way up to 10,000iu daily. Even when you get to corrected levels, you need to supplement daily. D3 does not stay in your body.

800iu is a pediatric dose and will not raise your D3 levels or maintain them.

5,000iu is more like maintenence dose. You must retest your blood after 3 months to see where your levels are at.

The only blood test that can diagnose vitamin D deficiency is a 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25 OH vitamin D). Unfortunately, some doctors are still ordering the wrong test, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D.

Magnesium is essential, you need to take it with your D3. Take D3 with some sort of fat (like coconut oil, avocado, peanut butter, etc.  it helps D3 & K2 absorb). Take D3 in morning or afternoon. Not at night. It may keep you up.
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Avatar universal
Quick update so far. After about 2 weeks of taking Vitamin D I had anxiety issues which I have never had before (almost to the point of panic over nothing at all). I have started to take Magnesium which does seem to have solved this issue.

GP has completed a calcium blood test which has come back normal. I have currently experiencing muscle ache but it seems to most be in the right side of my body, has anyone else experienced similar? Its in right arm, leg and I it also feels under my right eye.

Its been going on for 2 months now, GP wants me to continue on 800IU vit D per day for another month before they test for anything else or refer to specialist.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your comment. I might well do as suggestion and see if the doc would be willing to check the levels at this point.

Thanks again.
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Avatar universal
The 60,000 iu was a "loading" dose and the 800 daily is the amt your dr feels will put you within therapeutic range. Suppose you could always ask the dr if he would order a "spot check" test at this point to see your level.

You can also research which foods are higher in Vit D and add a bit more of them into your diet.

Hope you feel better soon!

Keep us posted please.
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