I have been taking 1000 IU of D3 every day for a few years now. I don't spend a lot of time in the sun because I burn easily so this is the next best option for me to get the vitamin D I need.

I take D3 to help with my osteoporosis. Even though I am outside most of the day, my D was low. I take 4000 IU. 5000 is recommended but my exposure to the sun brings it up a little more. It is good for your immune system.

Elizabeth, my sister in law takes up to 7000 IU of vitamin D3. This is what her Doctor recommended

I get mine from the sun. Lucky to live in a relatively mild climate.

Attempting to "boost the immune system" after already testing positive for the virus is a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has run away :-) It is too much after the fact to be very effective.

And you might want to do further research into the notion that "most Americans are greatly lacking" in this regard. Yale Medicine reports differently: "Based on the United States Dietary Association (USDA) and National Health and Nutrition Surveys (and using 20ng/mL as the lower limit), the bulk of the population is not vitamin D-deficient. The population we tend to see vitamin D deficiency in—and it’s typically in wintertime—are breastfed infants. Breast milk doesn't have much vitamin D in it. "

If you consume sufficient dairy products or other high vitamin D foods and are active outdoors are likely to consume/absorb this vitamin in sufficient quantities.

There is also a risk of consuming too much if adding supplements so best if tested before just grabbing a bottle off the shelf.

In Canada, we are often advised by our doctor to take VitD supplements because we are not as outdorsy as most Americans who live in the lower US states. During the summer we don't need it as much because when it's warm out, we're outdoors. It take VitD almost every day because I'm not outside enough to get it naturally. It take it for bone health, mostly as well as being the sunshine vitamin to help boost my mood. (I work retail: trust me it doesn't work... ;) ) I also take a mult-vitamin for women over 50 and extra C and B12. I rarely get sick and that's before I started taking a ton of vitamins. I'll go through a spurt where I take them daily for six months then stop for a few years......... I hate taking pills.

Also, when this whole covid thing started, keeping Vitamin D, C and Zinc on our shelves in our drugstore was nearly impossible. It sold out faster than toilet paper.

Vitamin D 3 for me.

Sue

I am thinking about how little sunlight I get here during our long cold winters. 300 inches of snow and all that.

Some years back, I was a medical volunteer at Rockefeller Institute, in the control group for a study where they compared various markers in my blood to women who were obese. (They even had a special clinic where all of the furniture was oversized.) They told me when I came in for the follow-up that I was low in Vitamin D, and advised me to take a supplement. At the time, I had been waking up with sore, stiff fingers and developing trigger thumb. I thought maybe I was getting a touch of arthritis. Three days after I started taking the supplement, I noticed that the "arthritis" was gone. Coincidence? Maybe. But I've been taking D3 ever since.

D3. I just had a physical with blood draw and I am D-deficient. Doctor said to take 2000 IU D3. My multivitamin only has 400 IU.

Everything I've read states that most people low on Vitamin D. I've been taking vitamin D3 for years, doctors orders.

I take what my doctor recommended when I tested low. I was surprised. I am outside most of every day. I am very tan. I went to a different doctor a few months ago...he tested me and was extremely surprised mine was so high. Prior to the test I told him I took a supplement for it and he more or less said it wasn't going to be enough.....and he was wrong.

Very interesting replies. Thank you all. I have never taken vitamins as I thought I didn't need them with a well balanced diet. I think I need the D3 though.

I need to get my blood numbers rechecked, it's been a couple years.

Several years ago (no longer bake myself ;0), I kept a summer appt with my endocrinologist. Had been doing some backyard reading, tanning. I can tan to a color many couldn't - or wouldn't want to - achieve. She asked about my sun exposure (picture leathered skin ;0) and I braced for the scolding I thought was coming about sunscreens. Nope, my Vit D was low on the blood test results.

My diet is at least average, normal. She asked me to begin 1500 iu Vit D3 daily and I did that. When DH went for a physical, I noticed his Vit D was at the very low end of the normal range. He worked outdoors and had for most of his life. With that Croatian skin, never burned and could deeply tan. His doctor hadn't mentioned the lower number to him, but I had him begin the same daily Vit D3 that I had been taking. Even though we no longer expose ourselves unprotected to hours and hours of sun, we've both had numbers well into the 'good' range for Vit D these last years.

My mother has acute osteoporosis. Always active, kept a lifelong exercise routine, never smoking and rarely drinking. My endo volunteered she suspected low Vit D may have greatly contributed in mothers case since it wasn't regularly checked those decades.

People with darker pigmented skin are less likely to absorb enough sunlight to manufacture sufficient Vit D among other things. Darker pigmented skin includes dark suntans. Several year ago when doctors were trying to find out why people had worse osteoporosis than others was when Vit D started being added to foodstuffs. One of the things my doctor told me when he checked my vitamin levels for the first time was that older people have problems with receiving enough sunlight. Shortly there after I saw in a magazine that the best area to absorb sunlight was on the abdomen. Being younger I had visions of lines of elderly with their clothing adjusted lying in the sun abdomens bare.

Take a blood test to see if you are actually low as too much can also cause very bad side affects.

Vitamin D3 difficiency is a growing problem. Doctors routinely check for it and will often suggest a suppliment. I take one currently daily.

The thing that most people don’t know about suppliments is that some need to be taken on an empty stomach while others need to be taken after you’ve just eaten. Vitamin D3 is the later. If you take it when your stomach is empty it won’t absorb nearly as well, if at all so always eat something first before taking it.

Every year at my annual physical my doctor orders a blood draw to check things like cholesterol. One of the things measured is vitamin D deficiency. I've had melanoma so I tend to not get a lot of sun exposure. When I'm outside I'm slathered in sunblock and tend to cover my skin. We have my vitamin D level under control now, but the only way to know exactly how much you need is through a blood draw where the level in your blood is measured. It's reflected in a range.

To get my levels in the normal range I take 8,000 a day of vitamin D3. 8,000 keeps me in the normal range. To find the right level you need to take is trial and error. It took a few blood draws to get in the normal range. Not getting sun exposure, wearing sunblock, and covering my skin contributes to my deficiency.

It's more than just buying a bottle and taking a supplement. You need to know the correct level in your blood to know what amount supplement to take. Taking too much is toxic. And not taking enough isn't therapeutic.

I'd rather avoid sun exposure than deal with another bout of melanoma.

And, if you're not aware, anyone can get melanoma. Your skin pigment doesn't determine if you will get it or not. African Americans can get melanoma. And going for that beautiful tan? A tan is still skin damage. Melanoma attacks melanocytes. You can get melanoma in your eye - called ocular melanoma. You can even get it where the sun doesn't shine. Jimmy Carter had melanoma on his brain. He took an experimental drug called Keytruda that has now been approved by the FDA. So even if you think your beautiful tan is healthy, it's still damaging to melanocytes. Damaged melanocytes can turn into melanoma.

Bob Marley died of melanoma. He had it under a toenail. I also worked with a woman whose husband had melanoma. He had an odd growth on the bottom of his foot. Long story short, he had to have his foot amputated at below his knee to save his life. He was treated at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, both leading cancer research centers in the U.S.

So be sure to see a dermatologist regularly. I see mine twice a year plus see my oncologist twice a year.

Here's my recent serum level result from May. You can see that with taking 8,000 daily, I'm still only in the mid-range.

My D3 level is always checked with my regular scheduled blood work routinely. I have been told by my doctor to take a supplement for it which I do.

I take D3 daily but would never buy vitamins from DT

Joann, I think she meant Donald Trump not Dollar tree with her DT.

The first time my Vitamin D level was checked was 5 years ago. At that time, the standard range was considered to be 30-100 ng/mL (now it's 20-80 ng/mL). My level was 8. My doctor had me start with once-a-week D2 (prescription only) for two months, then I was switched to over-the-counter D3. I take 5,000 IU daily.

I believe...at least awhile ago they did....that WW recommended everyone take a multivitamin. I think it's a good idea as, with all the agribusiness, the nutrient quality of our foods has deteriorated, even if we are eating a balanced diet with less processed foods. I take one daily that includes Vit D.

Prior to a physical I experimented by not taking the 2000 IU of D-3 I'd 'prescribed' for myself, based on hearsay. I did test low in Vit D, so I resumed taking it. Future tests were fine.

I get a whole battery of blood tests while receiving infusions for blood cancer, so I'm aware of the large number of different components. It's amazing to me that we know so much about their functions.

D-3 is my only 'supplement'. I remember a quote decades ago that poked fun at the US, saying Americans had the most expensive urine in the world. (Useless supplements 'passing through', making millions for non-ADA-approved pills -- many with miniscule amounts of the advertised 'aid', protecting the manufacturers from liability.)

I take 5000iu Vit D3 daily. For some reason I run chronically low (8!) without supplements. I broke my ankle a few years ago and that was when I found out i was so low. I was prescribed a 50,000iu, one time pill on the spot. Even with supplementation I barely get over 30.

Following a series of radiation treatments for prostate cancer several years ago, my doctor recommended that I take vitamin C.

I think it was at the same time, or slightly later, that she recommended that I take vitamin D as well. I think that it was 1.000 unit pills that she recommended and I've been taking 2 daily for a long time. Will need to test when the covid pressures ease.

She recommended that I take iron, as well.

ole joyful

A few years ago my bloodwork showed I was very low on Vit. D--no surprise as I keep covered up outside to avoid ticks. I took the prescribed Vit. D, and since then I've taken 4,000 IU of D3 every day. If it weren't for the pandemic I'd get tested again to see where my levels are. I'm thinking I might need more.

There's a lot of information online about the connection between Vit. D and Covid. Apparently it's quite protective, and also helps those who have contracted the disease.

Be careful using sunscreens, they contain toxic chemicals: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20200121/fda-skin-absorbs-dangerous-sunscreen-chemicals

Living in Wisconsin, I take 2000 IU of D3 during the winter--starting in October & until it starts to be warm enough to be outside with some exposed skin. In the northern areas of the US, the angle of the sun is too low in the sky to be able to make much Vitamin D and it is too cold to have any appreciable amount of skin exposed to the sun anyway. Seems to help my energy level and to help combat SAD in addition to being good for the immune system and bone health.

Year ago, I noticed that after falling victim to a virus, flu or bad cold, that sitting out in the sunshine for even a few minutes seemed to help me feel better.

Also, there have been some pictures/ stories out of Spain in recent weeks where they have wheeled Covid patients in their beds out onto the beach & into the sunshine.

Here's one: https://nypost.com/2020/09/05/this-spanish-doctor-brings-covid-19-patients-to-the-beach/

Our family doctor prescribes that we all take as much IUs of vitamin d3 as it takes to reach 70, on the normal range of 30-100. He feels that science can't yet tell if 100 on the normal range has negative impacts, so he feels trying to get to 70 insures good health without possibility of toxicity.

It takes 6000 IU a day for us to reach 70. We were surprised it takes that much. Doctor is adamant that 6000 IU is not too much when we asked, is this alright?!

Raye Smith, better read up on sunscreens before posting WebMD info. WebMD isn't the authority on sunscreen and melanoma. How about trying the Melanoma Research Foundation? Posting incorrect information contributes to people either not using sunscreen, or using the incorrect type.

sephia, she's called herself on numerous occasions a "medical professional". Not a physician, not a nurse, but a "medical professional". Whatever that is.

Lol, Elmer, you'd think a "medical professional" would recognize that there are far more credible sources than WebMD. There has been several instances of criticism leveled at WebMD. Surely a "medical professional" would know about more credible sources of accurate information.

Having had skin cancer 4 times (2 basal cell, 2 squamous cell) from not having used sunscreen when I was young (used sun tan oil, though!), it's important that I wear sunscreen. The brand my dermatologist uses and recommends is Colorescience. The product he uses is the Sport Stick (UVA Protection: PA++++; UVB Protection: SPF 50). I usually use the Brush-On Shield (UVA Protection: PA++++; UVB Protection: SPF 50) but if I'm staying home and staying inside, I sometimes use the Face Shield (UVA Protection: PA+++; UVB Protection: SPF 50).

Lindsey, in addition to melanoma, I've had three basal cell carcinomas. I too remember laying out when I was younger and not using sunscreen. Did they even have sunscreen back then? I can't remember. Or maybe I just never looked for it. I used baby oil, and we'd put iodine in it for color. All the iodine did was stain our skin. And when I was about 16 my best friend and I heard that - and don't laugh when I admit this - that if you pour beer on your skin, you'll tan really good. We talked my friend's mom into buying us a couple of bottles of beer to pour on our skin. All that happened was we got really sunburned, and chased by bees. I don't recall where we got that from. Lol. I have my mother's fair Swedish complexion so I was never going to tan, no matter how hard I tried. I never did use tanning beds though.

Guess you'all didn't read the article it was reporting on the FDA's testing of sunscreens. They found that contrary to the FDA's prior claim that the toxic chemicals in sunscreen aren't absorbed, their results were with one application of sunscreen that toxic chemical were over the maximum levels allowed.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/shedding-new-light-sunscreen-absorption

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/shedding-more-light-sunscreen-absorption

These are the sunscreen chemicals they tested for:

This study evaluated absorption of the active ingredients avobenzone,
oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate. The
prior study evaluated absorption of avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene,
and ecamsule.

Here is there finding, applies to the second set also:

results showed that all six active ingredients were absorbed into the body’s bloodstream – even after a single use.

From the original study: (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085)

Conclusions and Relevance
In this preliminary study involving healthy volunteers,
application of 4 commercially available sunscreens under maximal use
conditions resulted in plasma concentrations that exceeded the threshold
established by the FDA for potentially waiving some nonclinical
toxicology studies for sunscreens.

Reading an article and then doing follow-up reading is, or should be, SOP. That is, if one is interested enough in the subject to critique an article. Much more fun to engage in reflexive pettiness. I guess.

Or, a symptom of possible Vit D deficiency?

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VITAMIN D AND DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

marilyn_c

I take D3 to help with my osteoporosis. Even though I am outside most of the day, my D was low. I take 4000 IU. 5000 is recommended but my exposure to the sun brings it up a little more. It is good for your immune system.

~~~

Marilyn I don't know what to think. I was taking high doses of Vitamin D -- living in Canada. Last year my new doctor referred me to a Specialist , a Rheumatologist I think, and she said my Vitamin D was too high! She said new studies show that high Vitamin D has a bad effect on osteoporosis and said I should only take 1000 per day. At my last test she said the levels were fine. I am following orders but still feel uneasy about this new study -- which may be reversed in a few years!

Fair is fair, thanks raye for bringing up that bit of research.

Like all research projects, it needs to be put into context and not read in a vacuum of isolation. There was follow up work done that was published in January in JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association. The results were consistent with the first bit raye linked to. JAMA felt it necessary to accompany the publication of the followup with a two page editorial. The editorial notes that while the absorption findings are an interesting start, there was no evidence presented nor findings assessed to determine IF the absorption was found to be dangerous.

Also noted is that a law entitled the Sunscreen Innovation Act, passed in 2014, required product manufacturers to conduct prescribed tests, report them to the FDA, and for the FDA to report the findings by Nov 26, 2019. That date has come and gone and the FDA hasn't acted as required by law. Another example of agency meddling in the current administration? Other nefarious and illegal things have happened in this and similar agencies.

Anyway, their recommendation is that much more work needs to be done before jumping to any conclusions. Similarly, the American Academy of Dermatology issued a public response to the research publication with the same position - until evidence is presented suggesting there are health risks to the absorption, they continue to recommend use of sunscreen and note "Most importantly, the study authors and the FDA conclude that consumers should continue to use sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun."

AAD statement on research

Wow. You never know what to do....one doctor recommends....another says no. I will ask my Dr next time I see her, to see if she still thinks I need so much. I will say that I have fallen many times....hard...and you would think there would be a broken bone or two with a couple of them, but I haven't broken any bones.

About tanning....I have never tried to tan on purpose. I have had one sun burn in my life...when a teen and went on a beach vacation with a friend and her family. I see a dermatologist every year, which happens to be in December. My dermatologist said "you must wear a hat and long sleeves.". No. Hats are hot and at home I wear as little as possible. Every day a spaghetti strap top and shorts, except when it starts cooling off. I also don't use sunscreen. I am outside at least 6 hours a day, usually more. It is very humid and hot here, and I sweat....a lot!

Thanks to the posting of this I looked at my blood work for the last two years and realized my new doctor had not checked for any vitamin deficiency although my old doctor always did. Something additional to bring up when I see a new doctor in November.

I hate swallowing pills and I've been fortunate enough not to have had to take many medications in my life. But I've always taken multi-vitamins, starting with Polyvisol when I was a baby. (It was in liquid form, and you can see the stains on the couch in our childhood pictures.) I used to sometimes forget to take my vitamins. But in recent years, I've been buying gummy vitamins and some of them are DELICIOUS! Now I never forget to take them. I like Nature's Bounty. The Women's Formula is raspberry flavored.

Thanks Cilantro, posting a negative comment without checking out the contents of the link, what does that say about the person posting the negative comment?

I take 3000 IU of Vit. D 3 plus what I get in my Multivitamin tablet per day. That's what my doctor suggested . My last bone scan, taken this past spring was good and it hadn't dropped since the last scan a year or so ago.

What that says, Raye Smith, is that I don't pay much attention to what you write. I find that you post many inaccurate statements and such, that I've gotten to where I mostly just gloss over what you write. Your additional follow up info is helpful though. Had you posted that initially, I would have paid attention.

D3 + K2 for best absorption.

Watch out for K2 if you have any clotting or bleeding problems because it can make them worse. Not something to take without talking to your doctor.

My gyn always checks my Vit D level- she is the one who urged me initially to start supplementing; I had assumed I didn't need to because I was outdoors a lot, winter and summer, unlike most (I think). But she told me that at our latitude, even in summer, we don't get strong enough sun to provide sufficient production of Vit D, and the use of sunscreen, air pollution, other factors add to that. I had been using the strongest sunscreen I could buy for decades.

I've been taking 6000 IU daily for a couple of years now, and I always test just above the lower limit. Sometimes I wonder, though, if I get a brand that doesn't show that it has USP certification, whether I am actually getting the labeled amount (that is a known problem with all sorts of supplements and vitamins).

I read this today and it got me wondering so I checked my lab reports. Started with reading of 45 in 2012, down to low of 30 and now 35. 20>=normal according to this lab. ( Used to take 2 calcium/day. Love to see cause and effect)

With the 800 IU in calcium pills plus 400IU in multi I'm getting 1200 daily now. Plus some milk in coffee. I don't count on sunshine. Seems to be what has kept D3 a non issue.