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-   -   Vit. D? (https://www.fitday.com/fitness/forums/nutrition-labeling/1112-vit-d.html)

bsaz 05-20-2010 01:41 PM

Vit. D?
 
According to the fitday chart, I am very low on Vit. D intake.
Any suggestions on what I can eat to pump that up?

Luckygir15 05-20-2010 02:30 PM

Take a vitamin that has vitamin D. Or try and get 10-15 minutes of natural sunlight in a day.

tandoorichicken 05-20-2010 07:52 PM

The average person gets at least the daily recommended amount of vitamin D from spending 15 minutes in direct sunlight. Lighter-skinned people can get even more from the same. If you have naturally darker skin, you may have to spend more time outside. Luckily, you don't have to do it all at once, you can do it in 5-10 min spurts throughout the day.

almeeker 05-20-2010 09:21 PM

I agree with the above and would also add that soy milk has added vitamin D and fish contains a fair amount.

avelina 05-21-2010 03:22 AM

The milk I buy is fortified with vitamin D. The sunlight and vitamin supplements are also good suggestions.

montanacricket 05-21-2010 04:22 AM

When I went to the doc in December, he said that the recommendation for Vitamin D is now closer to 800 units per day, double what it used to be. This is mainly for people in the higher latitudes like me and north of here (and the far south) because our days are so short in spring, summer and fall, and also the tilt of the sun through the atmosphere means that more sunlight is filtered before it gets to the surface of the earth.

I take a supplement of D and Calcium together. My uncle was recently diagnosed (good weight, very active guy) with osteoporosis and has compression fractures in his spine--he's in his 50's. NOT what I want. I'd rather take the supplement and have too much Calcium/D than end up with osteoporosis.

tandoorichicken 05-28-2010 04:04 AM


Originally Posted by montanacricket (Post 11443)
he said that the recommendation for Vitamin D is now closer to 800 units per day, double what it used to be.

I think the number is actually 8000 IU (missed a zero). The old recommendations used to be below 5000. I've read that 15 minutes of sun exposure (maybe 20-30 at high latitudes) generates 10,000 IU and dumps it directly into the blood stream. Funny that...

It's still important to get D through diet though, as it facilitates calcium and magnesium absorption in the gut. D in the blood might be good for other things (mood, cellular health, metabolism), but it does nothing for mineral absorption.

montanacricket 06-01-2010 07:10 AM


Originally Posted by tandoorichicken (Post 12048)
I think the number is actually 8000 IU (missed a zero). The old recommendations used to be below 5000. I've read that 15 minutes of sun exposure (maybe 20-30 at high latitudes) generates 10,000 IU and dumps it directly into the blood stream. Funny that...

It's still important to get D through diet though, as it facilitates calcium and magnesium absorption in the gut. D in the blood might be good for other things (mood, cellular health, metabolism), but it does nothing for mineral absorption.

I'm looking at my vitamin bottles right now and it says that the US RDA is 400 IU's for vitamin D, the note my doc wrote was for 800 IU's daily. So I'm not sure now.

tandoorichicken 06-01-2010 06:18 PM

You're right. The recommendations are for 800 IU. But up to 5000 IU is safe and helps with inflammation. I think I was confusing with another vitamin. :o

Wylie7 06-02-2010 04:49 AM

A lack of vitamin D can have a huge effect on an active lifestyle. My doc recommended adding 1000 IU of vitamin D because I was having trouble recovering from workouts (dizziness, blurred vision, headaches). After a week, of Vitamin D I could increase my workouts from 20 minutes to 1 hour. I live in a more northern location and get a rash if I expose my skin to the spring, summer and fall sun for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time without protection, so supplements are important.

I get my vit D from my calcium supplement, soy milk, fortified OJ and vit D supplements. If you google vitamin D, you'll find a lot of information on natural sources (including Wikipedia).

montanacricket 06-02-2010 05:04 AM


Originally Posted by Wylie7 (Post 12402)
A lack of vitamin D can have a huge effect on an active lifestyle. My doc recommended adding 1000 IU of vitamin D because I was having trouble recovering from workouts (dizziness, blurred vision, headaches). After a week, of Vitamin D I could increase my workouts from 20 minutes to 1 hour. I live in a more northern location and get a rash if I expose my skin to the spring, summer and fall sun for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time without protection, so supplements are important.

I get my vit D from my calcium supplement, soy milk, fortified OJ and vit D supplements. If you google vitamin D, you'll find a lot of information on natural sources (including Wikipedia).



I thought I was crazy, but I get the same rash, only just first thing in the spring! :eek:

alice6065 06-09-2010 05:12 AM

I read recently that if you live above 40 degrees latitude you can only get enough vitamin D from the sun during the months of May through October. And if you use sun screen you are also blocking the vitamin D production in your skin.

My doctor did a blood test for vitamin D, and since I was low she recommended taking a multivitamin that includes 400 (not sure whether it's mg's or IU's) vitamin D, plus 1000 vitamin D in a separate pill. If you get the blood test your doc might recommend a different amount depending on test results.

nctgreene 08-05-2011 10:10 AM

I don't know your age but I am 60 and now have to take 2000 IU a day even with all the sunlight I am in. If you are young you probably don't need that amount.

VitoVino 01-12-2012 02:26 AM

This is an old thread and bsaz hasn't been active in the Forums for over a year, but it's a very worthy discussion.

I take a Calcium supplement every day and it includes Vitamin D. The Vitamin D helps the Calcium to be absorbed, and I also wind up getting my daily dose of Vitamin D along with this very important vitamin.

ma2828 01-23-2012 10:43 PM

I can't believe the difference taking a Vit D supplement has done for me. I live in Minnesota and am about to move to the UK, so I take 3 of the Nature Made Vit D 2000 i.u. pills in the morning. Plus I work the night shift currently and sleep during the day. So my exposure to sunlight is limited! Plus, I'd rather take a supplement than get too much sun by accident; as I am a red head as well. I have to say I am thrilled to be moving to the land of pasty-white people so I'll fit right in!

cpapp 03-05-2012 05:49 AM

Alice6065 is correct in that if you live in the northern part of the country we only get the rays that convert cholesterol to vitamin D from May to early fall.

Four years ago I had extremely low levels and was put on a prescription of 50,000 IU per week for one month, then 30,000 and finally down to anywhere from 2000 IU to 4000 IU per day. They now say that even people in the south are deficient because of sunscreens. Most doctors now do a D level check with an annual physical. When you take Vitamin D make sure it is D3 not D2.

perfectm 04-12-2012 03:06 AM

I was under the impression that salmon was a source of vitamin D, but fit day says it has none. Am i wrong?


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