Vitamin D levels

RedPenguins · Post by **RedPenguins** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:24 pm

So, when I was at JH a few weeks ago, they tested my Vitamin D.

I just received the results.... a 6. Normal is 20-100! So they put me on vitamin D.

wonder if anyone else was tested....

~Keri

MaggieMae · Post by **MaggieMae** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:46 am

That is really really low. Even 20-30 is still low. Have you read any of the articles on Vitamin D and MS? Dr. Hector DeLuca has been studying for quite some time (as have many others). Hope more doctors get on this band wagon and test their MS patients.

chrishasms · Post by **chrishasms** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:25 am

We just had a whole discussion on Vitamin D under the general topic. I was a 21! I have taken 50k IU of D for 4 weeks, now I take 2 -1000iu a day. I am maintaining at 35 now but they say for MS we need between 40-60 so who knows lol.

prof8 · Post by **prof8** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:45 pm

I registered at 17 when I was tested at the point I was first diagnosed. I did the 50,000 once a week for 9 weeks. Got it up into the 30's. Started on 3,000 a day. Moved it to 46. Still trying. My neuro at a well-known MS clinic said they like their patients to be between 60-80. Maybe with a higher Vitamin D level RedPenguins you might find yourself having less relapses? Always worth a shot.

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:45 am

Vitamin level rookie question here:

I've never had mine tested. Is this something your neuro. should order or is it something you just get done by the family doc., or what? I've been taking 2,000 - 4,000/day (2 in the summer, 4 in the winter) for years now, but it sounds like I might still be low based on what others are saying. I'd like to find out, but just want to know who to ask.

MaggieMae · Post by **MaggieMae** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:30 am

To Prof8: Do you think the Vitamin D is helping you? Do you have many relapses?

To Loobie: Make sure the correct test is requested - 25(OH)D not 1,25(OH)D. My husband has his blood work done at Quest Labs. Their report gives you the total D and then also a breakdown of D2 and D3. I heard Quest Labs have been bombarded with Vitamin D testing.

patientx · Post by **patientx** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:21 am

Lew,

It's a simple blood test, done by one of the standard labs. You might need the order from the doc, but a PCP can write it; doesn't necessarily need to be a neuro. Also, MaggieMae is correct; you want the 25 (OH) test. From what I understand, the 1,25 form is pretty difficult to measure, anyway. Also, you're probably already aware of this, but be careful of the units - most here in the U.S. use ng/ml, but our friends up north and elsewhere use nmol/L (32 ng/ml = 80 nmol/L).

By the way, there were news reports recently that Quest had a bunch of errors in their Vitamin D testing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/busin ... btest.html

So, you might want to use Labcorp or someone else.

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:17 am

Labcorp is right down the street from my house, so I'll probably use them. Thanks for the help guys.

prof8 · Post by **prof8** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:17 pm

MaggieMae -- I haven't had a relapse since I was diagnosed 18 months ago. I have no idea if it is related to Vitamin D. There is know way to know. I do know, however, that several clinical studies are going on right now to see if raising Vitamin D levels has an effect on relapses. Tentative data suggests possibly yes. They know for certain that having normal to high Vitamin D levels reduces your risk for MS significantly. This is why I have told all the women in my family (we grew up in the Northeast) to have their Vitamin D levels checked and fix it.

I was told by my neuro and others that MS patients should be on Vitamin D3 (not Vitamin D2), Vitamin B-12, and fish oil. I've been taking all.

prof8 · Post by **prof8** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:32 pm

Petakitty -- interesting that you had an attack after not spending a summer in the sun. I will tell you that for the past 14 years I have lived in extremely sunny places (we are talking 300 days of sun year round) and I still had a serious Vitamin D deficiency. Weird, huh? The neuro had no explanation for that. Maybe my body has a problem taking it in.

Loobie · Post by **Loobie** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:09 pm

Since somebody posted about the Australian doc. with MS who is now an avid sunbather, I tried it. I think it works for me. I feel better after big time. During not so much because I get overheated, but it's tolerable and I can't wait for the sun this year to start worshipping

chrishasms · Post by **chrishasms** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:10 pm

prof8- 300 days a year...you in Colorado too?

RedPenguins · Post by **RedPenguins** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:14 pm

Well, I've lived in Los Angeles for the last 12 years.... and still tremendously deficient in vit-D apparently. Kinda shocked this is the first they are telling me of it. Of course, they specifically tested for it in February.

Sigh.

prof8 · Post by **prof8** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:22 pm

Hi Chris, Lived in Colorado for 4 years, southern Calif. for 8 years I grew up in the Northeast though...guess that is one of the MS risk factors. So no matter how much sun I got after the age of 22 it was too late.