Post: #1

I got my blood work back and it showed that I had a deficiency of vitamin D. I talked with my doctor about it and even with my diet (lots of milk, eggs, etc). I started popping about 5,000 IUs of a D3 supplement I picked up from Trader Joes.

One day though, I woke up and thought to myself: I should up the ante and take 10,000 IUs.

I get some form of seasonal depression. I hate winter and the lack of sunlight screws with me hardcore. I used to fake tan as a way to help me feel better which did a lot for me back in college. Now, I don't bother with tanning salons any more but dang it took care of the winter blues.

After taking that much vitamin D, my depression is completely gone. I feel SO good and my summer time vitality has come back.

I would take this with some ZMA as well. Any other gentlemen report success with this?

Post: #2

Go outside and get some sunshine for some free "D". That light on your computer screen won't provide it.

Post: #3

You can probably superdose up to 20k IU of vitamin D per day for a few days to get back to normal. I'm not a doctor but that's roughly the maximum dose you can expect from the sun before the enzyme reaction in the skin is turned off.

Post: #4

I hate daylight savings time too especially with the shortened sunshine as it is.

I just picked up a daylamp and use it everyday and have noticed an improvement. I use it for 30 min every morning when I wake up.

Post: #5

How long have you been taking 10,000 IU's? Any side effects so far?

I'm curious because I have been taking 5000 for a while now but am curious about bumping it up.

Post: #6

I supplement by necessity as well (as do many fair skinned Canadians), but not to such a high dosage.

Ironically, I've been reading lately that sunscreen, which has been foisted upon me since I was a kid to an almost nazified degree, might well be contributing to my low levels. Vitamin D is the body's natural sunblock, and using sunscreen as I have for years could be why my body does not utilize/produce as much of it. Unintended consequences of health crazes are often hilarious.

Post: #7

(12-03-2013 12:51 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Go outside and get some sunshine for some free "D". That light on your computer screen won't provide it.

Some of us live above the 37th parallel. I wish I lived in LA or Florida. I miss the sunshine.

(12-03-2013 01:14 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  How long have you been taking 10,000 IU's? Any side effects so far?

I'm curious because I have been taking 5000 for a while now but am curious about bumping it up.

So far no ill effects. I've read online that it is very difficult to OD on vitamin D. This website says that you have to supplement 50,000 IUs a day for a few months to see the effects.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin...ty/AN02008

I doubt that 10,000 a day would set you over. In the summer time, I would lower the dose since there is sunlight.

Post: #8

You can take 10,000 IUs safely for a long while.

Your body produces (naturally) about 10,000 IUs after 30 minutes of full-body sun exposure in tropical sun. I know you're far from that but let's assume you lived in Jamaica or something. You'd be getting your 10,000 daily and your body actually downregulates production of D3 on its own once blood levels reach a certain point.

After a few months of supping, go get the D3 test again. Or you can order one online for like $30.

Vitamin D accumulates in fat tissue so if you continue taking it you could go above optimal range. You want to be at about 70mg/nMol for optimal well being, athletic performance, and libido. Since it's fat soluble, it's also a good reason to take D3 with some grass fed butter or coconut oil (like say, with eggs in the morning).

Another thing you might want to do is take your D3 with K2. You get K2 through fermented foods like sauerkraut and natto (the highest K2 food). But unlikely you'll get enough so you could always take a supplement.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articl...in-k2.aspx

http://chriskresser.com/vitamin-k2-the-missing-nutrient

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/vitamin-k2/

Post: #9

I'm on 10,000iu ED

But I typically double the recommended dosage anyways for everything...

Post: #10

I double dose VitD3 too. you can take up to 20,000 a day no worries

Post: #11

Glad I looked this thread up. I bought some Vitamin D3 last week and have only been taking around 5,000 IUs a day. I thought I remembered reading on here somewhere of people taking more and having good results. Is it bad it took me a week to get around to looking this up? Was that beta?

Post: #12

Ever since I took a nutrition course in first year university I started supplementing with Vitamin D in some way. At first it was just through Multivitamins. I was happy because I was meeting the daily recommended value of something around 800 IU, I think the multi had 1000 for a day's worth.

Problem is, 1000 IU isn't nearly enough. Especially for us over here in Canada. Considering I'm also not entirely fair skinned, I need even more. I started supplementing with 5000 IU a day. I definitely feel better on a day-day basis during the colder months now than I have before.

For you guys that have supplemented with 5000; have you noticed a difference going from 5000 daily to 10000?

Post: #13

Im taking 5000 IU Vitamin D right now + 200mg 5-Htp and 500mg DLPA. It sure helps with the winter blues but I still feel a bit meh maybe Ill try upping to 10000 IU as well.

Post: #14

Hey fellas,

Anybody posting or reading this thread should definitely get tested once in a while. I got tested recently and found out that my level was at 29 ng/ml, which is considered deficient. And this is when I had been supplementing 5,000iu of Vitamin D3 daily (I was using Thorne Research, this brand is definitely not crap).

My doctor, even though I like him, didn't seem concerned. He thought I was crazy for supplementing that much, saying that that's a lethal dose. When I complained that my libido was suffering and I felt blue once in a while for no reason, he still didn't think anything was wrong.

What I'm trying to say is that it's crucial to see where your Vitamin D levels are at, especially if you've been supplementing, because apparently some people (like me) have difficulty absorbing the vitamin. I guess Amazon has a test kit for sale for $60; I'll be buying it probably in January.

I've learned that what helps with Vitamin D absorption is taking magnesium, boron and zinc together with Vitamin D (boron especially, start with 2mg). Also, take Vitamin D in the morning as it supposedly synchs your circadian rhythm; taking it in the evening may throw off your sleep schedule.

I've noticed improved mood and libido since bumping up my Vitamin D supplementation to 10,000iu 5x/week and taking 2mg of boron each time. But only the test will confirm this.

Post: #15

If you guys are going to take such extremely high doses at least familiarise yourself with the symptoms of vitamin D toxicity so you can recognise it if it comes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervitaminosis_D

Bear in mind that even if you are Vitamin D deficient, massive supplementation may still cause you to have excessive calcium in your blood stream. For the patients I have on Vitamin D supplementation, I have to monitor their calcium levels regularly, and even I sometimes struggle to keep the balance between the two.

Fun fact: Vitamin D deficiency, in my community, seems to manifest mainly as hair loss, chronic fatigue, and depression. And South Africa is very sunny most of the time, I'm surprised I even have patients with this condition.

Post: #16

[quote='Thomas the Rhymer' pid='607584' dateline='1387396979']
If you guys are going to take such extremely high doses at least familiarise yourself with the symptoms of vitamin D toxicity so you can recognise it if it comes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervitaminosis_D

Bear in mind that even if you are Vitamin D deficient, massive supplementation may still cause you to have excessive calcium in your blood stream. For the patients I have on Vitamin D supplementation, I have to monitor their calcium levels regularly, and even I sometimes struggle to keep the balance between the two.

Fun fact: Vitamin D deficiency, in my community, seems to manifest mainly as hair loss, chronic fatigue, and depression. And South Africa is very sunny most of the time, I'm surprised I even have patients with this condition.
[\quote]

Did you see this part in the wiki article?

[quote]
Based on risk assessment, a safe upper intake level of 250 µg (10,000 IU) per day in healthy adult has been suggested.
[/quote]

Post: #17

^^^

Quote:Based on risk assessment, a safe upper intake level of 250 µg (10,000 IU) per day in healthy adult has been suggested.

In healthy adults.

My limited experience in managing vitamin D deficient patients suggests that calcium regulation is not the same in the deficient patient as in the healthy patient.

I suspect Vitamin D deficient patients may more easily develop calcium toxicity compared to Vitamin D sufficient patients. Possibly the body compensates for Vitamin D deficiency by become better at absorbing calcium, and possibly that takes times to resolve.

This is mostly speculation on my part based on a tiny sample size.

But it can't hurt to take your calcium levels with your next Vitamin D level or to at least be aware of toxicity symptoms.

Post: #18

I cant really find the studies now but I read that toxicity didnt appear unless megadoses of 50.000 IU were taken over a course of MONTHS.

Post: #19

Science

Post: #20

Had this shit too, deficiency. Lethargy, etc, I thought it was chronic fatigue.. now I take 5000. The thing about it is that I've heard sun ages, and I think that's one of the reasons why I still can pass for a few years younger, by not having taken a lot of recreational sun