Amount of Vit D - Osteoporosis Message Board

mbeth50 · 10-14-2007, 06:16 PM

I lost the paper where my endo wrote down how much Vit D to take and I just noticed my multi has 800 units..and depending on which calcium I take they have either 400 or 200....Think I may be taking toooo much now...Oh gee...All this is driving me nutz...and to think I was so normal (haha) before I had that stupid bone density test:

DesertBloom · 10-14-2007, 06:38 PM

Hi Mbeth: The latest RDA for vitamin D is 800-1000 i.u. a day. Don't forget to calculate your dietary/sun intake as well. You can get a list of foods with vitamin D, in it, at many places. There's also some places that will calculate your daily intake but I can't think of the name right now.

Good Luck, I can't find many vitamin D3 that is less than 1000 i.u., so it will depend on your area and what they are selling. I would also ask at a vitamin store as well or look up the latest info on it. Some people forget to calculate their dietary calcium on top of supplemental cal, or any vitamin, and end up taking way too much, so figure that out when you are trying to get a total. I live in CA so I get about 15 minutes of unprotected sun a day, so I don't think I need 1000 i.u.'s of D. Also have all your mineral/vitamin levels checked as well, unless you already have. You might be surprised what you are deficient or overloaded in vitamins, you don't want to have any overdosing probs. Hopefully those who have had the kidney stones will jump in an explain.

mbeth50 · 10-14-2007, 06:47 PM

Thanks so much...Then if I take Viactiv calcium with 200 unit Vit D and later on Caltrate with 400 D and at night my multi with 800 it is tooo much since I eat yogurt every day and skim milk and sometimes cheese and up until this week plenty of sunlight. OK..have to change calcium pills or stop multi until finish up on calciums...Endo check Vit D level..It is within normal range as was calcium etc.....but that was taken before added the Caltrate last week.............will be careful....thanks again.............

DesertBloom · 10-14-2007, 07:34 PM

Hi MB: It sounds like you have it figured out. Sometimes these things can be a delicate balancing act, and I was one of those who didn't calculate my dietary with supplements and had been doing it wrong for over 40 years

I ended up with slightly high ionized calcium, which now has to be checked every couple of months. I now have to watch for the onset of hypercalcemia from my mistakes. Luckily my mineral metabolism doc clued me in on the calculations a couple of years ago. I've been taking vits/mins since an early age, but no one told me to factor in the diet, so I was getting too much.

Unfortunately all those vitamins and exercise didn't prevent osteo from occurring, but I suppose my score could have been worse if I wasn't started on mega vits when I was 8.

I now have to take a reduced amount of calcium, but I get it all from my diet. I take a multi (all green) vit that only has 12 mgs of calcium in it and it took me about a year just to find one with that low amount. I need all the other vitamins but can't take extra cal, so I didn't want to give up all the rest or have to take everything individually.

Do you have any trouble taking your multi at night? Just curious, because I can't, it keeps me awake, even though the b vitamins are suppose to relax/calm you.

mbeth50 · 10-14-2007, 08:14 PM

I'm curious DesertBloom Whats a mineral metabolism doc??
No trouble with multi at night..Womens one a day..BUT when start strontium (just ordered it) will move multi to am...........and strontium at night..Think I read thats the way to do it.......
going to sleep now..tomorrows back to work.....regards.......