Question about Vitamin D
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
Question about Vitamin D
I am wondering how much vitamin D I should be taking? The increase in B vitamins seems to have helped my energy level somewhat, but I still feel slightly depressed. Wondering if this is just a normal reaction to adjusting to the MC lifestyle, or if I'm deficient in vitamin D. Currently taking 1000 IU daily.
Leslie
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
Hi Leslie,
If I lived at your latitude (especially in an area that sees limited direct sunlight), I would be taking a much higher dose. I live in sunny Central Texas at about the 30th parallel, and I take at least 4500 IU year-around, and I add an additional 2,000 IU during the late fall, winter, and early spring. The reason for the odd number is because my multivitamin contains 500 IU. I also get a fair amount of sun exposure (except during the winter), including direct midday sun on many days during the summer (and it does get hot here during the summer).
There is no guarantee that more vitamin D will reduce feelings of depression, but as you are probably aware, research does show that chronic depression is associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Tex
If I lived at your latitude (especially in an area that sees limited direct sunlight), I would be taking a much higher dose. I live in sunny Central Texas at about the 30th parallel, and I take at least 4500 IU year-around, and I add an additional 2,000 IU during the late fall, winter, and early spring. The reason for the odd number is because my multivitamin contains 500 IU. I also get a fair amount of sun exposure (except during the winter), including direct midday sun on many days during the summer (and it does get hot here during the summer).
There is no guarantee that more vitamin D will reduce feelings of depression, but as you are probably aware, research does show that chronic depression is associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
Hi Tex
Thanks! I will definitely increase what I'm taking. We live in Bend, which is high desert in Central Oregon. We get a lot more year-round sun here as opposed to Portland where it rains from November to July. However I have a high risk for melanoma so I am always covered in sunscreen, which I believe negates the vitamin D benefit received by exposure to sunlight. We'll see if the increased dosage of Vitamin D gets my sunnyside up again :)
Thanks! I will definitely increase what I'm taking. We live in Bend, which is high desert in Central Oregon. We get a lot more year-round sun here as opposed to Portland where it rains from November to July. However I have a high risk for melanoma so I am always covered in sunscreen, which I believe negates the vitamin D benefit received by exposure to sunlight. We'll see if the increased dosage of Vitamin D gets my sunnyside up again :)
Leslie
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
~~~~
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
I thought I'd mention that DH has had a bad cold, which is finally receding. I had a few sniffles at the beginning of his cold and took a zinc tablet for two days. I never got his cold and am doing fine. I've been taking 3,000 IUs of vitamin D daily, plus I get 700 more IUs in my calcium and multivitamin supplements. I used to take 5-6,000 IUs a day, but lowered the dosage after my vit. D level tested at 92.5 last March.
It's not unusual to feel depressed while suffering from MC. We can go through several ups and downs in the course of resolving it. It does help to know that you will get better. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Gloria
It's not unusual to feel depressed while suffering from MC. We can go through several ups and downs in the course of resolving it. It does help to know that you will get better. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
Thanks, Gloria. I increased my Vitamin D to 2000 IU's plus I get 200 in my calcium supplement and 45 in the vitamin powder prescribed by my ND. I will continue to gradually increase it and see if that helps. Both yesterday and today I have just been a zombie, feeling really foggy and crying at the drop of a hat. My husband and adult kids seem to be very concerned. Interestingly I just started taking low dose Naltrexone last week and I'm wondering if that could be contributing to my feelings of depression, or if it's just par for the course with LC. Supposedly side effects with low dose Naltrexone are minimal - some sleep disturbance and vivid dreams for a few days. I did some research and it looks like they sometimes prescribe it to treat depression. I'm definitely feeling like I'm not myself and hope it passes soon.
Leslie
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
~~~~
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
Hi Leslie,
I believe that if I were in your situation and the depression symptoms did not decrease, or especially if they continued to increase, I would try doing without the LDN for a while, to evaluate the possibility of an adverse connection.
Tex
I believe that if I were in your situation and the depression symptoms did not decrease, or especially if they continued to increase, I would try doing without the LDN for a while, to evaluate the possibility of an adverse connection.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
Turns out the culprit for my zombie state and depressed mood was GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) prescribed by my ND for sleep. Discontinued it and feel more like my normal self than I have in a month. The Naltrexone doesn't seem to be affecting me negatively and it's supposed to help with inflammation. Tried peeled zucchini steamed to the consistency of mush and handled it just fine; did the same with carrots and they came straight through undigested. Will stick with the bland diet until I get my Enterolab results.
Leslie
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
~~~~
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
Leslie,
That was good detective work.
IMO, one of the biggest problems that most NDs seem to have is overprescribing supplements, herbal treatments, etc. About half of what they recommend causes adverse reactions that counteract any benefits that the other treatments might confer.
As a group, people who have digestive system problems are much more sensitive to supplements, herbs, drugs, etc., than the general population, and therefore they are much more likely to have an adverse reaction to them. Doctors don't seem to realize that, though, including MDs, because they're blinded by their love for writing prescriptions.
Tex
That was good detective work.
IMO, one of the biggest problems that most NDs seem to have is overprescribing supplements, herbal treatments, etc. About half of what they recommend causes adverse reactions that counteract any benefits that the other treatments might confer.
As a group, people who have digestive system problems are much more sensitive to supplements, herbs, drugs, etc., than the general population, and therefore they are much more likely to have an adverse reaction to them. Doctors don't seem to realize that, though, including MDs, because they're blinded by their love for writing prescriptions. Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Carriagehouse
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:46 pm
- Location: Oregon
I agree! You hear the word "herbal" and assume it is a benign pill to take, but for some reason if there is even the slightest indication that a supplement or pharmaceutical prescription lists "lethargy" or "depression" as a side effect, that's how I respond. Lesson learned. Research EVERYthing before ingesting (and before scaring family members half-to-death).
Leslie
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Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
~~~~
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on December 5, 2012
True friendship is like sound health ... the value is seldom appreciated until it is lost ~ Charles Caleb Colton
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
With or without MC Dx - we are all different.
Our bodies are a delicate chemistry experiment, get the inputs slightly wrong and there are symptoms.
(with MC Dx this is amplified somewhat)
when trying anything new, be it; food, medication, supplement, routine/eating time change, start gradually, and nurture the body a bit through the change.
we are lucky that we have so much information available on the net, albeit for every article that says something is good for you, you can find an article that declares the opposite.
that is why this forum is your best asset, most things have been tried and you can get a pretty good assessment of what to expect.
Our bodies are a delicate chemistry experiment, get the inputs slightly wrong and there are symptoms.
(with MC Dx this is amplified somewhat)
when trying anything new, be it; food, medication, supplement, routine/eating time change, start gradually, and nurture the body a bit through the change.
we are lucky that we have so much information available on the net, albeit for every article that says something is good for you, you can find an article that declares the opposite.
that is why this forum is your best asset, most things have been tried and you can get a pretty good assessment of what to expect.
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama