My Vitamin D Levels Are Low - What Does it Mean?

MyPunkinPie

My Dr.'s office just called. My vitamin D levels are "only 6" (whatever that means) so they're putting me on a Rx for 8 weeks then OTC vitamins after that, especially since I want to TTC starting next month.

Anyone have any experience with low levels of D? What does it mean? How does it happen? What foods - if any - help?

TIA. I'll probably Google stuff tonight but you know how that can go.

Tambcat

It means they raised the amount you're "supposed to have" and now everyone has low vitamin D levels.

Go sit in the sun without sunscreen on for 5 minutes.

Cleo29

sunlight can help, just like it does for jaundice babies.  perhaps low vitamin D impacts liver function.  i don't remember. 

Mia2700

Supposed to be around a 20, I believe.  They say fish and eggs (yolks) are good sources, but that supplements and sunshine are the best way to fix the issue.

wbl and I are currently using LiteBooks as supplements for Winter Blues / SAD which can be associated with low vitamin D, so that may be an option.

scottydont

It can cause depression and osteopenia or osteoporosis.  Take your Rx, definitely.  If it's a sunny day, try to get out in it for a little bit.  Eat/drink foods with calcium.  I don't do dairy, and I eat a lot of greens (collards, turnip, kale, mustard, chard), rice/soy/coconut milk, almonds, and I take a vitamin D3/mag supplement every night.

ARO1018

Fatty fish and sunshine are supposed to help. Supposedly 10 minutes of sun a day is enough to prevent deficiency. I can't remember where I read that, though.

But Vitamin D aids the absorption of calcium, for it's important for bone growth, health, and development.   

Edited. 

exhausted_bride

It means welcome to daily supplements and constipation. 

I have low vitamin D levels and the vitamins majorly constipate me so look out for that. 

flexiblebride

My therapist said most Alaskans have a Vitamin D deficiency.  She said I should have my level tested.  She also suggested I use a SADD light, which I finally got in the mail.  I haven't set it up yet, but I will in the next day or two.

dirtyred

Yikes, 6 is really low! The low end of normal is 20.

Low Vit D levels may be  involved in the development of certain cancers, like breast and colon. 

MrsKizdoodle

6??  Yikes.  That is low.  Mine was 13 and made my doctor worried. Have you had your thyroid tested ever?  Sometimes hypothyroidism and low vitamin D levels go hand-in-hand. 

Everyone above gave good answers.

Here is what Mayo has to say about it:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind

MyPunkinPie

MrsKizdoodle:

6??  Yikes.  That is low.  Mine was 13 and made my doctor worried. Have you had your thyroid tested ever?  Sometimes hypothyroidism and low vitamin D levels go hand-in-hand. 

Everyone above gave good answers.

Here is what Mayo has to say about it:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind

I see an endocrinologist on the regular, take an Rx for hypothyroidism and tested normal last month, which is why I'm a little surprised at my results yesterday. Anyway, thanks for the link.

MyPunkinPie

flexiblebride:

My therapist said most Alaskans have a Vitamin D deficiency.  She said I should have my level tested.  She also suggested I use a SADD light, which I finally got in the mail.  I haven't set it up yet, but I will in the next day or two.

Let me know how you like your light.

MyPunkinPie

exhausted_bride:

It means welcome to daily supplements and constipation. 

I have low vitamin D levels and the vitamins majorly constipate me so look out for that. 

Well, that sucks but thanks for the heads up.

exhausted_bride

MyPunkinPie:

exhausted_bride:

It means welcome to daily supplements and constipation. 

I have low vitamin D levels and the vitamins majorly constipate me so look out for that. 

Well, that sucks but thanks for the heads up.

Ok, to be honest, I recently stopped taking it because of the constipation and after reading this post I started googling and feel like a dumba$$ after reading what low vitamin D levels can do. I've read some stuff saying to take it with magnesium (which I'm going to ask my doctor about next month) but until then, it says to take a stool softener every day or fiber supplements (I already eat a *** ton of fiber everyday so I know that's not the issue). Anyway, yeah. Sorry.

2boys2danes

My H has it and he takes a prescription pill once a week to try and get his back to normal.....maybe a short 15 minute walk on sunny days will help? 

CarrotsMakeMeFat

The RX is your best bet. I was on one for a year, now I take a daily vitamin for D. Low levels can impact ability to lose weight, cause fatigue, and increase your liklihood of getting heart disease and diabetes.

My doc said there is no way to get enough vit D  from food alone when you have low levels.

MommaSays

I am usually a lurker but wanted to throw my experience in the mix.

 I went to a family dcotor for over a year due to constant headaches. She tried about 5 different RX to control them. I finally went to a new doctor when the old one wanted me to get on an anti-seizure med.

New doc. checked my blood and found I had an extremely low Vitamin D deficiency - put me on so many units a day - and miraculousy my headaches were cured.

About 2 months later, I finally got pregnant and my Vitamin D is back to normal and I do not have to take any supplements.

SandyBeadle

Among the most generally attainable sources of vitamin D is without a doubt daylight. As soon as sunlight come to the skin, manufacturing of vitamin D will start in the body system. On top of contact with the sun, different methods to have vitamin D is certainly crystal clear - food. Many people consider that ingesting food resources of vitamin D is not required due to the fact direct sunlight is well attainable and 15 -20 minutes of get in touch with the sunrays is enough to reduce vitamin D deficit. Nonetheless,low levels of vitamin D the current chaotic life-style which need irregular labor timings impart us with short amount of time for sun rays subjection. It's no surprise that, vitamin D deficiency is typical in the metropolitan society. Limited vitamin D quantities could make the bone weak and even boost the potential risk of brittle bones. All of these medical concerns may be stopped simply by incorporating food sources of vitamin D for the diet program. A few of the healthy foods high in vitamin D will be outlined underneath:



Excellent Food Resources of Vitamin D



Fish

Exclusively a couple of types of fish are discovered to have significant amount of vitamin D. Fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmons as well as sardines are usually rich in vitamin D. These types of greasy fish as well as identified as food full of vitamin D. On the subject of maximum vitamin D concentrations inside fish, trout is actually a guaranteed champion.