Vitamin D Supplements ?

[anneasquith]

as above ^^^^, good idea or a waste of money , ? TIA.

[ummmm]

That would depend on your diet and how much exposure to the sun you get.

It doesn't have to be summer sun either.

[vodkancoke]

I have them as I am deficient in Vitamin D. They certainly help me according to my blood tests.

[coccinelle]

Good idea if you're lacking in Vitamin D, not a good idea if your Vitamin D level is OK. Vitamin D is stored in fat in the body so you can get too much. I've just been tested and my level was too low so have been given a very high supplement to take twice this month then to take every 3 months until I'm next tested.

[2sp_]

Apparently all children in the Highlands should now be given Vitamin D supplements due to lack of sun/daylight.

I did argue with my health visitor that we have very long days in the summer so surely we should only bother in the winter?

[ethandron]

I take a calcium and vit d supplement which I get on prescription because I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year after my gp sent me for a bone density scan.
I have a good diet and have always spent lots of time outdoors as we're keen walkers so I was quite surprised at the diagnosis. I do wonder that if I'd already been taking vit d and calcium I may have avoided it.

[Eve]

I have them on an off though tends to be higher doses as my level (via blood test) tends to get quite low.

[Addy123]

The World Health Organisation has reported that there are growing cases of Vitamin D deficiency caused by the fact we are have gone so far down the route of protecting ourselves by covering up from the sun and ever increasing sun factors.
We do in fact need some sun on our skins to stimulate the production of vitamin D. In fact those most at risk are people who live in really hot climates and cover up (UAE countries etc), but it is a worldwide problem.
You are best to try a vit D3 supplement and calcium aids it's absorption. Just a note on Vitamins in general. Recent regulatory changes means that many supplements have undergone tests to gain licences to support their efficacy. They are regulated by the MHRA who also govern the pharmaceutical firms.
A 99p product is likely to be not much help. I hate to say it but it is one area where you get what you pay for. Although you might be putoff by the higher priced ones, they will have been tested, licensed and produced in much the same way as any tablet I.E they will contain a set amount of the active ingredient, work in a specified way and contain a well produced ingredient.

[Eve]

I reckon part of mine might be a malabsorption condition that I have though I do cover up a lot as my eyes get quite sensitive to the sun (dry through arthritis etc...), often have gloves on to protect/support my hands and some of the medication I'm on means I shouldn't be exposed to a lot of sunlight and I'm not a sunseeker by any means, more of a shade girl.

So not surprising mine is low really!

[askyourgran]

Vitamin D is good for your bones and teeth. I have the beginnings of osteoporosis (osteopina?), my GP prescribed Adcal tablets (Vit D and Calcium) but I am allergic to them, tried another kind and the same happened, instead I'm supposed to eat dairy foods milk cheese eggs, however I've also got to watch my cholesterol which is a bit tricky so it's low fat cheese and milk.

[coccinelle]

askyourgran: there isn't any Vitamin D in low fat milk or cheese, however, there is calcium. A good way to get calcium without the fat is drinking mineral water which is high in calcium such as Contrex. The low fat way of getting Vitamin D is exposing face and at least lower arms for 20 minutes in the midday sun. Mushrooms also contain Vitamin D so does fish especially oily fish.
What kind of allergy did you get?

[LazyGun]

This is actually a pretty good reference site for information about supplements etc.

Its american, but you can't have everything :)

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/

You do not need a great deal of daily exposure to the sun for the body to manufacture the requisite amount of Vit.D.

It is however just about the only dietary supplement/ vitamin I might consider taking myself, especially if I lived in areas where for long periods there was little sunlight.

In the US, milk is routinely ( I think) fortified with Vitamin D, but not in the UK, although you can buy fortified food products containing Vit.D from stores like M&S