Vitamin D supplement not necessary?

November 12, 2012 By

Q: My 80-year-old friend is very healthy, swims 40 laps in the pool every day but has such terrible leg and hand cramps, she hasn’t had a full nights sleep in years. She takes 1000 mg calcium daily but not vitamin D. She says she gets all she needs from the sun. Her skin is brown like saddle leather. Please help me.

A: Your friend should probably be on a vitamin D supplement. Those over 65 may not get adequate amounts from their diets or enough sunlight exposure. Individuals with darker skin also do not absorb as much sunlight into the skin and the body’s production of vitamin D may be reduced.
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Are sweats linked to vitamin D?

April 2, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am 71 years old. Just as a precaution, my doctor has me on vitamin D (2,000 IU). According to your article in October 2010, this is too much. I am wondering if the sweats I am having are coming from this. They occur with little exertion, like vacuuming or other minor chores. My face, hair and neck are dripping with sweat. I usually stop what I am doing until I cool off. My husband looks at me and can’t believe it. I am very healthy, except for taking simvastatin, which I have been on for years.

I read your column every day and enjoy it very much. I’ll be looking for a response from you.

DEAR READER: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble essential nutrient required for the growth and development of strong teeth and bones and for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the intestines. It is available in fortified milk products, egg yolks, salmon, tuna and other foods. [Read more...]

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Review of vitamins D and E

March 20, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about vitamins D and E. Can you tell me the good and the bad about them? Thank you.

DEAR READER: Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning that it is stored by the body for future use. It can be produced within the body during exposure to sunlight and is also available in some foods and through supplements. Before the body can use it, however, it must undergo two changes. The first occurs in the liver, the second in the kidneys. At this point, it is now active and ready for use in the body.
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Muscle spasms linked to vitamin D usage

December 1, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I read your article on severe cramping and muscle spasms. I took 1,000 IU of vitamin D with my calcium for 10 months. I was up from 10 to 20 times a night with severe, excruciating cramps. Then I ran out of vitamin D and didn’t take it for a couple of days. I had no cramps during this time. I tried a lower dose of D two more times. The cramps started immediately. I stopped the D again and am finally cramp-free.

It’s strange but true. People should look into their meds, even if cramps and spasms aren’t listed as a side effect. Also, if I get my vitamin D naturally, why do I need a supplement to help absorb calcium?
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Vitamin D column needs clarification

November 4, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I read about how much vitamin D to take from your Sept. 30 column. In the information about research on D, you state it is linked to thyroid disorders, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, heart failure and colon cancer, among other things. I have read vitamin D fights off these disorders, not contribute to them. Was this a misprint?

DEAR READER: In essence, yes it was. The article should have indicated, “As research unfolds and theories are validated, deficiency is thought to be linked to thyroid disorders …” The word “deficiency” did not appear in print. I spoke of insufficient amounts of D at the beginning of the paragraph, but the way the information appeared would lead a person to think just as you did.
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How much vitamin D is appropriate?

October 1, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: How much vitamin D should I take? I hear everything from 400 IU to 10,000 IU. I’m currently taking 5,000 IU. Should I take it every other day? I’m a 59-year-old female. Please advise.

DEAR READER: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for the growth and development of teeth and bones and for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the intestines. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle and misshapen. It prevents softening of bones in children, a condition known as rickets. When combined with calcium, it helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. As research unfolds and theories are validated, it is thought to be linked to thyroid disorders, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, heart failure, colon, prostate and breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, infection and other disorders.

The average vitamin D intake of American adults is about 230 IU daily. Some researchers are recommending that the dose be increased to between 1,500 and 2,000 IU daily, while others believe 5,000 is appropriate. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health, people between infancy and 50 should take 200 IU; between 51 and 70, 400 IU; 71 and over, 600 IU. Research remains ongoing, and new studies were to have been completed in May 2010 and reported later this fall that may modify these recommendations.

Vitamin D comes from three sources — supplements, exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays that penetrate the skin and foods such as fatty fish, fortified milk products, egg yolks and butter. It is said that 20 minutes in the sun at solar noon provides 200 times more vitamin D than one glass of milk.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Vitamins & Minerals.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order payable to Newsletter. Mail it to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

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Calcium plus D helps osteoporosis for some

September 9, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and am presently taking two calcium tablets and one multivitamin for mature adults. Would this help my condition?

DEAR READER: Osteoporosis occurs when the normal buildup and breakdown of minerals in healthy bones falls out of balance. The condition is difficult to detect in its early stages, but the first clue is often a bone fracture, loss of height, back pain, stooped shoulders or through a routine bone density (X-ray) study.

There are a number of prescription medications; however, as you may be aware, several can lead to osteonecrosis of the jaw and other serious complications.
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Could vitamin D deficiency cause cold symptoms?

March 21, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been sick with cold and flu symptoms (on average) about 12 to 14 days each month for the past year. My family doctor referred me to a rheumatologist because she thought it might be autoimmune. The rheumatologist believes that a low vitamin D level and allergies are causing my symptoms. She has put me on 50,000 IU of vitamin D for the next eight weeks and daily Claritin.

Can you tell me what could be causing my low vitamin D level? Do you believe that this is the issue, or are the low levels caused by something else?

DEAR READER: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for promoting calcium absorption, maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate levels, bone growth and remodeling, reduction of inflammation, and neuromuscular and immune function.
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More Research Needed On Vitamin D Requirements

April 15, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 70-year-old retired female nurse and an avid reader of your column. My health is good and I take minimal medications — Xanax as needed, an antidepressant in the winter and daily vitamin and mineral supplements to include 5000 international units of vitamin D. This added vitamin D keeps my blood level at 54 which my doctor told me is good. When I was only getting 400 IU daily, it was below 30 so my doctor prescribed 10,000 IU daily for several months (until it was 50), at which point my dose was lowered.

I have enclosed some article from different sources on the importance of vitamin D and hope that you will re-evaluate your position on the necessary amount of the essential vitamin. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

September 29, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have been taking calcium plus vitamin D tablets three times a day. I have recently heard on the news that this could cause hardening of the heart arteries. What should a person take to strengthen the bones? I also take Actonel once a week.

DEAR READER:
You are one of many people who have written to me asking the same question. Calcium (or calcium plus D) supplements DO NOT cause hardening of the arteries. The way that the media portrayed the issue caused near panic for thousands of individuals taking these supplements.

The information reported was that arterial plaque caused by excess calcium could lead to heart attack and stroke. While this is true, the problem does not lie in how much calcium in ingested but rather with the body itself. [Read more...]

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