Vitamin D and Covid 19

Quite right Esspee I should have done more research - slap on the wrists. You put the mushrooms in natural sunlight and they will absorb Vitamin D. If you then dry them then Vitamin D content lasts a year. So windowsill not much good unless outside ledge and not much chance of sun this time of year. At least not here in Somerset at the moment with what seems like constant rain.

It's been lovely, hasn't it Biba? I walked to the shops with some students. We fed the ducks on the way back. So much for being cool teenagers. They got really excited and videoed the ensuing mêlée.

Been out working in the garden all day after a nice walk- 17C and beautifully sunny. My dose of Vit D for the day.

I was advised by my auto immune specialist to take 5000iu of D3 daily about 8 years ago and have taken it every day since. No clue if it's made any difference.

25Avalon. I was under the impression that ultra violet light does not pass through glass. That’s why you don’t get sunburnt indoors even if basking in glorious sunshine all day.
Assuming that is so then placing mushrooms on the window ledge is a waste of time.

SueDonim thanks for your reply. I’ve decided I’ll take them mid afternoon. I won’t worry though if I can’t do that just take them when I can. I’ve been told I’ll have another bone scan in 3 years time. Hopefully the meds will work as well as yours did ?.

Kittye I was on calcium & Vit D plus a ‘bone‘ medication for osteopenia after a fracture. I confess I took the calcium tablets at random times as I never seemed to have a fixed point in the day when it was convenient.

I had a bone scan recently and the results were normal so I’m off all meds now, hurrah!

I happened to be listening to an Australian podcast about allergies, apparently Australia is allergy king of the world (!), that aside, vitamin D deficiency was discussed and the doctor being interviewed said 'I think we've been a bit too keen on slip, slap, slop'.

I've always thought it better to enjoy the sun but keep to the shade at the highpoint of the day and not stay out for hours uncovered. I have red hair and my vitamin D levels were normal when the GP measured them.

I’ve just been prescribed a combined calcium and vitamin D supplement after bone scan revealed osteopenia.
The leaflet says not to take it within 2 hours either side of eating whole grain cereals so that’s morning out. Just wondering when others take theirs. They are great big “horse” tablets that must be chewed.

I've been taking vitamin D for ages.
Here's a video from September that I think everyone should see.

youtu.be/V8Ks9fUh2k8

Iam64, we are indeed fortunate in the care we receive.

PS, I do like the idea of being in camp with you! ?

I'm in the Marydoll camp, I have rheumatoid arthritis and osteopenia. My rheumatologist told me about 8 year ago that she'd get my GP to prescribe VitD and Calcium (Adcal) to help with immune system and bone density. The meds she prescribes for RA lower the immune system but they give patients their lives back, so no choice or contest really.

My consultant rheumatologist said that in our area of the UK (north west England) random blood tests in February would show most of the population to be deficient in Vitamin D. She isn't a fan of supplements, keen on a good diet and proper drug treatments but so far as VitD and calcium go, she recommends to her patients.

I feel very fortunate to live in the UK with our brilliant health service. The meds I'm prescribed are very expensive but paid for the the NHS. In my 40's I struggled to walk up or downstairs, I was in significant pain. The rheumatology consultant prescribed the first line medication, within six weeks I was doing four mile walks again (first time in a year). By 62, I needed the next line meds. Here I am at 71 - still doing that four mile walk, more slowly but still doing int.

That's good to know, Marydoll. Thank you.

Thank you Marydoll.I'll wait until my next appointment at the GP and ask them.

Steriods ( even ) ?

I’ve been prescribed vit D which I’ve been taking for years as I’m on continuous stetods

Grannmarie, anyone who was previously shielding will be offered a sick note from the Chief medical officer for two weeks, then GP will provide, if we go into Level 4.
Any children previously shielding (my wee grand daughter) have not to go to school.

My son has just received his shielding update from the Scottish Government, offering Vitamin D and also flu jags for the family. I've told him to arrange it asap, as he is back at work and the grandchildren are back at school. It felt safer for them when he was shielding and the grandchildren were home schooling.

So many people who were previously shielding, including many teachers, are back in the workplace as we, in Lanarkshire, go into level 4, the highest of Scottish restrictions.

It's very worrying.

Antonia patients with kidney problems need to be monitored with regular blood tests if taking VitaminD. Please be careful.
I know this because my late BIL was on dialysis.

I forgot to say, my consultant says he never recommends any kind of supplement. He may be a consultant, but I think he's just plain wrong.

FoghornLeghorn, if you have been diagnosed as VitD deficient, no need to go searching for it. Your GP should be prescribing a dose appropriate to your needs. Each person is different.

B9exchange

From the NHS.uk website "You should take 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day between October and early March to keep your bones and muscles healthy." You can read the full advice on the link below.

www.nhs.uk/news/food-and-diet/the-new-guidelines-on-vitamin-d-what-you-need-to-know/

Now if there had been panic buying of Vitamin D at the start, that would almost have made sense!

There was panic buying. I have to take a high dose of Vitamin D every day as I am naturally deficient. I had to hunt around for it as my usual suppliers had sold out due to the world and his dog buying it because of Covid.

Kalithank you for your advice. However, I am not on any medication for my kidney disease. I do take blood pressure meds though. I can ask at a pharmacy, but any advice they give would only be an opinion, since no- one has ever tested my vitamin levels. As I said, I take a low dose: 400 iu every other day.

This is what our Doctor prescribes. 1 dose each month November to February. (A stronger dose for my DH). Snap off the neck of the glass phial (the French don't do Health & Safety) and pour into a few spoonfuls of water. Tastes like Clementines. In Northern France we took them routinely but down here with average of 300 days sunshine per annum, it's because of sun 'avoidance' i.e., loads of sunscreen/sitting in the shade etc., which many people do. On any long-term medication, people routinely have 3 or more blood tests per year, so any deficiencies/imbalances are quickly picked up.

Does anyone know about taking multivitamins as well as Vit D? All the mv’s I’ve looked at provide a maximum of RDA of Vit D.

Is that adequate, do we think, or given that most Vit D products have a minimum of double that amount, would extra Vit D give better protection against CV?

We don’t normally take mv’s as I think we generally eat well, but I’m thinking it might not be a bad idea this winter.