vitamin D3 vs. Vitamin D

Why Vitamin D3?

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I am a 49 year old man, and my Vitamin D Blood Level is 17.8 ng/ml.

My doctor recommended that I take Vitamin D3 4000 IU a day.

Why Vitamin D3?

Comments for vitamin D3 vs. Vitamin D

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Why is Vitamin D3 better than Vitamin D
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen

First of all, Vitamin D3 IS Vitamin D- it is just one form of Vitamin D. The REAL question is, "Why Vitamin D3 instead of Vitamin D2?"

Vitamin D2 is the other 'standard' form of Vitamin D that is in lower quality supplements and -interestingly enough- in ALL prescription Vitamin D supplements and fortified foods.

However, researchers have determined that it is absorbed poorly and has a shorted 'half life' than Vitamin D3. In fact, you need up to 30% more Vitamin D2 than Vitamin D3 to achieve the same results.

Researchers have made the statement that Vitamin D2 is not even suitable for supplementation or fortification.

I am concerned, however, about the dosage that your doctor put you on. That dose is unlikely to correct your Vitamin D Deficiency and is more suitable as a maintenance dose. Most researchers are recommending that everyone should have a Vitamin D blood level of between 50 to 80 ng/ml, and it is unlikely that 4000 IU's will get you there unless you are particularly small.

Spray Your Way
To Vitamin D Health

You may want to speak to your doctor about a more aggressive Vitamin D3 regimen. But in either case, you should get your Vitamin D Level Checked again in 3 to 4 months to make sure that your levels are increasing and that you are not, still, Vitamin D Deficient.

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

Yup! Me too!
by: Mike

I am a normal, healthy 45 year old male, my regularly scheduled DR's appt showed I have a Vit D of 13.2. my only symptoms, if you want to call them that is mild joint pain in my hands.

My DR. prescribed Vit D 50,000 units per week for 8 weeks then a maintenance of 1000 iu per day. does this seem a bit drastic?

Vitamin D Deficiency in otherwise healthy people
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen

Hi Mike,

While you may not have any overt 'diseases', I don't know that I would necessarily call you healthy!

You have a SEVERE Vitamin Deficiency, that- by definition- means that you are not as healthy as you previously thought that you were!!

And Vitamin D Deficiency is a risk factor for:

Diabetes

Heart Disease

Multiple Sclerosis

Early Death from ANY cause

High Blood Pressure

Aches and Pains (like in the hands)

Colon Cancer

Osteoporosis

So, your doctor's recommendations are only drastic if don't care about avoiding any of the above diseases!

Actually, in my opinion your doctor's recommendations are not drastic ENOUGH. While 50,000 IU's may SEEM like a high dose, it's actually closer to a DAILY MAINTENANCE DOSE than a dose that would be needed to correct a vitamin deficiency.

When you follow your doctor's advice, after you finish the 50,000 IU's per week, you should make sure that you get another level drawn. With your level being only 13, it's unlikely that your level will rise to the laboratory 'low normal' value of 30 ng/ml.

A study of elderly women with Vitamin D Deficiency used almost exactly the same formula that your doctor is giving you. After a year, their average Vitamin D Level was less than 30 ng/ml!!

And researchers believe that 30 ng/ml is WAY TOO LOW and that it should be closer to 40 or even 50 ng/ml, depending upon the researcher that you are talking about. One researcher states adamantly that plenty of research shows that if everyone were to have Vitamin D Levels of at least 40 ng/ml, then 75% of breast and colon cancers would be prevented.

That is HUGE!!!

Just because Vitamin D is so 'common' and everyday, don't underestimate its power. It is likely to be one of the most potent cancer and heart disease preventers that exists in the world today!

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

50,000 iu 1 x per wk question
by: Anonymous

I had an MRI which said " focal demylination can't be ruled out" or something to that effect.

Then my regular doc said she was prescribing 50,000 IU's per week for vit deficiency, to be followed by blood tests.

Then on a 2nd visit when a doc filling in for her, told me I had Multiple Sclerosis. When I confronted my regular doctor she said I didn't have it!

I then spoke directly to the Nuerology dept Doc who said, white spots showed on the MRI but that is "normal" for my age- 57. Now I am wondering if they just don't want to make a diagnosis because of the costs of care.

They are an HMO.

I had reported symptonms consistent with M.S., which is why I had the MRI (Dec 08) and symptons continued afterward. Started taking the VIT D in May 09 & have 2 more to take and symptoms started subsiding about 2 weeks ago.

So confused.

I would appreciate any comments.

Mulitple Sclerosis vs. Focal Demyelination
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen

Well, I can't tell you whether or not you have Multiple Sclerosis, but in the world that we live in, we want a 'diagnosis' of SOMETHING. But do you REALLY want to have a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis when there is nothing that they can do about it except pump you full of drugs that don't work very well?

But, it's starting to sound like you HAVE a diagnose- Vitamin D Deficiency. There is PLENTY of evidence to show that Vitamin D Deficiency can cause Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis- if not the disease itself AND plenty of studies to show that Vitamin D can put MS into remission.

There are also many other nutritional therapies that work for Multiple Sclerosis and can keep you in remission or get rid of problems that just LOOK and FEEL like MS.

There are MANY things that people have when doctors start looking that are 'incidental'. Did you know that just as many people WITHOUT back pain have ruptured disks as people WITH back pain?

If I have back pain doesn't mean that the ruptured disk is the cause- and even if it is, it doesn't mean that I have to have the 'standard' treatment for it.

And YOUR neurologic problems could very well have NOTHING to do with the spots on your MRI!

What your symptoms ARE is a wake up call. You are NOT taking care of yourself and you are destined to get more problems if you don't make some drastic changes in your life.

Do you want to Live with MS or have some weird symptoms that went away?? That is really the choice that you have right now!!!

There is so much that you can do right now to figure out these symptoms AND get rid of them- REALLY!!

You can start by reading The Body Ecology Diet to get a program to get you on track to actually solving your health problems instead of just 'getting a diagnosis'.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

Vitamin D and vitamin D3
by: Tom L

Should I take both vitamin D and Vitamin D3?

No, you should NOT take vitamin d and vitamin d3
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Tom,

I'm not sure if you read the previous comments that I made on this thread. If not, here's what I said below:

"Vitamin D3 IS Vitamin D- it is just one form of Vitamin D. The REAL question is, "Why Vitamin D3 instead of Vitamin D2?"

Vitamin D2 is the other 'standard' form of Vitamin D that is in lower quality supplements and -interestingly enough- in ALL prescription Vitamin D supplements and fortified foods.

However, researchers have determined that it is absorbed poorly and has a shorted 'half life' than Vitamin D3. In fact, you need up to 30% more Vitamin D2 than Vitamin D3 to achieve the same results.

Researchers have made the statement that Vitamin D2 is not even suitable for supplementation or fortification. "

Please read my pages on:

Vitamin D3

Prescription Vitamin D

to see why I recommend that you DO NOT take vitamin D2 at all.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

PS: If you found this website helpful, please consider using the
Easy Immune Health Product Store the next time you purchase your supplements online. Your support allows me to keep this site running and educating as many people as possible. Thank you!

D3 not available in 50K IU
by: Mikat

If an immediate large dosage of D is required and D2 is the only available over the counter available what should a D-deficient patient use? D2 sounds like a waste of time and money with no gain in D level and D3 large dosages is just not available. What should we do?

Take more pills
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!B

Hi Mikat,

Most of the time, doctors recommending 50,000 IU's recommend it just once per WEEK or twice per WEEK.

If you need 50,000 IU's per week, until you can get a larger dose of D3 (you DON'T need 50,000 IU pills) then you can simply take 7 pills in a dosage of 1000 IU's a piece (per day) until you can get a larger dosage and/or lay out and get as much sun as you can in the meantime.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

2000 IU per day
by: Kim

I was recently tested and was told my Vitamin D level was less than 8. My doctor put me on 50,000 IU per week for 8 weeks and I was re-tested. The level was 20 and my doctor told me to take 2,000 IU per day.

I read on the internet about the difference between D and D3 and began taking Vitamin D3 2,000 IU per day. But reading various comments, I am wondering if this is enough...

It's not enough...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Kim,

Please read my page on Vitamin D Therapy to walk you step by step through exactly how much Vitamin D you need to get your levels to within normal limits.

Your doctor is now treating you as if he wants to maintain your levels at 20 ng/ml, but that is FAR too low. I would consider you still very deficient- and when you do get a maintenance dose, it should be about double or more the 2000 IU's your doctor recommended.

So, please follow the instructions on the Vitamin D therapy page and bring your level up to 'optimal'...

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

mother vD deficiency of 19
by: O.D

Hello, I am 42 years old female, and I have been breastfeeding my son last 2 years (my only child). Last 6 months or so I have been feeling extremely tired, finally my doc ask for a blood test, and t est results came as Vid D deficiency of 19.

He gave me liquid D3 doze of 1ml for ones a week, 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I should take the same doze of 1ml for ones a month for 6 months and then he will do a blood test again. (I feel like I should I have the test done after the first 8 weeks and see where I am)

Now, It has been 4 weeks I have been taking d3 every week for 1ml, I am still feeling tired.

Do you think this doze is enough for me? and is it normal that I am still feeling extremely tired? Do you recommend anything else?

Thank you and My Kind Regards, -O.

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