I've talked about this before, but I need to periodically remind everybody:
Vitamin D must be an oil-based capsule, a gel-cap, not a tablet.
Lisa is one of early success stories: a heart scan score of 447 in her early 40's, modest reduction of CT heart scan score three years ago.
However, Lisa had a difficult time locating oil-based vitamin D. There has, in fact, been a national run on vitamin D and I'm told that even manufacturers are scrambling to keep up with the booming demand. So, she bought tablets instead and was taking 3000 units per day.
She came in for a routine check. Lisa's 25-OH-vitamin D3: 17 ng/ml, signifying severe deficiency, the same as if she were taking nothing at all. (Recall that we aim for 50 ng/ml.)
In other words, vitamin D tablets do not work. It is shameful. I see numerous women taking calcium tablets with D--the vitamin D does not work. I've actually seen blood levels of zero on these preparations.
You may have to look, but if you want to enjoy the extraordinary benefits of vitamin D replacement, it must be an oil-based capsule. Carlson's and Vitamin Shoppe have excellent prepartions. They raise blood levels substantially and consistently, and they're inexpensive. We pay $5.99 for a bottle of 120 capsules.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Vitamin D must be oil-based
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7 comments:
NOW you tell me.....I just bought a big bottle of Vitamin D3 TABLETS.
(sigh)
I agree that taking gel caps is most convenient and will create the most likelihood of consistent proper uptake. But will taking the pills with a meal containing fat, or with my fish oil caps, likely make the pills work just as well as the gel caps?
Not an formal analysis, but my experience is that the great majority of tablet preparations, regardless of how they're taken, yield trivial levels of absorption. It's oil-containing gelcaps or no, I'm afraid.
What about the LEF capsules which are a fine powder. They the same deal?
I haven't seen the Vitamin Shoppe version yet, but the Carlson's Vitamin D souce is Cod Liver oil.
Are there problems with cod liver oil as the source of "D" -- i.e. the increased vitamin A, and possible mercury/pcb contamination? My understanding re taking omega 3's, for example, is that cod liver oil is not the healthiest source, because of the above.
What is the story w/the Vitamin Shoppe, et.al. oil based versions? Am particularly concerned because I need to find a version safe for a 6 year old -- and the increased A/mercury, et.al. issue is even more important in a small child.
I have a fish allergy so taking a cod-liver formulation of vitamin D is out. Are there any preparations you know of that are oil-based but not fish-based? I haven't found any so far.
Vitamin D gels are available at Whole Foods.
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