The incredible potential of vitamin D

[Norbert Somogyi]

Hey all!

I've been experimenting with supplements for a while, with D3 becoming the most promising in my experience. I've been taking 5000 IU at first, then switched up to 10000 IU for months and these days (as there is a serious flu floating around, everyone around me is getting sick) doubled up to 20k. I will measure my blood levels this month or so.

• I've been taking K2 and Magnesium along with it, because first it uses the magnesium storages (especially at such higher doses) and K2 helps to avoid calcification by directing it to the bones & teeth. 
• Ever since I've gone up to 20k things have been truly transforming. My anxiety is largely gone, I feel great and at place in my body. I stand up for what I think is right or express if my boundaries are crossed. I can finally give myself what I need and no longer need to solely rely on people for this, such a peaceful feeling. As if I finally know what it truly feels to be a man. I'm not saying it is the sole factor causing this as I've been working on myself for years, but it definitely contributed. 
• I also dream almost daily which I gather as effective subconscious processing, helps a lot with therapy too. It happened like once a month or less frequently in the past. Kinda diminishes my sleep quality over time, but I accept it for what it is.
• Bonus effect: I've had a (potentially) Vitiligo spot growing on my shin since 2023 summer, slowly and steadily up to 10cm2 area or so. I've checked it 1-2 weeks ago and it seems to be shrinking, and these days it is almost if not entirely gone. I didn't document its' progress nor visited a doctor with it (since I took it as incurable), but things may be different. I also found a corresponding, seemingly legitimate study that examines this for Vitiligo and psoriasis - STUDY
• I also got out of the flu in one night (at least that's what I thought I recovered from, feeling low on energy and heat the afternoon before), while others take off days or even weeks with fever, cold symptoms etc.

My local medical guidelines states that it is safe to take up to 4k IU a day, which I can't help but see it as underwhelming. It is the bare minimum to be able to function, but far from thriving. Furthermore, 30 ng/mL seems to be okay and 50ng/mL and above there is a risk of toxicity. I wonder about that, seems rather low. I'm also not sure if vitamin D presence in blood by itself can generate symptoms of toxicity, or is it the potential of hypercalcemia that can happen especially at higher doses? In my opinion the pharmaceutical industry seems to be doing everything they can (besides outright banning it) to downplay the potential it has. 

Understandably there are cases like gut issues, genetic factors etc. when taking vitamin D seems to cause issues, but I believe once (most of) these things are taken care of and the body can accept vitamin D artificially healing can begin. If capsules are not the answer, drops can be a suitable alternative, plenty of sunlight of course. IV if nothing else works.

Here is a resourceful website with thousands of articles, references, studies and some anecdotal evidence - VitaminDWiki , furthemore a book many people found incredibly helpful. I'll be buying it too, soon.

P.S#1: I'm not advocating vitamin D to be a savior, but at sufficient levels it can definitely help your body battle a myriad of diseases or issues. Things like skin-related diseases, autoimmune-diseases, cancer, depression, anxiety - it just seems to revitalize the body and helps it utilize its' resources properly-

I'm not an expert just reading these stuff and experimenting with my body, with great results. Hope you can find some improvement in it, too! Looking for some professional input, as well.

I'm also supplementing with Zinc, C, B-Complex, Copper-Complex etc., aside from the aforementioned minerals. I didn't do drastic changes in my lifestyle (I hydrate myself enough, eat semi-healthily, try to sleep enough and that's it) yet, wonder what will change once I do.

Edited March 14 by Norbert Somogyi
Added a bit about dreaming

[Human Mint]

Good input. Are you from a nordic country or some sun deprived area of the world? Just curious, I am not saying that it is the only situation where it's best to suplement vitamin D

[Norbert Somogyi]

@Human Mint

I am from middle Europe, it is not so sun-deprived but far from better parts of the world like around the equator. Most people if not all would benefit from supplementing vitamin D.

[Leo Gura]

Above 10k will lead to too high levels after a while.

5k is a good maintanance dose once your blood levels are normal.

I've had blood levels 60+ while taking 10k/day for a year. Now I take 5k/day.

Edited Saturday at 11:46 AM by Leo Gura

[Francis777]

6 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Above 10k will lead to too high levels after a while.

5k is a good maintanance dose once your blood levels are normal.

I've had blood levels 60+ while taking 10k/day for a year. Now I take 5k/day.

What brand do you use? I fear I'm deficient in vitamin D but haven't found the time to research a legit product yet.

[Norbert Somogyi]

14 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Above 10k will lead to too high levels after a while.

5k is a good maintanance dose once your blood levels are normal.

I've had blood levels 60+ while taking 10k/day for a year. Now I take 5k/day.

60+ is pretty good (if ng/mL, barely adequate if nmol/mL), what's wrong with it? How come you decided to reduce it?

[Michael569]

29 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I've had blood levels 60+ w

What units, do you know?

[yetineti]

@Leo Gura

Why so much? I live in a winter state and just take the recommended 400-800ui a day.

If I miss a day or if it’s extra dark outside, I will make up the difference and take a few more.

I think I feel good haha.

Edited Saturday at 06:37 PM by yetineti

[Leo Gura]

Don't recall units.

I maxed out my blood levels. Any higher would be bad.

At some point I think I hit like 70-80. That happened from 10k/day for a year+

If you take more than 10k you will eventually overdose. But it will take a long time.

Edited Saturday at 07:29 PM by Leo Gura

[Yimpa]

9 hours ago, Francis777 said:

What brand do you use?

NOW

[iceprincess]

@Leo Gura did you take vitamin k2 with d3?

[Leo Gura]

8 minutes ago, iceprincess said:

@Leo Gura did you take vitamin k2 with d3?

Sometimes

Not now.

[Thought Art]

10k is like 15-30 minutes of sunlight?

I am not convinced you can overdose on 10k. As long as you get the proper vitamins with it.

Edited Sunday at 01:58 AM by Thought Art

[ExploringReality]

@Leo Gura

Do you take any supplements at all now? If so which ones do you? And if not, why not?

[RendHeaven]

I use sports research

https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Research-Verified-Mini-Liquid-Softgels/dp/B00JGCBGZQ?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

[Michael569]

Vitamin D is interesting because the evidence shows it is better to maintain it high over a long period of time than hyperdosing irregularly. Especially for all cause mortality it seems particularly powerful.

It is one where almost a yearly blood check up is a good idea just to keep your levels optimised. Not just immunity but brain health as well. The evidence on lower risk of dementia in older adults who kept their levels moderate across life is really interesting. There is some speculative data that it has antioxidant function in the brain and can accelerate activation of microglia (immune cells protecting neurons)

Getting to 85-95 nmo/L seems to be almost the ideal for long term health. Important to get there slowly and carefully rather than taking toxic doses. 

So yeah, get those levels optimised 🫵🏻

Edited Sunday at 09:56 AM by Michael569

[Cireeric]

2 hours ago, Michael569 said:

Vitamin D is interesting because the evidence shows it is better to maintain it high over a long period of time than hyperdosing irregularly. Especially for all cause mortality it seems particularly powerful.

It is one where almost a yearly blood check up is a good idea just to keep your levels optimised. Not just immunity but brain health as well. The evidence on lower risk of dementia in older adults who kept their levels moderate across life is really interesting. There is some speculative data that it has antioxidant function in the brain and can accelerate activation of microglia (immune cells protecting neurons)

Getting to 85-95 nmo/L seems to be almost the ideal for long term health. Important to get there slowly and carefully rather than taking toxic doses. 

So yeah, get those levels optimised 🫵🏻

Thanks for sharing! What is the level at which you consider a dose to be toxic? Currently im taking 10.000 IU and I need to check my blood-levels again soon. So it seems like getting your level up on a high dose over some period of time to 85 to 95 by taking 5.000 to 10.000 IU a day and then figuring out your maintenance dose to stay up there is the best way or am I missing something?

[Norbert Somogyi]

7 hours ago, Cireeric said:

Thanks for sharing! What is the level at which you consider a dose to be toxic? Currently im taking 10.000 IU and I need to check my blood-levels again soon. So it seems like getting your level up on a high dose over some period of time to 85 to 95 by taking 5.000 to 10.000 IU a day and then figuring out your maintenance dose to stay up there is the best way or am I missing something?

5k IU/day sounds like a good maintenance dose, but sometimes 10K+/day is needed (including adjusted cofactors such as K2, Magnesium and Omega 3). Here's an overview of 50 ng/mL (125nmol/mL) and corresponding effects, furthermore this overview of how much you may need to take and/or what blood level you need to reach depending on risk factors (both including many referential studies and other information).

Still, do your research - test your levels and experiment. Risk of toxicity does not really appear below 100 ng/mL

[Carl-Richard]

I used to take 720 IU, now I'm taking 1200 IU. I've been thinking about if I could up the dose. Meanwhile expert doctors in my country are writing pop journalistic articles about how you can overdose on vitamin D and that you shouldn't take more than 400 IU a day unless you're already deficient 

[PurpleTree]

I was deficient like a month ago and have taken quite a lot since then.