Wife has been told she is vitamin D deficient (unsure if any specific number metrics were provided) during her last blood test for her thyroid levels.
So, now I need to source some bargain level wisdom on vitamin d, and where fellow OzB'ers source their supplies from?
Any pointers would be welcome.
Scrolling through some previous deals talk of various IU levels, but unsure if just 'really big numbers' is sufficient, and also combining with K2.
my GP specifically told me to get Ostelin so i figure it must be good. If it was the pharmacist I'd be suspicious but the GP has nothing to gain from it
That's because ostelin advertises in the magazines GPs read. A lot of GPs don't keep up with formulations and what is available in the market.
Ostelin is the most overpriced brand on the market, they spend an enormous amount on advertising and have exclusive deals where they sell products into chemist warehouse with a lower cost than what independents can souce them for. Your GPs lazy suggestion promotes their monopoly and empties your wallet.
1000iu is also sub-therapeutic for someone who is tested as deficient, you can read about it here (table 4)
https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/631e40c5-1ce1-4da9-ae…
Unlike ostelin this is formulated with olive oil instead of soybean oil (far more expensive), does not contain a preservative, and is less than half the price. They also have products with K2 included.
https://www.amazon.com.au/NOW-Foods-Potency-Structural-Softg…
I'll look into this when my current keg of Ostelin runs dry, thanks
You're referencing a document from 2004. A dose of 1000 IU is not necessarily "sub-therapeutic" for all individuals found to be deficient. The appropriate dosage depends on whether the deficiency is mild, moderate, or severe.
https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guideli…
See under Overview:
"The recommended replacement for adults with mild uncomplicated vitamin D deficiency is cholecalciferol 25–50 mcg (1000–2000 IU) orally daily."
1000IU can be a perfectly reasonable dose. Moderate to severe deficiency would require higher doses.
@dvd107: Interesting they have changed the regulations. This seems to address that medicare now has restrictions on the amount of Vitamin D blood tests that will be covered, so a high starting dose cannot be recommended if you only test once a year.
It's definitely going to take many more months to reach normal vitamin D levels if you only take 1000iu daily.
Doesn't mean the company who owns it, haven't met with the doctor or practice
Just get one which is an oil capsule rather than dry tablet. You'll also have better absorption when taking with an (oily) meal
Depending on the level of deficiency, she may need a kick-off catch-up dose of 100,000 from a compounding chemist. But the doc should be all over that.
Also beware that Vit D stores in fat cell. Means that if you are fat, it make it harder for your body to release Vit D into the blood stream.
Just bulk swisse for us, haven't found cheaper.
FWIW I had the same deficiency and the GP prescribed me some VERY high dose VitD (10000 or 100000 IU?) in oil to get caught up. Might be worth asking about
If you look up doctors best vitamin d 5000 on Amazon, there's a 720 capsule pack on there for around $35 at the moment. I've been taking this since my blood test in April showed a deficiency and a couple months back I was close to the higher end of the recommended range.
I believe Doctors Best is now Chinese owned.
One of the chemist warehouse staff told me recently that Wagner's is chemist warehouse's home brand medication. Definitely worth checking out for price comparison. It wasn't this vit D product, but the staff confirmed for me that their Wagner brand was the exact same stuff as a different product i was buying.
I stopped buying from Wagner back in 2022. Putin stooges.
My specialist recommended 4,000iu daily, if I miss a day I’m to take 8,000 the next day.
I buy swisse 400 pack when it’s on 1/2 price special for around $15
Albos apothecary?
Great comment
Or Costco and they usually go on special.
Is sunscreen cheaper than Vitamin D?
The ozone layer doesn't block 100% of UV radiation.
@donga100: It blocks most of the UV-B.
The ozone layer absorbs almost 100% of the most harmful UV-C rays. It absorbs around 90% of UV-B and approximately 50% of UV-A
Amazing, considering the hole was over Antarctica.
I was going to say the same thing. This is OzBargain. The sun is free.
Don't you just go out in the sun for 10 minutes around midday?
It's free. Gets you outside. Go for a brisk walk and you kill 2 birds with one stone.
Please refrain from making comments online. Not every is able to use a computer
Yet another ableist comment? Learn something new: https://pwd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PWDA-Language-…
@sumyungguy: I'm not even going to read your link. Someone suggesting OPs wife go outside is not an ableist comment.
If someone posts a deal for glasses at specsavers would you get upset for people who are blind?
Please refrain from making ablelist comments. Not everyone can simply take oral supplements.
Vitamin D is a mood booster, maybe you're deficient. If you can't get enough UV or take oral supplements, there's an IM injection.
There may also be some prisoners in solitary confinement or people who have been kidnapped and can't go out in the sun who might also be offended.
We do need to improve the nutrition of kidnapped members of our society. Others confined indoors get supplements or injections.
Here have another downvote for your BS
Not every OzB member is an a-hole. There are some upvotes.
Ability for the body to make vitamin D varies and also decreases quite a lot with age. It's why most old people take vitamin d, because they burn faster and aren't making much vitamin d.
My mum has an issue making vitamin d, her doctor for years kept telling her to just get out in the sun more (until she changed to a doctor who apparently actually learned something about medicine instead of anecdotes).
I'll keep that in mind for when I get old (if I remember to remember that I had something to remember).
I walk the dog each morning, and mostly sat in the sun for an hour each lunchtime and I still had low Vitamin D, which surprised me.
My GP recommended OsteVit-D once-a-week capsules.
kickbacks ?
Try going out on morning walk daily. It will give you and your wife some sunshine as well as good bonding. +vitamin d OsteVit
as well as good bonding
or the opposite…
OP needs to buy a sunglass before going on morning walks. You never know which hottie you see on the morning walk. Something can lead to many things
So are sunglasses cheaper than vitamin D?
You can get Ostelin Vitamin D 7000IU from the Pharmacist. The benefit is that you ll take 1 cap weekly instead of taking one daily
Should cost around $20 for 24 weeks of supply.
I take 2 x 5000 vit D capsules daily plus cod liver oil capsules. I get my vit D from iherb.com. It's called Country Life I think and they're small capsules.
I also take K2 but I take one every 2nd night and take my vit D in the morning. If you want to read up about it, google Dr Steven Lin - he's an Australian dentist who has an article about it.
There is no evidence to support such high doses.
Actually, there is surprisingly little evidence of benefits for anyone of Vit D supplements, even though low serum levels are associated with problems.
google Dr Steven Lin
I just did….
allegations he threatened to kill two of his former lovers during an “ice bender”.
A dentist? Is he also a dietician? (nutritionists don't count)
You don't think a dentist would understand the science of bones?
no more than a nurse or pharmacist, or anyone with a med sci degree.
@May4th: When doctors learn science they must teach them from the special textbooks labelled FOR DOCTORS ONLY
@greatlamp: no they learn from clinical practice as well as textbooks. it's why medical students have to go through 10+ years post graduation under supervision because they can practice independently and apply the science to actual patients.
give me the name of one practicing dentist who is willing to risk their career giving clinical advice on things outside of their scope and I will gladly eat my words, the thing about professionals is they know what their scope is, unlike lay people
I also take K2 but I take one every 2nd night and take my vit D in the morning.
Do you take <supplement> before, or after, meals at night ?
• K2
• D3
I just want to know, so I can take mine 'correctly', as I don't have set times to take mine and just take them at night before sleeping.
Don't forget to get one with K2.
We use these lately, they are not oil based https://nootropicsdepot.com/vitamin-d3-k2-with-vitamin-c-tab… (prices in USD), not the cheapest but not to bad. Then again I'm not sure the wisdom in skimping on nutrition product. :)
Dr was impressed with my levels at the last checkup.
"Vitamin K is an essential vitamin and is typically supplemented for its cardiovascular benefits. The two primary forms of Vitamin K are phylloquinones (Vitamin K1) and menaquinones (Vitamin K2). Vitamin K comes in a few different forms that are sometimes referred to as vitamers, and there are several different vitamers within the Vitamin K2 group that are abbreviated as MK-x. Within the vitamin K2 group, the form known as MK-7 displays the highest bioavailability, whilst the MK-4 form is most commonly found in food. We have carried a vitamin D3 + MK-7 product for many years, however we are now adding this product with MK-4 instead of MK-7. The reason for this is that not everyone responds favorably to MK-7 and thus we wanted to ensure that more people could benefit from a high quality vitamin D3 + K2 supplement by offering one with a generally more tolerable form of K2. Do keep in mind that MK-7 is significantly more bioavailable, however, we did account for this by increasing the MK-4 dose 10-fold in comparison to MK-7!
The benefits of vitamin K2 are far ranging, from enhancing bone health to cognitive health. Research conducted over the last decade has shown that cognitive function and Vitamin K supplement consumption appear to be directly correlated. One of the unexpected findings from this research was the relationship between Vitamin K and the myelin sheaths of neurons. Animal studies found that a Vitamin K supplement may help promote myelin sheath function and thus support a critical foundation needed for overall cognitive function. Subsequent studies observed a positive correlation between cognitive-based performance tasks and Vitamin K supplementation."
"Why Should I Take Vitamin D3 & K2 Together?
It’s well known that most Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 supplements are typically formulated together, but why specifically formulate Vitamin K and Vitamin D together? Vitamin K and Vitamin D have a very synergistic relationship with each other and they each help potentiate the other’s benefits! Some of the most notable benefits of these two in combination are their support of cardiovascular and bone function. Research has also shown that these two exhibit cognitive benefits on their own but can be better utilized when supplemented in combination."
:) Says albo but it's a picture of a Dicky Knee instead.
SBOB is your wife taking any blood thinners?…beware of any contraindications…
She's not but appreciate the checking
SBOB is your wife taking any blood thinners?…beware of any contraindication
I was on Warfarin for years before switching to Apixaban. Both are fine with vitamin D.
Officially there are no interactions from Warfarin and Apixaban and Vitamin D.
Its not the Vit D but the Vit K which is often recommended to take with Vit D that is of concern
Its not the Vit D but the Vit K which is often recommended to take with Vit D that is of concern
Yep. Vitamin K is a big no no with Warfarin, but no drama with Apixaban.
Also, there are no antidotes for Apixaban overdose. If you overdosed on Warfarin. vitamin K is given to reverse anticoagulation.
I've been on blood thinners over 17 years.
I still find Ostelin to be the best, tried all the other ones. Note that I have regular blood test to confirm the level as well.
It regularly goes on sale at Chemist Warehouse, and I like capsule form because I can just eat it on the go.
Everyone is a bit different when it comes to their requirement though, so better to just consult with the GP. I have friends who need 5000-10000 because they have problems absorbing vit d or something like that. Considering your wife hasn't started complaining about the symptoms of vit d deficiency, she might still be on the borderline. Also reminder that taking too much when you don't need it can be harmful too.
It's also perfect timing to take her for holiday where there's a lot of outdoor activities involved :D (tbh, that's better for me than taking those capsules but can't always be on hols all year round sadly)
Just spend 20 mins in the morning / afternoon sun … far more health benefits and far cheaper :/
Does not help your skin cancer problems either…..I have had so many cut out now I avoid the sun like the plague.
Note the morning / afternoon comment … That time of day has very limited damaging UV rays ;)
Cancer is actually linked to the number of times you are BURNT, not the actual amount of sun exposure …
Burning is also affected by the makeup of your cell lining, if you have a high Omega 6 / 3 ratio, the damage is significantly magnified and you burn easy
(ancient human ratios used to be 1:1, western human ratio can be as high as 20:1)
My ratio is 2:1 and it takes me 3 hours without sunscreen to burn in the middle of the day in the tropics!
Cancer is actually linked to the number of times you are BURNT, not the actual amount of sun exposure …
Just had to google that to find out it's wrong instantly. Please don't spread dangerous misinformation.
Even without a burn, sun exposure raises skin cancer risk. Even if you are tan or your skin type is dark and your skin does not redden, the sun can cause cellular damage that can lead to cancer.
@liquornoodlescabbage: Use google scholar, not rando websites:
Risk related to sunburns: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S18777…
Sun exposure vs cancer vs all cause mortality: https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/38/2/1173.short
New emerging data have, however, shown low UV exposure/low vitamin D levels to be related to increased mortality rate due to skin cancer. In addition, low sun exposure habits in regions of low solar intensity have been shown to be a major risk factor for all-cause mortality in the same range as that for smoking. This is mainly due to lower all-cause mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-CVD/non-cancer disease among women with active sun exposure. Women with active sun exposure habits were estimated to have a 1- to 2-year longer life-expectancy during the Melanoma in Southern Sweden study interval. These findings are in line with those to be expected from an evolutionary perspective and research findings, but in opposition to present guidelines and recommendations.
So do some research and find out you are wrong instantly!! Please don't spread dangerous, non science based, disinformation :/
@7ekn00: Neither of those articles confirm what you're saying? The first is about skin cancer from sunburn and the second is about not getting enough sun also not being good for you.
@liquornoodlescabbage: Of course, there was nothing at all about active sun exposure and life-expectancy, despite:
Women with active sun exposure habits were estimated to have a 1- to 2-year longer life-expectancy during the Melanoma in Southern Sweden study interval
If all sun exposure is harmful, and you have a Melanoma, then your life expectancy should SHORTEN, not get longer with increased exposure …
But you keep spreading your disinformation, the AU government will hit you with the mis/disinformation act shortly ;)
Get the 10,000 iu bad boys.
I'd take 2 of them a day for a couple of weeks and the change was incredible.
Better sleep,
More energy.
better mood.
1000iu's didn't do anything.
Placebo effect is powerful. You need a control group.
DW i had it backed up with blood tests :)
there's such a thing as too much vit D
Yep
But the "medically recommended" amount of 1000iu will never get you anywhere near it.
I took 10000 UI daily for months, then had my Vit D levels checked and what do you know, they were off the charts high, doctor said she had never seen Vit D levels that high haha.
You can always take multiple 1000 IU capsules though? I've only ever bought the 1000 IUs, not sure if the total vitamin D content is the same depending on the bottles you buy.
As mentioned it's important to take vitamin K2 if you're taking vitamin D and I definitely experienced better sleep (REM sleep in particular as I end up remembering my dreams better when I take vitamin D).
Thanks all for the responses/wisdom
Much appreciated
Others have offered great advice. D3 with K2 (but mindful of interactions). Try and educate self about the dosage. For a long time I believed in the trap of Vit D toxicity. Then read research papers shared by Dr Eric Berg on Youtube. Regularly take 10k IU and switch it up with 50k on the days I miss. In my experience, with vitamins, you get what you pay for. I highly recommend this https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09RVQ995S
D-minder and UV index app. No supplementation needed.
I love how ignorant people downvote things they have NFI about.
Bought this for my mother after GP said she was deficient.
I have yet to find a better bargain and they are lasting a while anyway.
https://amzn.asia/d/4YSoThg 1000IU 200 for 7.20 s&s
the pills are tiny too easy to swallow
Depending on where you are, Box 2 in this article by the Medical Journal of Australia, you need anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes per day of midday sun exposure to get your minimum daily adult dose. This all free of charge, and as OzBargain as it gets.
I would highly recommend you take vitamin D tablets rather than going out under sun. Under sun, you are prone to getting either skin burn marks or skin cancer. I did the same and my vitamin D is back to normal now. I took 10k IU twice a week for 6 months.
Cant you just get a vitamin d shot that lasts 3+ months.
I had the same diagnosis and advised by GP to take a supplement. I find Ostelin 1000 IU from Chemist Warehouse to be good value especially when there is a promo on it.