Vitamin D advocates: It energizes body

By Keri Brenner

As we speak, I am planning a trip to the health food store to buy more vitamin D.

The more I look into this, the more I am convinced: Most of us are not getting enough of the nutrient. If we were, it could keep our bones stronger, help ward off diabetes and maybe even protect against cancer, tuberculosis and the flu.

Some vitamin D advocates, such as Lynn Krupski of Olympia, say it even helps ease food cravings, lifts the spirit, erases fatigue and stops bone and joint pain.

In December, Krupski, who suffers from multiple ailments including early rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, did a short trial of 5,000 international units of vitamin D-3 daily. The standard recommended dosage of vitamin D-3, which is preferred over the vitamin D-2 form, is 400 IUs a day. Krupski previously had been on 2,000 IUs daily.

"In 48 hours, my muscles were no longer aching," Krupski, 60, said of the high-dosage experiment.

"I had needed 10-plus hours of sleep a night to keep my muscles from really hurting," she said. "Now I am sleeping soundly for seven or eight hours a night and waking easily without an alarm clock."

Krupski, who is working with doctors at The PolyClinic in Seattle, has since decreased the vitamin D dosage to about 3,000 to 4,000 IUs daily. She said the changes continue to be remarkable.

"My energy is great for 16 hours a day," she said. "I no longer crave sweets or mindlessly graze on food."

Her high-dosage experiment came after reading an article in the Dec. 18 issue of U.S. News and World Report. The article reports an increasing number of studies are finding that low levels of vitamin D can adversely affect many different functions of the body, from blood pressure during pregnancy to the pancreas' release of insulin to the ability to maintain a strong immune system.

"There's been recent research that shows how often perimenopausal and menopausal women are low in vitamin D," said Julie Dybbro, an Olympia advanced registered nurse practitioner. "I now routinely test my patients for vitamin D 25 OH, the standard test for vitamin D-3 levels."

Dybbro said she began the routine vitamin D blood testing in April after hearing a talk in Portland by Dr. Mike McClung of the Oregon Osteoporosis Center. McClung cited the results of numerous recent studies that indicate the recommended dose of 400 IUs a day for people older than 50 is not enough.

"Low vitamin D creates a lack of calcium absorption," Dybbro said. "Everyone focuses on getting enough calcium (to maintain strong bones) but if you don't get enough vitamin D, you won't be able to absorb the calcium."

According to Dybbro, a woman in her 40s, 50s or older should have a vitamin D-3 blood level of 30. Many of her patients initially test at 19 or 20 or lower, she said.

If the blood levels are low, Dybbro recommends increasing vitamin D supplementation to at least 1,000 to 2,000 IUs daily.

She does not recommend the "back to nature" route for getting vitamin D - 15 minutes a day of direct sunlight without sunscreen - because of the danger of skin cancer.

Even though 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight at mid-day in a fair-skinned person can produce up to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D in the body, Dybbro said the risk of skin cancer isn't worth it - especially in the Northwest where sunlight can be fickle.

"I don't think vitamin D supplementation is a hard thing to do, especially if someone doesn't want to get 15 minutes of potentially skin-cancer-causing sun without sunscreen," she said.

She recommends people take the increased doses of vitamin D in a pill by itself, instead of in a multivitamin to avoid overdoses of other nutrients.

Dybbro said women with full-blown osteoporosis might need as much as 10,000 IUs daily.

According to Krupski's reports from her physicians, it's hard to overdose on vitamin D unless you take in 50,000 IUs daily for several months.

Krupski said it helps to retake the vitamin D blood test to monitor dosages. She initially tested on the low side of normal, she said, and still was having serious symptoms. She felt significantly better when she increased her dose and then tested at the high side of normal.

Krupski mixes supplements with food to get her full dosage. She also varies her supplements, sometimes taking synthetic vitamin D and sometimes natural pills made from fish sources.

"You have to be proactive and do your own research," Krupski said.

According to the U.S. News & World Report article, if you consume 3 ounces of tuna, two glasses of milk and a glass of fortified orange juice, you'll take in 500 IUs of vi tamin D. A few pills on top of that will get you the rest.

I'm in. What about you?

Keri Brenner covers Thurston County and Tumwater for The Olympian. She is also a licensed acupuncturist in Oregon and holds a master's degree in Oriental medicine and acupuncture from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland. Brenner is the author of "Sleep Disorders: An Alternative Guide" and a contributing editor to "Alternative Guide to Women's Health, Vols. I and II." She can be reached at 360-754-5435 or kbrenner@theolympian.com.

Helpful resources

n To read the U.S. News & World report article, go to health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/061210/18vitamin.htm.

n To reach Julie Dybbro and Margaret Zimmerman, advanced registered nurse practioners at Complete Women's Health Care, 200 Lilly Road, N.E. Suite B, Olympia, call 360-754-9409.