Hello,
I currently am take a multi-vitamin daily as well as a vitamin C. I was at the pool the other day and overheard a couple of hard-core endurance guys talking about the virtues of Vitamin D. Wondering if this is a good
supplement for athletes? Is it a year round vitamin? Any thing I should know before starting taking it. Any and all info greatly appreciated.
I can’t swallow pills, so I would need to find a chewable or dissolvable version.
Hello,
I currently am take a multi-vitamin daily as well as a vitamin C. I was at the pool the other day and overheard a couple of hard-core endurance guys talking about the virtues of Vitamin D. Wondering if this is a good
supplement for athletes? Is it a year round vitamin? Any thing I should know before starting taking it. Any and all info greatly appreciated.
I can’t swallow pills, so I would need to find a chewable or dissolvable version.
I talked to a Doctor and he said most endurance athletes are serverely deficient in Vitamin D.
I take it daily now. I don’t think there’s any harm in taking it year round.
Wondering if there is a particular kind that is good? Seems like there are some Vitamin D variations…
My doctor advised year round use, but I’m in Canada and wintertime sun is definitely lacking.
The pills are small (and quite cheap at Costco). If you absolutely need chewable/dissolvable, you may have to look at the children’s supplements.
Have you had your levels tested?
Best to have levels in the high end of normal.
Here is an interesting article about Vitamin D levels written by an ortho surgeon.
I was told to use Vitamin D after bloodwork for my annual physical. I can’t say I’ve seen anything noticeable by taking it, but the price of pills at Costco is so cheap, it really doesn’t bust the bank to take them…
I talked to a Doctor and he said most endurance athletes are serverely deficient in Vitamin D.
That’s a pretty broad statement. Not sure absolutely about that.
I do know that it’s been suggested for northern hemisphere folks, that if you live north of a certain line and don’t spend that much time outdoors and in the sun in the winter (and few do and if you do you don’t have a great deal of skin exposure) that, you should supplement with Vit D.
I have been the last few years in the winter, 1000 - 2000 IU’s almost daily for the last winters. I can’t say that I miraculously feel better. I will say that, I seem to have suffered from fewer colds the last few winters. Not sure if there is a connection there or not - too many variables to make a real linkage.
Like most things there is taking it in, in supplemental form, and then their is absorption and bio-avalability - here there is often a huge disconnect depending on how and when you take your supplement. This is true with many supplements.
Here’s a good primer on Vit D supplementation - http://www.wikihow.com/Best-Absorb-Vitamin-D-Supplements
I talked to a Doctor and he said most endurance athletes are serverely deficient in Vitamin D.
That’s a pretty broad statement. Not sure absolutely about that.
I do know that it’s been suggested for northern hemisphere folks, that if you live north of a certain line and don’t spend that much time outdoors and in the sun in the winter (and few do and if you do you don’t have a great deal of skin exposure) that, you should supplement with Vit D.
I have been the last few years in the winter, 1000 - 2000 IU’s almost daily for the last winters. I can’t say that I miraculously feel better. I will say that, I seem to have suffered from fewer colds the last few winters. Not sure if there is a connection there or not - too many variables to make a real linkage.
Like most things there is taking it in, in supplemental form, and then their is absorption and bio-avalability - here there is often a huge disconnect depending on how and when you take your supplement. This is true with many supplements.
Here’s a good primer on Vit D supplementation - http://www.wikihow.com/...itamin-D-Supplements
Good point. He said most amateur endurance athletes he sees, who complain of weakness, tiredness, fatigue, etc., he finds their Vitamin D levels are low.
I knew all the ladies wanted the D but had no idea so many dudes here did also.
Wondering if there is a particular kind that is good? Seems like there are some Vitamin D variations…
The first thing you need to do is see how much is in your multivitamin. If you go out looking for D, look for Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol). There are several different brands that are out there. NOW Foods makes good vitamins and should have a D3 that caters to you. If you can’t swallow a tablet, just crush it. Vit. D does not come timed released so it is OK. Chewables usually have some undesirable things in them.
Vitamin D is best provided by getting exposure to the sun for 10-15 minutes/day. The body stores it, so even if you live in the northeast you’re set for the winter. The harmful health related side effects of taking Vitamin D are concerning, so you’d definitely want to be working with someone who understands supplements and the appropriate use of them - not sure that’s a traditional medical doctor.
The pills I use are tiny gel caps- they go down without issue. You should get your levels checked before starting and occasionally throughout the year to make sure you are not overdoing it as it can be toxic in high amounts. My doctor is actually on board with Vit D supplementation, and gave me high dose prescription to get me started since I was very low to start. She checks my levels (along with cholesterol) a couple times a year. I stopped taking the pills during the summer and my levels plummeted again, so at least in my case the sun is not helping me much, thus I now take year round. Does it work, who knows?
I take a D, E, Zinc & B-12. The rest of my vitamins comes from healthy food. If I were only able to choose ONE out of them all, I’d choose the D because I call it my “happy pill” that I just can’t make it through the week without.
I can’t swallow pills, so I would need to find a chewable or dissolvable version.
I use VitD drops - 1 drop is 1000 iu, so 1-3 drops is fine in a tiny bit of water. You can’t taste it. Calcium is another one you may be lacking depending on diet.
I can’t swallow pills, so I would need to find a chewable or dissolvable version.
I use VitD drops - 1 drop is 1000 iu, so 1-3 drops is fine in a tiny bit of water. You can’t taste it. Calcium is another one you may be lacking depending on diet.
+1 on the drops. And they’re usually cheaper. Now Foods $9.99 for 535 servings @400IU/serving.
Make sure it’s Vit D3 you are taking and not Vit D2.
Edit: I was labelled severely deficient from my blood work, or as my gerontologist friend put it my levels are worse then just about every 90yo he has. I’m on 5,000IU po qd.
I was taking 1000-2000 pretty much daily and my count was only 22 during midwinter so Dr. increased to 4000 - level now is 48. D can also affect mood. Yes get it checked if you can. I take liquid capsules.
d3 is the best, however its still pretty much useless unless you take k to help absorb it…
Vitamin D is best provided by getting exposure to the sun for 10-15 minutes/day. The body stores it, so even if you live in the northeast you’re set for the winter. The harmful health related side effects of taking Vitamin D are concerning, so you’d definitely want to be working with someone who understands supplements and the appropriate use of them - not sure that’s a traditional medical doctor.It depends on the angle of the sun. In Vancouver getting sun in the winter isn’t good enough and the vit D you store from summer sun doesn’t last through the winter. In my case my levels were good when tested in Sept, but a little below normal when tested in Apr.
Glad your levels are good. There’s a lot of information out there as to what constitutes a “low” level. It’s good to research/investigate the side effects of supplements. They aren’t any different than drugs in that they can be just as detrimental to health, so it’s important to work with someone who really knows what they are doing.