Jo, Vitamin D is necessary for the uptake of Calcium.

Doctors have tended to ignore the need for Vitamin D. Years ago
my mother was put on Calcium and not Vit. D. I told her at that
time that she ought to be taking Vit. D as well, had her doctor
not told her that? However, she was one of those who thought the
doctors were gods, and a mere nurse knew nothing. Researchers
have suggested that up to 4,000 I.U. if Vitamin D is necessary. I
take 1,000 I.U. in summer and 2,000 in winter.  I'll see if I can
find the information on D.

I have never had my D level tested. What they do know now is that
the recommended daily dose of 400 I.U. is not sufficient, and I
think it was even lower in the states.

Joan

Jo, try looking up Vitamin D and Dr. Reinhold Vieth and Vitamin D
and Dr. Ashton Embry. The latter has backed off on his suggestion
of up to 4,000 I.U. daily due to risk of toxicity. Embry is
really big on diet and supplements. His son has MS and he was
saying that diet and supplements was causing him to do well. As
those of us with MS know, it can be good one day and bad the next
practically, a lot like arthritis.

Vieth is now suggesting 1,500 I.U. per day. My rheumatologist
said the 2,000 I.U. I take in winter is safe. Guess it depends on
who you talk to. I see my neuro tomorrow for my annual visit,
must ask him.

At the moment we still have summer weather, it was 30 degrees
today and lots of sun. Too hot to be outside for long, but I
still manage some sun. I have been able to be out for most days
if it is not the hot part of the day. By the way, our temps are
in Celsius, that translates to around 90 F. :-)

Joan

It's the law of unintended consequences at work. It used to be thought
that sufficient exposure to sunlight would allow the body to synthesize
all of the vitamin D it needs. But now that people are being told to use
sunscreen on any body part that might be exposed to the sun, even for a
few minutes, that synthesis doesn't take place.

<.gentle snip>

I'm starting to wonder if somehow calcium supplements are causing the
vitamin D deficiency.  Is it possible that extra calcium is binding up
vitamin D and taking calcium alone "uses up" the vitamin D in your system?

Either that or the doctors are suddenly testing D levels because they can.

Jo

i'm not sure what the exact answers are to those questions.  however, my
thought for the first question is that it seems unlikely to me.  (i think it
is more likely that taking calcium supplements is causing more cases of
kidney stones than once was the statistical norm.)  lifestyles have changed
dramatically, in the past 40 years.  the young are more indoor oriented,
what with computer games, tv and such and thus more prone to deficiency;
the elderly and the handicapped (except golfers<g>) generally spend more
time indoors.  more jobs are mainly indoors now, too, making people more
prone to it.

my thought for your second question is that vitamin d is necessary for
absorption, so the calcium taken alone simply would not be absorbed if there
was no available vit. d present.  but, what you are positing is possible.

as to the more widespread testing, i suspect that is because the largest
generation in this nation's history is entering the stage in life where
osteoporosis becomes a serious health issue (although, i did know a 12 year
old boy in the ortho wards, back in '71, who had an extreemly severe case of
osteoporosis and non-unions as a result.).

roughly about 10 years ago, i had a chiropractor take some xrays of my
spine.  at the time she mentioned that i might have some degree of
osteopenia, also stated that xrays show only about 75% of whatever damage is
actually occurring.   that prompted me to do some information gathering
about osteoporosis.  so, this is old information and may or may not have
been disproven since.

i stumbled upon what was pressumed to be fact, based upon research studies
back then, that certain foods and beverages we consume bind to the calcium
in our bones and remove it through our cleansing processes--things like
carbonated beverages, almonds (which i'd never give up--my favs!) and
assorted other very common things i can no longer recall.

i'm thinking, if this info is accurate, then it hurts those industries'
bottom lines, so the information has been somewhat hushed up, because i
rarely hear it mentioned.  but these common foods and beverages could be
also contributing to the seemingly sudden awareness of
osteopenia/osteoporosis and more testing for bone density and vit. d
deficiencies and the push to consume more calcium and vit. d.

kate