people who had higher levels of vitamin D, had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While this makes great headlines, it might not be helpful for immediate results. These people were followed for over 17 years and the levels of vitamin D in their blood were consistently higher for all those 17 years. So if you have pre-diabetes, or currently have type 2 diabetes, taking vitamin D might not help you in the short term. However, if you have a family history of diabetes, it might be a good idea to think about taking extra vitamin D on a regular basis.
.....There are few side effects with vitamin D use. In theory it might cause stomach upset, but none of my patients have mentioned any side effects with using vitamin D. The recommended dosage of vitamin D varies depending on whom you ask. It used to be that the recommended dosage was 400IU per day, it was believed that anything higher might be toxic. That thinking has been replaced with current recommendation |
of 1000IU per day. This is what I currently recommend. If you are concerned about bone health or have darker skin, 
I usually recommend that you take more (1600IU). Health Canada currently recommends that infants (0-12 months) receive 400IU of vitamin D per day.
.....There are many ways to get extra |
vitamin D. Cod and Halibut liver oils are good sources of vitamin D. Be careful though because they are also good sources of vitamin A. Ask your Peoples Pharmacist if Cod or Halibut liver oil supplements are right for you. .....I have not been able to find any sources that tell me if there is vitamin A or D in other fish oils (salmon, sardine, mackerel). There may be, but I do not think these other oils are a significant source of Vitamin A or D. One new product on the market is a Vitamin D drop. It comes in a 400IU per drop strength for infants and a 1000IU strength for adults. This might be a handy product for people who don't like to swallow tablets. With all these great findings about vitamin D, come and ask your Peoples Pharmacist if this supplement might be helpful for you.
Written By Ian Lloyd, Pharmacist & Chartered Herbalist
Peoples Pharmacy, Victoria |
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