Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Raising Vitamin D Levels?


TessTess

Recommended Posts

TessTess Newbie

Hi!

I've been diagnosed for a long time and its well controlled. The last 3.5 years I've been pregnant and/or breastfeeding, 2 c-sections and my body is struggling a little. I'm having trouble with vitamin D levels, my new doctor (like my old doctor) just keep telling me to take 1000iu of vitamin D, but I already do plus good food, however my numbers are about 20 and I want them much higher, especially as my 10 month old still nurses regularly and isn't eating a huge amount yet.

Anyone know more about what sort if levels I can take?

Thank you!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



notme Experienced

hi, tess - my doc has me on 50,000 iu 1x per week - mine was at 24 - i'm going for a visit on wednesday, so i am curious how much they have gone up (i hope!) certainly makes a big difference and i was surprised at how low i was.  i'm going to ask if i can take a lower dose once per day (hard to remember once a week and i have a brain like a seive lolz) and also see if he would prescribe me something that isn't delivered in soybean oil.  i'll let you know if the 1x per wk mega-dose worked (on wednesday)  :)

1desperateladysaved Proficient

I take 5 drops of liquid  5,000 d3 daily.  I am up from 3 drops which put me at borderline normal.

 

 

D

greenbeanie Enthusiast

My level was 29 two months ago, and I was able to raise it to 50 in just eight weeks by taking 4000 IU of d3 daily. I went gluten-free shortly after the first vitamin level test. I'm not sure how quickly people's levels usually rise, but that seemed like a good increase to me in such a short time! My doctor gave me the ok to take the 4000 IU daily, though she also said that 29 was a fine level and I didn't really need to raise it (so I'm not sure how up on d levels she actually is).

tarnalberry Community Regular

Sun!

frieze Community Regular

Sun!

In moderation!  lol   15-20 min a day.   and supplement with D3, not D2.

TessTess Newbie

Thanks everyone. I was taking prenatals, fish oil and getting midday sun for 20 minutes when I was below 20, then got up to 29 on prescription vit D, but the doctors don't seem as worries about my levels as I am, but I know breastfeeding especially I really need to get them up (and hope some of my joint pain disappears). Anyway I have been researching also on the vitamin d council website and will take 5000ui a day. Thanks everyone.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



powerofpositivethinking Community Regular

I'm glad you're questioning your doctors.  I'm also taking 50000 ius once a week right now and will get it retested soon.  I had a level of 25 in February this year and supplemented with 3000 ius a day and had it retested last time in June and it went to a 28.  The Vitamin D Council recommends a level of 50.  Open Original Shared Link

 

I should've asked...are you gluten free already?  Also have you had your cholesterol tested lately?  Even with sunlight exposure, if you have low cholesterol your body will be unable to create Vitamin D since it is made from cholesterol, and low cholesterol is some people's only indicator of having celiac. 

 

good luck!

 

 

Thanks everyone. I was taking prenatals, fish oil and getting midday sun for 20 minutes when I was below 20, then got up to 29 on prescription vit D, but the doctors don't seem as worries about my levels as I am, but I know breastfeeding especially I really need to get them up (and hope some of my joint pain disappears). Anyway I have been researching also on the vitamin d council website and will take 5000ui a day. Thanks everyone.

1desperateladysaved Proficient

Sun!

I garden 3-4 hours a day, but my levels were still low.  I live in Minnesota, so perhaps the northern rays are not so strong.  .

 

I asked if the body must process the Vitamin D through the small intestine, but it doesn't.  I have a beautiful tan, but still need to supplement my vitamin D!

greenbeanie Enthusiast

I also spend a lot of time outdoors and it didn't raise my D level, which was puzzling. But I had low cholesterol too (not shockingly low, but 20 points below the low-end value of the reference range, despite eating meat and quite a bit of cheese). I never realized they could be connected! My doctor applauded the low cholesterol as if it were a good thing.

It is amazing how all the weird and unexplained pieces keep falling into place...People here are seriously better at making sense of stuff than all the doctors I've ever see. Wish I'd found this site years ago!

TessTess Newbie

I have cholesterol issues (slightly high, good and bad) and that's barely touching animal products, just genetics (from the non celiac side also) something I try and control by a very strict diet so I can breastfeed.

Anyone recommend a vitamin D3 drops?

Thanks for all the posts!

notme Experienced

winner!  lolz - is that what your doc recommended, tess?

 

In moderation!  lol   15-20 min a day.   and supplement with D3, not D2.

my doc has me on d2 - why is d3 better?  i'm going on wednesday, trying to get all my ducks in a row (before i go see my quack LOLZ couldn't resist that one - he's really not a bad doc.  he just needs fine-tuning lolz)  what are the drops in or is it just 'straight' vitamin d3?

TessTess Newbie

No Doctor hasn't replied yet to my email, I researched it on the vitamin D council website

Open Original Shared Link

They said (as did my lactation consultant) D3 is better, I can't remember why. I also know its absorbed better with fish oil, so I take them together plus trying to eat wild salmon often amongst other things. I give my young children D3 yum drops by jarrow.

notme Experienced

thanks -- i think i will take a look-see at that website :)

frieze Community Regular

I garden 3-4 hours a day, but my levels were still low.  I live in Minnesota, so perhaps the northern rays are not so strong.  .

 

I asked if the body must process the Vitamin D through the small intestine, but it doesn't.  I have a beautiful tan, but still need to supplement my vitamin D!

Once you tan, you reduce the amount of vit D that you make.  also, don't shower/bathe immediately after sunning.

frieze Community Regular

winner!  lolz - is that what your doc recommended, tess?

 

my doc has me on d2 - why is d3 better?  i'm going on wednesday, trying to get all my ducks in a row (before i go see my quack LOLZ couldn't resist that one - he's really not a bad doc.  he just needs fine-tuning lolz)  what are the drops in or is it just 'straight' vitamin d3?

D2 is the plant form, D3 is the usable animal form. 

frieze Community Regular

No Doctor hasn't replied yet to my email, I researched it on the vitamin D council website

Open Original Shared Link

They said (as did my lactation consultant) D3 is better, I can't remember why. I also know its absorbed better with fish oil, so I take them together plus trying to eat wild salmon often amongst other things. I give my young children D3 yum drops by jarrow.

hopefully you have read on the vit D site about the accusations of child abuse related to osteomalacia/fractures in breast fed infants of D def moms?m

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,549
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Blough
    Newest Member
    Blough
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.