this is probably a bit daft theory about vit D

I keep trying to work out why whenever I've tried medications that alter serotonin in any way things go a bit wrong, and observed that when I do some work in the garden for an afternoon the symptoms get less. However just thought about the sun and producing vitamin D which plays a part.

I used to think that it was the chemicals produced by the exercise, but could it be I am reacting favourably to vitamin D created by my skin? I eat healthily and take vit supplements.

Has anyone had any experiences that could put light on this?

My migraines are worse in the winter months I think.

Di

Are you saying that you are less headachey after working in the garden? It could be the physical exercise. It could be that you are not getting enough natural light in winter.

It's the whole experience.

I get so high in the garden. Even just thinking about it.

The vitamin D, the fresh air in the lungs, the rich earthy smells, the connection to our natural envionment, the spontaneous creativity, the unpredictable process, the opening of our instincts, the release of our endorphins, the tapping into timelessness, the bringing of life and growth, the sense of community, being one with the earth, etc.

I LOVE GARDENS

HURRY SPRING

I can have a bad migraine and garden for hours. I will adjust. Just give me a hat and ice water.

Migraine Headache
Taking large amounts of the combination of calcium (1,000 to 2,000 mg per day) and vitamin D has been reported to produce a marked reduction in the incidence of migraines in a few women.75, 76 However, the amount of vitamin D given to these women (usually 50,000 IU once a week), can cause adverse reactions, particularly when used in combination with calcium. This amount of vitamin D should be used only under medical supervision. Doctors often recommend that people take 800 to 1,200 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D per day. However, it is not known whether theses amounts would have an effect on migraines.


found this from tesco online pharmacy.

Your garden looks lovely by the way.

Saturday wasn't relaxing. Catching fish, emptying pond, take out liner, mend liner, put backup liner under it after removing escaped bamboo, finishing with just enough time to acclimatise fish before it got too cold.

Still had some benefit migraine wise.

Di

I am presently taking 50,000 IU of vit D, my Vit D levels were low; 18 units, when it should be 30 to 50 (I am not sure of the upper range). I will take the 50,000 units for ten weeks, then I will be tested again. This is being done under a doctors care. No adverse reactions, on my fifth week of taking the Vit D.

I felt that the low levels of vit D might be causing tight muscle problems.

Martin

I have been taking 5000 mg of vitamin D per day for about 10 months now, in combination with natural progesterone and magnesium. I have to say it has worked wonders for me. A significant reduction in what were headaches just about every day. (down to 2-3 per month of lower intensity.)

I just had my blood work done last month and my doctor found my vitamin D levels were still well within the normal range. I understand vitamin D has many other beneficial effects and most of us do not get enough of it between desk jobs and sunscreen when we are out in the sun.

It would certainly seem to be worth a try. A lot less likely to cause problems than so many of these meds!

With the vitamin D and dropping the simvastatin medication, my chronic daily headaches are now at a very low level. The headaches are no longer the focus of my existence. I am not sure if taking the vitamin D or dropping the statin is responsible for the headache level improvement. Also, I am still with the weekly acupuncture sessions to supplement the above program. However, I have been excited before and the headache pain level has returned.

I have been on the vit D and off the statin for four weeks. Along with the decrease in headache pain level, muscle tightness has also improved, but the lower back pain is still with me. Studies indicate that it takes from one to four months for the statins to get out of your system. Of course, there are some people who have little if any improvement from being off the statins.

Martin

The Vitamin D council says the optimum Range is 50 - 80. I am sure than it can effect migraines. It is a powerful steroid like chemical that is integral to many systems.

I have not had any luck helping the migraines with my supplementing (5,000 IU nightly). But, I have lowered my cancer risk and helped my immune system

I am interested to hear more about people's experiences.

Good topic

M

this is an excerpt from the intro to the Vitamin D Council's website - vitamindcouncil.org

Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.Vitamin D's influence on key biological functions vital to one's health and well-being mandates that vitamin D no longer be ignored by the health care industry nor by individuals striving to achieve and maintain a greater state of health.

thanks for the interesting replies. Is there any danger in increasing over the amount recomended?
I note that those of you trying this are guided by your doctors, so perhaps not something I can just try for myself without help.

It would be good to see how those of us trying it are progressing in a few months once we have gone through a few seasonal changes that usually antagonise the migraines.

Di

Although the recomended range is 50-80, my Doctor is recomending 100-120. I take a D3 supplement as its the natural form that is produced from sunlight on the skin. I've read a lot about D3 and it has huge cancer fighting properties as well.

I bought this book, before starting on the Vitamin D program:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Vitamin-Comprehensive-Information-Deficiency/dp/1432748106/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298303073&sr=1-2

Read the reviews on the book and it might give you an idea what to expect.

Martin

I should have mentioned that I had been taking 2000 IU daily, when I went to my doctor and tested low (18 units).

Martin

is IU measurement the same as the recomended daily amount is measured in?

I am getting confused. the reccomended amount is 50 - what? milligrams? How does this compare to an IU?

So the treatment is to increase the amount taken by a huge amount, not just making it go back to normal levels.

Does this mean that normal multivits with vit D in them are not enough, but might help a bit? or are they nowhere near the amount required?


Thanks for explaining this .

Di

Doctor is now waiting to see if my levels are low, but seems to think that if they are normal that I don't need to take more, rather than using it as a treatment. I might be hitting another brick wall here.

di

My doctor wants me to "sunbathe" about 20 minutes a day whenever I can from fall into spring. Don't need to do it in the summer. He is interested in recent studies showing vitamin D levels are associated with autoimmune disorders and that more vitamin D might prevent these disorders. Of course, in 2009 I saw several papers saying UV can trigger autoimmune disorder symptoms, others saying low vitamin D levels were a symptom and not a cause of autoimmune disorders, even a few associating high blood levels of vitamin D with certain cancers in men.

The science is very thin at this point, in my opinion.

A day on the beach is likely to set off my migraines - the heat and glare is too much for me.
But 20 minutes in the winter is probably OK for me. At least I've found it enjoyable so far. I must look like a Swede out in my backyard wearing nothing but shorts in the winter! Luckily, we've had several nice weekends to do this this here in the "MidAtlantic" states.

My doctor claims that supplements, even D3, aren't as effective as natural sunlight and that UV lamps are at the wrong frequencies. Hence the sunbathing.

Oh, and sunlight definitely increase serotonin leveles. Quite a number of studies on this.

Dizzyflower, I will try to answer your questions:

"is IU measurement the same as the recomended daily amount is measured in?'

There two measurements, 40 IU is equivalent to 1 mcg

"I am getting confused. the reccomended amount is 50 - what? milligrams? How does this compare to an IU?"

Vitamin D levels are measured in ng/ml, probably a wt vs a milliliter of blood (somebody step in if I am wrong). The recommended levels are 50 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml.

"Does this mean that normal multivits with vit D in them are not enough, but might help a bit? or are they nowhere near the amount required?"

Multivitamins amounts are not enough and, as you say, nowhere near the amount required.

Being in the sun 15-20 minutes a day is not enough to keep up your Vit D levels and a person should get their levels tested. However, you should try to get as much sun as possible.

The above information is from the book that posted above. According to the MD who wrote the book, most doctors are not current on Vitamin D requirements. He further states that some of the drugs that we take, deplete our Vitamin D levels. Anyway, the above is his theory on vitamin D deficiencies.

My own doctor felt that my 18 ng/ml level was not a cause for concern, while another doctor in the same HMO told my neighbor that her 18 ng/ml was too low. My doctor is humoring me, so he started me on the treatment to up my vitamin D levels.

Martin

lol, I must have had a migraine when I wrote my last comment. Vitamin D is not a steroid like substance. It is more like hormone or hormone precursor.

vitamindcouncil.com/

has a lot of interesting information and lots of current studies as well as some guidelines for dosing.

I do think that Vitamin D deficiency is going to be found to be a major factor in modern disease pathology. Never before have humans spent so much time indoors or fully covered in clothing and sunblock. There is a reason our bodies make it so efficiently and it is integral to the functioning of so many systems.

Please keep updating with your stories, successes and failures. I am so interested to read about your personal experiences.

love,

M

Di, you can always try it for a week or two to see if it helps. if I waited around for my doctor to come up with something that helped, I'd still be spending every day in bed incapacitated.

I am at least taking a multi vit with it in for starters. I keep looking for the sun, but the sky is grey again. Thankyou for the explanation about the measurements. I will print that bit out and keep it if that is OK. I have been having a few non compute days recently so actually understanding it might take me a while. I have to wait a bit for the vit D blood tests, but my mum has things wrong that relate to perhaps benefiting from more of the stuff too so we might have a family trait.

Will keep people posted on how this gets on.

regards

Di

My Vitamin D levels are extremely low..so I've been given a prescription for it..I take one pill once a week for six weeks..having a low level can cause pain..my pain doctor thought to have me checked..

Aparently I am very low on vitamin D. I am now trying to work out how I have managed this. Just thought I would mention it as I said I would tell you how I got on after the blood tests. I have been prescribed some tablets with vit D in them.

Di

Apparently being low on vitamin D has become epidemic. Partially this is due to a modern lifestyle, which has most of us spending most of our days inside, and also increased use of sun screen when we are outdoors. The problem is even worse in northern latitudes and cloudy climates. Sound familiar?

Increasing the vitamin D is found to helping with many afflictions.

NO not familiar.

that's the thing. I have no lifestyle factors whatsoever that point towards an explanation for this. I am a keen gardener, have an alotment and am out there regularly, go for walks and should therefore get enough . My food is balanced also. I also have taken vitamin tablets for years.

The doc is looking at wether I am not absorbing it properly or holding onto it and why.

However, my migraine year corresponds with lower light levels, so it is definately a very important discovery for me.

Unfortunately this probably means that I have been at low levels for years and there is osteoperosis inthe family so I'd better get this sorted out for more than one reason.

Thanks for all your input, without your help as a group I don't think we would have made this discovery and it could have got more serious.

Di