Vitamin D has been mentioned on here a few times recently and thought this may be of interest:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/2121424-vitamin-d-supplements-may-prevent-millions-of-winter-infections/

Originating BMJ scientific paper:

http://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583

requirement of vitamin D for the immune system has been known for a number of years, It’s required for the activation of T-cells.

In b4 #youcangeteverythingyouneedfromabalanceddiet.

jimjam – I always said that until I was found to be seriously vit b deficient

you can get everything you need from a balanced diet* – its what the words mean- however few of us have one and many may need supplements

* balanced diet
noun
a diet consisting of a variety of different types of food and providing adequate amounts of the nutrients necessary for good health.

you can get everything you need from a balanced diet

Not necessarily. Only if your body can extract all the vitamins, which some can’t e.g. my father has to have B12 vit injections as he can’t absorb it from food (apparently not that uncommon to develop these sorts of problems with age).

you can get everything you need from a balanced diet

Except, possibly, Vitamin D.

Technically he can get it he just cannot absorb it so its not really the diets fault.

EXITING THREAD – please discuss the issue rather than this sidebar O have no agenda here other than saying what the term meant

I read something a few weeks back that in Scotland at least you don’t get any vitamin d from the sun between October and March (or thereabouts)and we should all be taking supplements during this period.

That lunchtime I bought some vitamin d and have been taking it daily since. After a week or so I did start to feel noticeably better. Whether that’s in my mind or not I don’t know, but I’ve never been compelled to take any supplements before and I generally avoid medication where possible.

Creatine for cognition ay?

Don’t wish GPs to be bombarded with test requests so home testing available here:

http://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/

can’t see Chia seeds on that chart. I had a bar today with some in and haven’t had a cold since.

Balaned diet and sunshine ! Vit D quite commonly prescribed ime in France.

Vit D supplements very common up here in Norway – its impossible to get enough from sunlight the whole year. And with the health warnings about skin cancer if you go out in the sun without sun cream, Vit D supplements are even more important

Been taking vitamin d for the last couple of winters in Glasgow , 12 hour shifts means no sun for 4days and no real guarantee of seeing it on my days off either . I have had fewer colds and generally felt better since taking it and with a toddler bringing home all kind of germs from nursery I haven’t suffered nearly as much as some parents I know . Could be nonsense , my diet has certainly improved from what it was so I would hope that has helped to .

I started taking vit D supplements last winter when my GP told me I had a deficiency after some routine blood work.

10 micrograms a day with 500mg vit C and I feel like I have much more energy than I used to this time of year. I also haven’t had a cold this winter while the Mrs has had three.

I haven’t ruled out the placebo effect but considering the low cost of these supplements I’m not fussed about how they work.

I have regular b12 injections too as my body cannot absorb it even if i ate b12 rich foods. Shows up on blood tests and i certainly feel better for it, low b12 is associated with tiredness if anyone is struggling get tested.

I started taking Vit D about a month ago.Within a few days I began to get minor sharp pains firing off in random parts of my body. Not massively painful, more like very localised cramp. I didn’t connect it with the Vit D and actually went to the doc who said it was due to stress. I began to wonder about the Vit D and stopped taking it. The pains disappeared after a couple of days. Possibly coincidence of course.

That snake oil chart needs to be viewed with some skepticism. Magnesium, for example, is well researched and strongly correlated with prevention of headaches, yet in the chart, which is presumably treating it as an all and sundry supplement gives it a poor rating.

And the balanced diet is simply an apology for mediocrity from dieticians. Dieticians are still popping up on the telling to push theories that have been comprehensively debunked.

I can’t be arsed debunking the dieticians more fully just now because I have a fad meal waiting to me eaten (no grains, shock horror, how will I get energy without carbohydrates?!).

I can’t source the factoid – so view with suspicion – but in parts of the USA where industrialised crop farming is at its peak the soil is so depleted, you would need to consume the equivalent of 27,000k calories of “balanced diet” to get your RDAs across the board.

Eat less healthful foods (aka, sugar, grains) sparsely and eat healthful foods (veg) to your heart’s content.

That’s an interesting chart, but the ‘worth it’ line is a bit puzzling. General multivitamins are cheap as chips and include vitamin C and B6 which are supposedly below that line – but that assumes a certain amount of affordability. And if it’s worth taking D then you might as well take it in a multi-vitamin, surely?

but in parts of the USA where industrialised crop farming is at its peak the soil is so depleted, you would need to consume the equivalent of 27,000k calories of “balanced diet” to get your RDAs across the board.

I have read similar. Apparently the nutrient values for foods were calculated in the 50s, and 60 more years of highly intensive farming has depleted the soil nutrient content so much that there’s far less in the food.

Eat less healthful foods (aka, sugar, grains) sparsely and eat healthful foods (veg) to your heart’s content.

Unfortunate choice of phrase. Vegetables never make my heart content, but chocolate and sweets do!

This is totally subjective and may be purely down to placebo effect but I have been supplementing my balls off (it’s a medical term) and I feel a big improvement recently.

I was constantly stiff, sore and tired so I just decided to load up on vitamin d, c, zinc, magnesium, glucosamine, fish oil bcaa’s and a little creatine. Aches and pains have really tailed off, I haven’t touched a painkiller in weeks and I’m feeling a lot stronger.

Me too, jimjam: whether it’s the placebo effect or just wishful thinking, I’ll carry on until it stops working.

Similar to jimjam – I start feeling quite a bit better when I have the multivits. 2p a tablet, it’s worth it.

I’m not sure what in them is helping, it could just be the vit-D, but who cares?

General multivitamins are cheap as chips and include vitamin C and B6 which are supposedly below that line – but that assumes a certain amount of affordability. And if it’s worth taking D then you might as well take it in a multi-vitamin, surely?

I think the main issue with most cheap multivitamins is the form of the vitamin included having a low viability. Probably why magnesium is low on that chart, most magnesium supplements have a rubbish absorption rate

Define cheap.

One would expect Waitrose tabs to be the cheapest decent ones but I dunno.

I’m not sure what in them is helping, it could just be the vit-D, but who cares?

I’d be surprised if the quantity of Vit-D in your average multivitamin would be enough to make a difference.

The type you take is important too. I take 2 of these a day

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vitamin-D3-5000iu-with-K2-MK7-100mcg-Tablets-Bone-and-Joint-Support-/221766895109?

General multivitamins are cheap as chips

There are a number of studies showing that excess of some vitamins increases mortality, so personally I’d only take the minimum extra necessary e.g. Vitamin D.

Finally, last year, a Cochrane review found that “beta carotene and vitamin E seem to increase mortality, and so may higher doses of vitamin A.”

NB That was in 2013, but read similar articles more recently.

maybe i’m just a freak but i dont seem to get colds/flus like others do. i’ve never had time off work through them. i dont feel that bad when i get a cold. I dont think ive had flu? typically have great constitution.
There are probably a 100 small things that might be the reason why this is but i’m positive its not just vit D the sun or a tablet.
What i’m saying is dont just think a problem has 1 cause. In fact think the opposite and think if you do x, y & z the problem and the cause are irrelevant.

Err, so what are you lot taking then?

What makes a good multivitamin?

Shouldn’t be taking anything without knowing your levels. Private testing has come down considerably in price and home testing is a convenient option.

I’d stay away from multivitamins, in any case you need to go for decent quality brands so that means avoid supermarkets, Boots, Holland & Barrett etc as they tend to be full of nasties. But really without testing there’s no point in buying anything.

IANAD.

http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Category:Nutrition,_Vitamins,_Minerals_and_Diets

cinnamon_girl – Member

Shouldn’t be taking anything without knowing your levels. Private testing has come down considerably in price and home testing is a convenient option.

I’d stay away from multivitamins, in any case you need to go for decent quality brands so that means avoid supermarkets, Boots, Holland & Barrett etc as they tend to be full of nasties. But really without testing there’s no point in buying anything.

What in your opinion is a decent quality brand then? Boots and Holland Barret are expensive. Any more expensive and I could supplement with smoked salmon and sirloin steak.

What nasties are in the supermarket ones???

poah – Member
requirement of vitamin D for the immune system has been known for a number of years, It’s required for the activation of T-cells.

Woah! Hang on there, I’ve seen Resident Evil! 😯

What in your opinion is a decent quality brand then? Boots and Holland Barret are expensive. Any more expensive and I could supplement with smoked salmon and sirloin steak.

Solgar, Jarrow Formulas, Lambert, BioCare, Swanson.

Please don’t assume that the mighty A is good value, this company I find to be very competitive:

http://www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/

For example, 240 days supply of Vit D3 softgels for £9.95 so cheaper than salmon and steak:

http://www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/now-foods-vitamin-d-3-2000-iu-240-softgels/111689

What nasties are in the supermarket ones???

It’s the fillers.

Disclaimer: I’m just a pita patient and not a doctor. 😉

I started taking Vit D about a month ago.Within a few days I began to get minor sharp pains firing off in random parts of my body. Not massively painful, more like very localised cramp. I didn’t connect it with the Vit D and actually went to the doc who said it was due to stress. I began to wonder about the Vit D and stopped taking it. The pains disappeared after a couple of days. Possibly coincidence of course.

Was it D3? How many iu? Are you usually sensitive to medication?

It’s the fillers.
[/quote]

What do they use as a filler and what’s wrong with it?

scotroutes this may help:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excipient

https://draxe.com/4-dangerous-and-common-vitamin-fillers-you-must-avoid/

Edit: just to add that vit d is available as an oral spray.

Ooh did I see Dr Myhill linked to above?

Awooga, Awooga, Quack Klaxon!

Dr Sarah Myhill exploited patients’ lack of medical knowledge by arousing ill-found fears for their health, say GMC

Seems a lovely person.

The wikipedia link explains why they are used and the second one suggests some additives might be “bad”, though neglects to provide any evidence and is just generic. How do you find out what’s in (e.g.) the Boots tablets?