How Fast Does The Body Burn Vitamin D?

by Dave

In January I had blood work done for a variety of health problems I had over a year. My blood work came back positive for Giardia with a Vitamin D deficiency which my Doctor said was caused by Giardia.

My levels were 27 ng/ml in January. I just received the results yesterday March 18th. My question is without being retested is there anyway that I can estimate what it is now?

My Doc prescribed Flagyl for Giardia and said once the parasite is dead my body will replenish Vitamin D. Regardless I put myself on 5000 IU Vitamin D3 Supplements per day.

I noticed immediately that some of my symptoms were better brain fog, concentration, tiredness but some still persist insomnia, off balance feeling. It feels also like the vitamins effects only last a few hours then I feel the same again. Is a level of 27 enough to cause all these symptoms?

Also since I have had Giardia for almost a year should I also be concerned about Canidida?

Thanks for your advice I really enjoyed the site.

Comments for How Fast Does The Body Burn Vitamin D?

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Giardia and Vitamin D
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Dave,

That's really great that your doctor found the giardia and vitamin d deficiency and is getting you back on track. However, I could find no evidence of his statement about giardia being one of the Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency.

I DID, however, find one study relating the Malabsorption of Vitamin A in Children with Giardia. So, your doctor either:

1) Got Vitamin A and D mixed up
OR
2) Extrapolated the results to include vitamin d as well

There are several problems with this. 1) The researchers in the study actually gave the children WATER SOLUBLE vitamin A- there is no equivalent water soluble vitamin D (it's a fat soluble vitamin). 2) 100% of vitamin A is obtained from the diet, where in most westerner's diets, very little comes from diet with most coming from sunlight.

So, saying that you'll be able to absorb vitamin d again after the Giardia is gone implies that before your giardia, you were getting plenty of vitamin d in your diet, but it was just not getting absorbed.

That may have be true for Greenland Eskimos in the 1800's, but not so much for you- most likely. And research shows that the VAST MAJORITY of people are vitamin d deficient- even people living in Hawaii who presumably DON'T have Giardia (although most studies on vitamin d didn't specifically test for giardia to exclude it)!!

So, his presumption that you get plenty of Vitamin D Foods to meet your needs is probably not true and you were wise to start taking 5000 IU Vitamin D Supplements.

Unfortunately, there is no way that you can know what your levels are and since it's been all winter without sun, it would be a really good idea to get checked again because, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, that I quote on my Vitamin D Requirements page claims that 10,000 IU's a day for 3 months and a maintenance dose of 5000 IU's was still not enough to bring most people's vitamin d levels up to 'Optimal' levels!

So, get checked. And yes, many of your symptoms could be due to vitamin d deficiency- although giardia can cause a lot of those symptoms too.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

VITAMIN D AND YEAST
by: TRIPLE L

I AM ALSO SEVERELY LOW ON VITAMIN D I BELIEVE SHE SAID MY LEVEL WAS 6 THAT THE LOWEST SHE HAD EVER SEEN SHE PUT ME ON 1 50000 IU OF VITAMIN D DRISDOL ONE TIME A WEEK, WITH OSTEO CAL 500 2 X DAILY.

I THOUGH THAT WAS A LOT AT ONE TIME SO I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE IT. IS IT DANGEROUS TO TAKE THAT MUCH VITAMIN D AT ONCE. BUT SHE Said my level was very low and I need it.

Probably Not Enough Vitamin D
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Triple L,

Please read my Vitamin D Deficiency Treatment page and you'll see that that is the LOW end of what treatment should be. Some doctors would treat a level of 6 with 100,000 or even 150,000 per week!!

Your level is EXTREMELY low and you need to have AGGRESSIVE treatment.

But PLEASE read my page on Prescription Vitamin D and you'll see that Drisdol is NOT what you should be taking. It would be MUCH better to get over the counter Vitamin D3 Supplements instead!

Additionally, it would be smart to get my Vitamin D Absorption Pack. A level of 6 is very very low, and I find that those with the lowest vitamin d levels tend to have the highest rates of Vitamin D Side Effects. This can help to be prevented with adequate amounts of the 'cofactors' that are in the Vitamin D absorption pack. If you DON'T take these cofactors, and wait UNTIL you experience side effects to get on these cofactors, I suspect that you'll greatly regret it, as these symptoms can take a while to go away once they start. It's best to get on the cofactors and PREVENT vitamin D side effects in the first place.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

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