In the FWIW category, I’d like to pass this anecdote on to Freepers:
I have had chronically low Vit D for years, starting with diagnosis with a severe autoimmune disease.
Over the years, I have taken all kinds of supplements and prescriptions, and made dietary changes, to try to raise my Vit D to normal levels. One prob I always had with that is I knew there were several different types of Vit D and no pill was going to get it right in terms of what my body actually needed. and anyway, no matter what I took or ate, my Vit D levels remained stubornly very low.
At the same time, I took meds that advised “stay out of the sun,” plus I fell for the ubiquitous admonition to use massive amounts of sunscreen whenever I was at the beach or wherever. So I wasn’t getting any natural Vit D and I can tell you no doctor ever recommended that either.
Recently I said the hell with this and started sunning, sunbathing, whatever you want to call it — laying out in the sun with as few clothes on as possible.
I started with about ten minutes a day. As soon as my skin felt hot, I went in. I worked up to about 45-60 minutes a day. Again, changing position as soon as I could feel my skin getting hot. (This amount of sun has not been enough to make me tan, if that means anything.)
I did this about two months, then had some bloodwork done. Would you believe that for the first time in at least two decades my blood Vit D levels were normal?
I feel that not only am I “getting” more Vit D, that my body is making the right mix of Vit Ds, unlike any pill I could take.
Yes, it’s a very “duh” point after the fact. But anyway, just throw it out there for people interested in Vit D.
While I have brought my levels up (after a YEAR) on supplements, I find your story interesting. I think the very best way to get it is via the sun. After all it is the way we were designed to get vitamin D. I’m glad to hear your story. GOOD for you. I hope you it helps your other problems. I have started feeling better, altho I think I was so low for so long that even bringing my levels up won’t undo everything.
That’s one a them good anecdotes.
I don’t know where you live but, if you haven’t already, you might want to read up on the possibility of beneficial sunlight at different latitudes.