The most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. A level of 20 nanograms/milliliter to 50 ng/mL is considered adequate for healthy people.
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What is a low vitamin d2 level?
Evaluating the results of a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test The results can indicate the following: deficiency: less than 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) potential deficiency: between 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) and 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) normal levels: between 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) and 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL)
What does vitamin D 25-Hydroxy mean in a blood test?
Vitamin D is essential for many bodily processes, particularly the development of healthy bones. A 25-hydroxy vitamin D test can reveal whether the vitamin D levels in a person’s blood are within a normal range.
Why is my vitamin D2 high?
Some prescription medications used to treat high blood pressure (thiazide diuretics) and heart diseases (digoxin) can cause an increase in vitamin D in the blood. Estrogen therapy, taking antacids for a long time, and isoniazide, an antituberculosis medication, can also cause elevated levels of vitamin D.
How can I increase my vitamin D2?
- Spend time in sunlight. Vitamin D is often referred to as “the sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the best sources of this nutrient.
- Consume fatty fish and seafood.
- Eat more mushrooms.
- Include egg yolks in your diet.
- Eat fortified foods.
- Take a supplement.
- Try a UV lamp.
What is a dangerously low vitamin D level?
Older classifications considered 25(OH)D levels less than 12 ng/mL to be evidence of deficiency because symptoms were uncommon when levels were higher than this. 38. Today, 25(OH)D less than 12 ng/mL is considered evidence of severe vitamin D deficiency.
Does low vitamin D make you tired?
The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are often very subtle, so many people don’t know they’re deficient. But some of the effects of vitamin D deficiency include: Fatigue or tiredness.
What are signs of low vitamin D?
- Fatigue.
- Bone pain.
- Muscle weakness, muscle aches or muscle cramps.
- Mood changes, like depression.
Does vitamin D affect sleep?
Several studies reported that vitamin D receptors (VDR) were expressed in brain areas that regulate the sleep–wake cycle, such as the hypothalamus [18,19]. This evidence indicated that higher vitamin D status was inversely associated with the risk of sleep disorders.
How much vitamin D2 should I have?
Based on current research, it seems that consuming 1,000–4,000 IU (25–100 mcg) of vitamin D daily should be ideal for most people to reach healthy vitamin D blood levels. However, don’t consume more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D without your doctor’s permission.
What is D2 blood test?
A vitamin D test is used to screen for low levels of vitamin D in your blood so you can treat it with supplements before it causes health problems. If you have a known bone disorder or a problem absorbing calcium, a vitamin D test may be used to see if a lack of vitamin D is causing your condition.
What is the best level of vitamin D?
Vitamin D recommended intake is at 400–800 IU/day or 10–20 micrograms. However, some studies suggest that a higher daily intake of 1,000–4,000 IU (25–100 micrograms) is needed to maintain optimal blood levels.
How does vitamin D2 help your body?
Vitamin D2 helps the body absorb and use calcium and phosphate, substances that are the building blocks of bones and important to many other processes in the body, particularly the nervous system. Vitamin D2 also helps the body maintain the right balance of calcium and phosphate in the body.
What happens if vitamin D is too high?
The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. Vitamin D toxicity might progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones.
Can too much vitamin D cause anxiety?
Vitamin D is not believed to affect anxiety directly. Though it may be correlated with higher anxiety levels, there are likely reasons beyond the vitamin itself – reasons that will be discussed later in this article. Historically, seeing the sun was often a cause for celebration and happiness.
Is a vitamin D level of 80 too high?
A vitamin D level greater than 50 nanograms per milliliter is considered high. Vitamin D levels are determined by a blood test called a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test. A normal level is 20-50 ng/mL, and deficiency is considered anything less than 20 ng/mL, according the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
What causes vitamin D2 deficiency?
A deficiency in vitamin D can result from inadequate exposure to sunlight, inefficient production in the skin, not enough vitamin D in your diet, and health conditions that can affect it including, gastrointestinal disorders, renal diseases, and liver diseases.
What are the side effects of vitamin D2?
- High calcium or vitamin D blood levels: loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, weight loss, muscle aches or stiffness, constipation.
- Kidney damage: a change in how much or how often you urinate, feeling tired, swelling in your legs or feet.
Which is better vitamin D2 or D3?
Studies have repeatedly shown that vitamin D3 is superior at raising levels of vitamin D in the body. These findings were supported by a recent review of the evidence which found that vitamin D3 supplementation increased vitamin D levels in the body better than vitamin D2.
How can I raise my vitamin D level quickly?
- Cod liver oil*
- Trout*
- Salmon*
- Mushrooms*
- Fortified dairy and non-dairy milks.
- Fortified cereals.
- Sardines.
- Eggs.
What diseases are caused by low vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.
Does vitamin D affect hair?
One role vitamin D plays is stimulating new and old hair follicles. When there isn’t enough vitamin D in your system, new hair growth can be stunted. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to alopecia, the autoimmune condition that causes bald patches on the scalp and other areas of the body.
What is a normal vitamin D level for a woman?
Normal Results The normal range of vitamin D is measured as nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Many experts recommend a level between 20 and 40 ng/mL.
Why do doctors prescribe vitamin D2 instead of D3?
You may wonder why doctors prescribe vitamin D2 instead of D3, if vitamin D3 appears to be more potent than vitamin D2. The vitamin D prescription you get from your doctor is typically for 50,000 units of vitamin D2. Vitamin D2 is indicated to treat calcium disorders and parathyroid disorders.
How long does it take to restore vitamin D levels?
“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months’ time. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr. Ropte says. Most multivitamins contain vitamin D, so extra supplementation isn’t always necessary.