Vitamin D deficiency

Following on from the vitamin C thread: I was recently diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, which came to light following a routine blood test. Who would have thought it?.... Late middle aged women who spends a lot of time outside, doesn't wear a burka but does live at northern latitudes. But I was feeling lethargic and generally lacking energy. Doc prescribed vitamin D supplements and 4 months on I have much more energy and feel a whole lot better and another blood tests shows now normal vitamin D levels. Online research has informed me that this is actually quite common in older people who live in the north. Easily cured in my case......think I'll go dig the garden.......

 

There was some study a while ago that suggested if you live any further north than Birmingham, you simply can not make enough vitamin d, even if you were to spend all day every day outside. Historically that wouldn't be a problem because diet shifts towards meat the further north you go, and lots of meat, especially offal, from animals that live outside is high in vitamin d. Trouble is nowadays animals don't always live outside anymore, so even a very carnivorous diet is not that rich in vitamin d anymore.

 

No @clueless stats can be twisted any which way. I was diagnosed with 50% the recommended level of vitamin D while the same blood test confirmed my calcium levels were good even though I rarely took supplements and am injected denosumab every 6 months. Denosumab has a high rate of side effects that can lower calcium levels including blood calcium levels to dangerous lows... Now, knowing vitamin d facilitates absorbing calcium, I should also have had a low level there too.

I now take vitamin d tablets.. when I remember...

And who the heck can afford red meat these last few years

 

This morning's headline.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36846894

 

I always have a multi vitamin anyway as I'm a veggie and I need to get my B12. There's vit D in them.