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Wait, what? You take a liquid form of D3?
Yes. There are lots of manufacturers making liquid forms of it.
Never heard of that, is it safe? And how does it differ from traditional vitamins?
I'm a little sketchy about this...
How would a liquid form of a vitamin be different from a solid form?
All nutrients humans use are converted into a solution in the digestive system. If they weren't, they wouldn't be absorbable.
So, no need to worry -- it's not any less safe than taking them in a tablet or capsule.
You know vitamin A? It is sold almost exclusively in a liquid form, except that they are usually in gelcaps, so you don't notice it. But try it sometime -- buy vitamin A in a gelcap, and pierce it, and tell me if it is solid or not 
Again: vitamin D is better absorbed when it is in an oil suspension. Liquid is better.
rhombus said:10,000 IU is very well tolerated and is a very safe dose.
maybe in your fantasy
[Link removed]
http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrit...o-sunshine.html
pm2 said:rhombus said:10,000 IU is very well tolerated and is a very safe dose.maybe in your fantasy
[Link removed]
http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrit...o-sunshine.html
If you are willing to show me what part of those three links you sent me directly contradicts the assertion that 10,000 IU per day is safe, I would be happy to discuss it. I was unable to find it. A light-skinned person -- even tanned -- who gets regular sun exposure is producing at least that much per day. Are you suggesting that is not a physiological dose?
And the discussion over whether the vitamin D obtained through sun-exposure is somehow fundamentally different from oral vitamin D has thus far been entirely speculative. Personally, I don't buy it.
(I should also point out that at least one of the studies cited in the first link used a poor methodology and has been discredited. The quality of the sources matters.)
The problem in the population is not one of excess, but of deficiency and insufficiency, and the evidence for it is overwhelming. Telling people to avoid or minimize their supplementation in this context is irresponsible.
Whether the serum minimum should be 80 nmol/L or 120 nmol/L is a matter that is open to debate. Fair enough. I would still be willing to bet money that people suffering from acne have levels below 80 nmol/L.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating: ultimately, a short-term experiment in which one raises the serum level even to 120 nmol/L and observes the results is not dangerous. People have nothing to lose by trying it. There is no laboratory -- in this country, at least -- that would classify 120 nmol/L as a dangerous level (the upper limit of the reference range is 200 nmol/L).
Even the most recent report from the Institute of Medicine -- which restricted its evaluation to the impact of vitamin D on bone health -- increased the Safe Upper Limit to 4,000 IU/day. Given how conservative they are in their recommendations, that is saying quite a lot.
I find it striking that the medical community spends an incredible amount of time wringing its hands over whether vitamin D supplementation is appropriate and in what doses, but is ready to fling Accutane prescriptions at people like it's candy.
I usually get really bad acne starting in the beginning of September to right after the New Year.
Sitting in the sun seems to have a direct effect on it. A few days of going out in the sun even in mid April would make my skin look so much better (not just cover it, but actually heal it).
Surprisingly, during summer, even if my skin gets oily, it looks perfect, so that pretty much proves that it's not the same old story with oily skin and clogged pores and all that.
I work from home so I don't go out much.
Last October i had a facial treatment and for a whole month i wasn't allowed to be in sunlight. The face looked incredibly bad and I had a pustule test showing it contained staphylococcus aureus. Doctors are so useless that they gave me an antibiotic for it. Of course it helped for 2 weeks while i took it, but after that it was back. Apparently this bacteria is everywhere and you will get infected if you're immune system is bad.
My assumption is that it could be the lack of Vitamin D that's compromising my immune system during winter.
I started taking 5000 IU Vitamin D3 pills about a week ago. It seems to have a direct impact on my skin. It basically ended a very very bad breakout.
I can't tell for sure if it's the Vitamin D though, because usually it should improve around this time of year (January), but I'll keep testing it and let you know the results.
And to all the people on this board: i noticed people with acne are usually very pale skin. Never listen to the lies they tell you about the damage the sun does. Houses, cars, sun-protection lotions, soap and even clothing were invented by human. We are naturally designed to live out in the sun, they just tell you it causes harm so they can sell you the protection lotion. Go out for a tan, it's amazing. It won't just cover your acne like some say, it might actually heal it. The sun is your friend.
Before I answer this... let me make sure I understand you correctly.
I took approx 200 softgells of 5000IU D3 until recently with no noticable change to my skin or health either way. My acne was exactly the same and i was ill a few times in the 250 period which is about normal for me. The brand was Healthy Origins in softgell capsule form which contained oil, i took them with a swig of cod liver oil while eating cereal with full fat milk. I kept them in the fridge.
As i noticed no benefits i didn't bother buying any more when the bottle ran out, i presumed that maybe i was just taking "sugar pills". But a couple of weeks after i started them i started to do more running than i had for a while and i got bad shin splints which aren't going away and which i haven't ever really suffered from before. I'm now thinking maybe the capsules did have something in them and maybe my body got used to a regular supply of Vitamin D so that when i stopped taking them it was no longer producing it like it may have done before i started taking it.
I know it could just be completely coincidental but i just wondered whether anyone else had experienced anything similar or what people's opinions are on the possibility of what i have suggested?
You took 200 softgels of 5,000 IU vitamin D3... at once? Or do you mean you took 5,000 IU a day for 200 days?
And what do you mean by "I was ill a few times in the 250 period..."?
As for the shin splints, the answer is yes. I had joint pains for years before I started on the vitamin D, and they have completely resolved. That sort of joint and bone pain is actually characteristic of vitamin D insufficiency.
Have you had your level tested? That might be a good idea. In any case, continuing the 5,000 IU -- provided this is a daily thing, and not 200 at once -- is a good thing, whether or not you notice any effects on your skin.
That is not that much. You are hardly taking any at all. Like I said, you can get thousands of IU's from the sun in just 10-15 minutes. Since I don't get much sun at all (especially in the winter) I take more Vitamin D3 to make up for it. I guess if it is working for you then good. But I would bump it up. Even if you skin doesn't need more it will help your body in tons of other areas. Vitamin D3 is great for you!
I take one 10,000 IU supplement daily and have seen my skin clear up and my mood and energy rise dramatically. That's right, one 10,000 IU capsule of vitamin D3 (Cardiovascular Research brand) seems to help me feel better all over.
No i didn't try and top myself with vitamin D lol. English is my first language honestly. I took one 5,000 IU capsule a day, on days when i didn't get any sun, over a period of ~250-300 days, which meant i ended up taking 200 or so.
By saying "i was ill a few times in the 250 period" i meant i had a couple of colds and maybe a mild bout of flu during the 250-300 or so days i was taking the capsules, which is about the normal amount of times i am ill, i have no idea whether this is normal or not. Improved immunity was one of the reason i started taking the d3 and i was just pointing out i didn't seem to notice any improvement in that area.
I too get joint pains [but never shin splints before] which is another one of the reasons i started taking the supplements but i haven't/didn't notice any difference after the vitamin D.
Yes i know i should get my levels tested. It's on the to do list which is several pages long now.
The fact i got shin splints could just be completley coincedental that's why i was asking. For all i know the mechanism for shin splints may have nothing to do with vitamin d and i just happen to be putting the connection together when ther isn't one.
I don't know what the correct terminology is off the top of my head but i was just wondering if anyone knew or had heard of any kind of "dependency" [insert correct term] developing when taking large doses of supplements, especially when they are vitamins like d3 which are "made by" our bodies anyway?
It sometimes happens that, when stressed and undernourished, the body compensates by limiting metabolism, so that symptoms are suppressed. When the insufficiency is corrected, normal metabolism resumes. This might explain what you are experiencing (and honestly, it isn't uncommon). It is not a rebound effect as such, since these are essential substances we are talking about here.
As I already mentioned, the shin splints you experience are a very typical symptom of vitamin D insufficiency, and all I can suggest to you is that you resume supplementation. If you have doubts as to the efficacy or appropriateness, you can get your levels tested and then you won't need to guess anymore.
I'm assuming you live in Britain -- all the more reason to supplement
7500 IU of Vitamin D3? That sounds like quite a lot..
I only take 1000 IU + whatever i get from the fish oils.
What brand of fish oil to you take. I've used Xtend Life Fish oil, which I found too expensive. Then I swithched to Nature's Bounty Fish Oil 1000mg Omega3&6. I take four softgels a day. But I'm not seeing results. I've been taken them for about 3 months, do you think I should continue using them?
can i take vitamin D even though i have mild acne? i have a little bit of more pimples on my jawline and on my left cheeks were actually are red marks.
do i need to see a dermatologist if i can take vitamin D?
or i just take the vitamin D without a prescription from a derm?
please help!
I wanted to add my story here. I am 42 and have had mild/moderate acne around jaw and mouth since I was a teenager. It comes and goes. I have been to a few dermatologists over the years to find out what could be done (since I am fairly ignorant on acne prevention outside of what you see on TV). Doctors always said the same thing: there is no cure for acne and it's bacterial in nature. They would put me on tetracycline for weeks/months at a time and during that time, my face would clear up 95-100%. As soon as I got off the tetracycline, my acne would come back. I had basically given up hope of this clearing up.
Last summer, the blood work from my annual physical showed that I was very vitamin D deficient. They hadn't tested me for this before, so I never knew this or how long I had been deficient. My doctor suggested 2000 IU of D3 per day. He didn't mention the possible link with acne. After my physical, my girlfriend got me some D3 and it sat in my kitchen because I kept forgetting to take it. I would remember like once a week, but it was rarely taken. About 5 weeks ago, I saw an article about vitamin D deficiency and the dangers associated with it and finally decided to take it. Still, had never heard of any association with acne and was strictly taking it because I was told to.
After about 2 weeks of daily D3 doses, I also noticed that my skin was clearing up. Still didn't make the connection. Another week passed and my skin got even clearer. Just an occasional blemish now. I was thinking about what could have changed (diet, etc.) to trigger this and it dawned on me that it coincided with me taking D3. I upped my dose to 4000 IU per day and it was gotten even better. There's no guarantee that the two are linked, but I'm pretty convinced that the D3 is the reason for my skin being clearer.
In case anyone is wondering, I am pale skinned and work from home, so I don't get outdoors as much as I should. Also, I have had two instances of basal cell carcinoma treated in the past two years and have been advised to be very careful with the sun. So, I am not a sun worshipper by any means and I'm sure that led to my severe D deficiency.
Thanks for reading/listening and I hope this helps others. I'm not an expert in acne or vitamins. I just wanted to share my experience.
"Taking calcium, iron, magnesium, or zinc at the same time as minocycline can decrease the absorption of both the drug1 2 and the mineral. Therefore, calcium, iron, magnesium, or zinc supplements, if used, should be taken an hour before or after the drug.1"
Calcium, magnesium, and zinc are closely related to Vitamin D3.
Although there are no interactions between the two drugs that I am aware of,
consult your physician before making any major changes to your diet.
Don't take minocin...it's an antibiotic with too many side effects. It's not worth it.
matt1618 said:Is it safe to take vitamin D3 if I am also taking a 100mg dose of minocycline daily?
Omg Here is my story, I am not a health professional but I was on minocycline for 4 years (200) mg and tetracycline prior to that. I have been taken off the minocycline as the minocycline has given me a fatty liver which I have to be retested in a couple of months. Also, my teeth are gray and I developed dark circles under my eyes from the minocycline. My doctor blamed alcohol ingestion for the fatty liver which he said last year at my physical could be the only way my liver was fatty. (I don't drink) This year at my physical, the fatty liver increased again and asked what changed 4 years ago. Approx. 4 years ago, I began minocycline. This yearsphysical, my doctor got into my face and said it was either I was drinking or a possible medication doing this to my liver. This is the ONLY medication I was taking and the only change in from four years ago. Together my family doctor and derm decided to not prescribe any more mino until my liver cleared up. Although my derm would not prescribe any more mino her response was that she didn't know the fatty liver side effect and got defensive when I blamed the minocycline for my dark circles and graying teeth. I was at a total loss and desperation set in with a vengeance. I started researching minocycline and found that all the side effects above can happen taking minocycline and claim they are rare side effects omg, it is all over the internet all of the side effects. If only I had known although I was also desperate to have clear skin. The mino, even at 200 mg per day still did not prevent hormonal outbreaks once a month. Desperation set in again to find another way. After a month being free of minocycline, I think I have found a cure for me. I have NEVER been without mino or tetra for many years because when I did try to take a break it would be maybe 2 days and I would feel the big underskin red nodules coming back again. There has to be a way. I have found a way for me: Research says Vitamin A 10000 IU and Vitamin B6 both help with acne as it helps to prevent clogs. When I stopped mino, 2 days later a pimple started showing. OMG, started taking Vitamin A (capsule) and B6 (In a liquid B Complex form) and it cleared that pimple up in 5 days. The pimple didn't really get that bad, but, there was still a hint of a problem as although that one cleared itself up I did get another little one beginning to show but not the painful huge red nodule ones Iam used to getting. Thats when I read about Vitamin D3 and the link to acne, and VOILA, cleared totally up. NO NEW breakouts. Although it has not been that long, it has been a month of freedom from prescription medication and my skin looks beautiful and clear. I would strongly suggest going the vitamin/mineral route as I have never been this excited about finally being pill free. I have no acne, my dark circles under my eyes cleared up in approx one week and well the fatty liver, I will have to continue to wait until I can be retested. My gray teeth, I'm hoping can be fixed by whitening when my braces come off. (Although through research I may have the gray teeth starting at the root which may be harder to remove the mino stain) Don't know what will happen on that note but again through research a cosmetic dentist is the way to go for minocycline teeth. On average, I may have a drink once a year and I vigorously exercise 3 times a week. What I'm trying to say is, for me, the minocycline has had bad side effects and I would begin researching an alternative. I have never felt better; I can touch my chin; my dark circles under my eyes are totally gone; I can run even faster; I have more energy; I feel just great. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Here is what I'm doing: (Vitamin A 10000IU) (Liquid Vitamin B Complex (25mg of all the B's)) (Liquid Calcium1200 mg/Magnesium 600 mg/VitaminD 200IU) (Liquid Omega 3) and Liquid Vitamin D3 2000 IU) The above is what I am doing and I feel and look 15 years younger already and I feel excited for LIFE. The above has been a lot of research for me and I hope that it will help someone else and maybe, just maybe, then, for someone else to make an informed decision for what will work for them. I am not a doctor and I am not in the medical profession whatsoever.
University of California did a compilation of studies on Vitamin D3,
and they stated that Vitamin A and Vitamin D uses the same receptors.
A study conducted by Harvard said that the minimum for Vitamin D3 should be 1000 or 2000 IU.
The theoretical safe amount per day is at 10,000 IU as you can get that much by being out in the sun for 30 minutes with minimal clothing.
You should down the Vitamin A to > 6000 IU so that it won't interfere with the D3, and keep or bump the Vitamin D3 to 4000 IU
But that's just me. Less has been always more effective for me ![=]](https://static.acne.org/ipb_uploads/emoticons/default_sideways.gif)
is there a difference between D2 and D3? I thought the one that was 50,000 iu's and in perscription form was D2 and was not the one that helps acne..I am vit D deficient as well ( level was a 25) and took the D2 form a year ago and broke out in a rash the very next day so i stopped and now only occasionally take 1000mg of D3.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589256_4
"Vitamin D3 is the type that most experts believe should be utilized in clinical practice (Wolpowitz & Gilchrest, 2006)."
"Vitamin D2 is also known as "ergocalciferol," and vitamin D3 is also known as "cholecalciferol." "
"Most experts now believe that the only form that should be purchased is vitamin D3."
For reasons...:
"Vitamin D3 may be less toxic than D2 because higher concentrations of D2 circulate in the blood when consumed (compared to vitamin D3). It does not bind as well to the receptors in the human tissues compared to vitamin D3."
"Vitamin D3 is more stable on the shelf compared to D2"
"Vitamin D3 is the more potent form of vitamin D"
"Vitamin D3 is more stable on the shelf compared to D2"
"Vitamin D3 is more effective at raising and maintaining the vitamin D blood test"
--
I read in a much more recent study couple days ago which said that Vitamin D3 has very little side effects (depending on your current health. Check with a medical practitioner first), while Vitamin D2 is more dangerous to consume...
You can get D2 in mushrooms and meat, while you can only get D3 in supplements or through exposure to the sun (no sunblock).
You can receive 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 when your skin turns PINK (never burned) you go out in the sun with minimal clothing (I was never sure about how minimal is minimal though). This will take usually 15-30 minutes (depending on skin color and such...), although one study said 10-15 minutes, while another said 10-30 minutes or so.
I take 2000 IU to 4000 IU of Vitamin D3 each day. Although you can get 10,000 IU of D3 through exposure to the sun so the amount is deemed not toxic, I personally don't like taking chances so I keep it low.
Vitamin D3 levels could be controlled if it is through sun exposure (your body maintains this), while if you take Vitamin D3 as a supplement, the amount absorbed cannot be controlled by the body.
I started taking 5000 mg vit d daily about a month ago and his has made a huge difference. No cysts! I told my sister about it who also has cysts and she said that her skin has improved too. We saw improvement in breakouts in just a few days. I have tried everything, every treatment, every diet, cut out foods, gave up stuff, bought every cream and supplement on the market, prescriptions, nothing did a thing to improve the cysts until now. I am pleased! Maybe it will work for others.