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Take vitamin D3 now!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 3/10/2010 1:47 PM (GMT -8)
Ok so just an update its now about 8 months on vitamin D3 10000 iu a day. This last month I have been taking about 5000 iu a day.
no medication no problems no doctors, Im eating anything I want.
Everyone with crohns Has got to try this, its cheap as dirt.
If you are concerned about overdosing then get checked every once a month.
This has worked so good for me.
I feel better and I think my gut works better than all my friends without crohns.
Don't ask me questions just go get the bottle and start taking it and see for yourself.
Posted 3/10/2010 3:07 PM (GMT -8)
I'm glad that Vitamin D3 has been so effective for you. But I've been on it for six months, in similar quantities--and while it's increased my energy enormously (which is a great gift), it has had no effect whatsoever on my CD symptoms. So I don't think it qualifies as a miracle cure, although it's very helpful in making CD people feel much better.
Posted 3/10/2010 3:32 PM (GMT -8)
I've been on large doses for years, 50,000 IU 1x wk, plus additional doses at varying amounts daily. While it has helped me absorb calcium, it has not done anything for my Crohn's, certainly not a miracle cure.
Posted 3/10/2010 3:34 PM (GMT -8)
I take 2000 to 6000 IUs a day, my NP even said I could go to 10,000. It's been sunny the past 2 weeks, so I go out and take my son to the park for 2 hours and try to soak it up as much as I can. It's helpful with my SAD for sure and staving off depression, and probably helps my immune system.

I just try different brands, but my husband says the Schiff I bought recently isn't doing it, so I'm gonna go get the liquid drops (more absorbable).
Posted 3/10/2010 4:00 PM (GMT -8)
I did not say this is a cure whatsoever, all I said is this is what it did for me, and the only downside of taking it if it does not help is you lose about 8 bucks.
Anything that is this cheap and does not make the person sicker should be tried.
Also to zanne the first reply, You are on 2 huge drugs that knock out your immune system, Vitamin d3 boosts the immune system, you either want to boost the immune system or kill it with drugs, both help with crohns, But you dont want to take one drug the kills the immune system and one vitamin the boosts it?
Posted 3/10/2010 4:34 PM (GMT -8)
about the vitamin D3, I don't think its a cure, but it's so cheap and safe not to try it.
Vitamin D3 boosts the immune system so high that it starts to clear out the infection or map bugs that is causing the sickness.
You can help someone with Crohn's two ways, lower the immune system to where the body wont attack the bug and the colon heals and then you feel better,
or clear out the bug then the body starts to heal and you start to feel better, Both ways its going to be a life long battle until there is a cure.
But you just cant take one drug that lowers the immune system then one that raises it, just wont work.
In your case steroids and 6mp lower it and vitamin D3 raises it.
Here is an example that used to happen to me.
I would drink so much one night and i mean drink! the next day, there would be no signs of Crohn's at all anything nothing, poops would be as big as a train, it was great for about 8 hours,
Then when my immune system would start to kick in, swelling, inflammation everything came back.
You are doing the exact same thing but with different drugs, Once you go off those drugs your immune system will come back and try and kill all the bugs, if it doesn't you will get very sick if it does you will start to feel
like a new person, thats were vitamin d3 comes in, I don't see it working whatsoever if you are on immune lowering drugs.
Crohns is an infection our body cant get rid of because we have a gene that wont let us clear it out.
All the drugs out there for crohns either lower the immune system or raise it.
What's dangerous is trying to raise it, because if you don't find a good way to raise it, and clear out the bug you will go through hell, if you do, you will feel like a god.
I hope you get well.
Posted 3/10/2010 6:29 PM (GMT -8)
I think alot of people focus on the fact that Vit D boosts the overall immune system, but the real fact that we should be focusing on is the following

"Vitamin D acts directly on the beta defensin 2 gene, which encodes an antimicrobial peptide, and the NOD2 gene that alerts cells to the presence of invading microbes. Both Beta-defensin and NOD2 have been linked to Crohn’s disease. If NOD2 is deficient or defective, it cannot combat invaders in the intestinal tract."

Its specifically this fact that we as CD patients need to focus on, and Vit D apparently works well on this gene, which is why it may make a difference in some of us, not necessarily all though obviously.

Posted 3/10/2010 6:46 PM (GMT -8)
D3 is a steroid hormone precursor, so it makes sense, especially for people who don't get sun exposure daily. Since it is converted 500percent faster than D2, you're right, getting regular checks is necessary. I'm glad you found it.
Posted 3/11/2010 6:35 AM (GMT -8)
I have found the Vitamin D3 has helped my Fibro pain alot, but done nothing for my Crohns. Also, you are not wise to stop Crohns meds. I learned that the hard way and I believe Zanne did too, so I will stick with adding Vitamin D3 to my med mix, not deleting any meds. And my personal opinion is you would be wise to heed that advice too. JMHO
Posted 3/11/2010 7:14 AM (GMT -8)
What happens if you get too much Vitamin D? I asked my dr about being tested and he looked at me funny. I'll ask my GP on my next cholestorol blood test. I'm sure he'll do it. In the meantime, I'm sure I don't get enough vitamin d living in WV and working in an office. Even in the summer the sun that I do get is only evenings and on the weekends....t shirt and shorts coaching and watching softball games all day saturday and sunday usually in the full sun, mowing the yard, outside chores, and maybe a week at the beach.

Side note: My daughters live for softball. I have to brag a little - one plays little league softball....very smart player for her age has grown up watching older sister but not as talented, has scoliosis that has slowed her down a bit but she works very hard...; other daughter is a great softball player, catcher and outfield, plays for a tournament team....so proud of them both! OK...done bragging :)
Posted 3/11/2010 7:36 AM (GMT -8)
Since Vitamin D is fat soluble you can potentially overdose on it, but it would take many months at fairly high dosages. You can probably get away with 5000 - 10000 IUs a day, especially if in the northern lattitudes or rarely in the sun.

Pretty good website: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

I also wouldn't necessarily say it "boosts" the immune system. I recently received an article concerning Vit D and autoimmune diseases (Journal of Rheumatology, 2010) - email me if you want a copy. It seems that Vitamin D is a heavy player in immune system regulation and really gets it back to a normal activity state, versus, say "boosting" it. Semantics, I know.

Personally I take 8000IU of D3 daily.
Posted 3/11/2010 7:42 AM (GMT -8)
Just saw an article in the last issue of Reader's Digest about the myth/facts about Vitamins. Basically, taking vitamin supplements actually do nothing and maybe causing harm......the only Vitamin the author recommends is Vitamin D.
Posted 3/11/2010 7:46 AM (GMT -8)
Thank you for this post. I'm definitely going to try some D3. Even if it does nothing for my Crohn's, it's been one helluva long winter here in Delaware and I could use a little boost!

Jamci - just curious how you are making out with Apriso? Any side effects? Sorry - a little off topic.....

Posted 3/11/2010 9:10 AM (GMT -8)
Pinkflipflops: no side effects from Apriso that I can tell.......Asacol gave me headaches...no headaches with Apriso.

Although I don't know what effect Apriso is having since I still have pain....which is usually the only symptom I have other than occasional loose stools...of which I'm going through a period of that right now.

Going to go ahead and try Vit D3 also.
Posted 3/11/2010 10:47 AM (GMT -8)
Just took my first dose! Trying 2000 IU daily to start.

If that's enough how soon should I feel a difference and what are those differences?
Posted 3/11/2010 10:56 AM (GMT -8)
Thank you for your wonderful advice, but since the immune suppressing drugs I am on have kept my CD in check for the last 12 years and the Vit D has increased my bone density, I think I will stick with the advice I get from the DOCTORS I see and not from you. I have been around Crohn's disease for 44 of the 45 years I have been on this planet and I know what it can do to the human body, both on and off maintenance medications. I will NEVER go off maintenance medications. I spent 10 years undiagnosed simply because the doctors felt I was too young to know what I was talking about. I spent the next 10 dealing with the ramifications of that. Never again. I am glad that Vit D is working for you, but maintenance medication is the route I recommend to every Crohnie.
Posted 3/11/2010 11:40 AM (GMT -8)
Vitamins and supplements taken as recommended have never harmed or killed anyone, so I don't know what the article in Reader's Digest was all about. "Taken as recommended" is crucial. People overdose daily on aspirin, tylenol and a host of other OTC meds, but the media jumps at any opportunity to report every idiot who thinks "more is better."
Posted 3/11/2010 12:08 PM (GMT -8)
Here's the article: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/5-vitamin-truths-and-lies/article175625.html

You be the judge.

I will say though, my blood tests last year were showing that I was anemic and I started a different multivitamin added more B-Complex and sublingual B-12. My last blood test showed everything normal.........who knows what to believe.

It's funny though that the article did say that vitamin d is good.
Posted 3/11/2010 2:08 PM (GMT -8)
mthboards, I'm with you on the need for vitamin D supplements and my daughter takes 5000IU D3 daily. 

BUT you have got to stop saying that taking vitamin D, or boosting the immune system, interferes with the action of meds that suppress the immune system. That just isn't true.

This is because taking vitamin D has a complex effect on the entire body, raising the aborption of calcium, calming down the parathyroid glands, etc., none of which interferes with the action of meds traditionally prescribed for Crohn's.

DarrylP, for instance, points out a very targeted action of vitamin D on a particular gene. So to say it "boosts the immune system" is an oversimplification. To go further and say it doesn't make sense to take D while on meds can be a harmful disservice to people who should be taking both meds AND vitamin D. 

If you happen to have an article corroborating your claim, please share.     

Posted 3/11/2010 2:21 PM (GMT -8)
http://muhc.ca/newsroom/news/vitamin-d-supplements-could-fight-crohns-disease

Here you go, here's an article. That is a study that was just done at the hospital that I go to It's definitely something to consider. I don't take Vitamin D but I probably will begin taking it soon.

It also says that it could help in PREVENTING Crohn's disease.
Posted 3/11/2010 10:33 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Valerie, but if the article is for me, you missed the point.

I asked for proof of the claim that it doesn't make sense to take vitamin D while taking Crohn's meds:

"Also to zanne the first reply, You are on 2 huge drugs that knock out your immune system, Vitamin d3 boosts the immune system, you either want to boost the immune system or kill it with drugs, both help with crohns, But you dont want to take one drug the kills the immune system and one vitamin the boosts it?"

 

Posted 3/12/2010 9:00 AM (GMT -8)
I went for my annual checkup this year and my Dr. actually told me that my blood tests showed I was deficient in Vitamin D, even though I took a multivitamin every day. He added another 1000 iu and will check again in a few months. Couldn't hurt......and I'm also on maintenance drugs.
Posted 5/4/2012 2:04 AM (GMT -8)
 

I have suffered the torture of Crohns Disease forover 45 years, tried almost everything, nothing helped, until I consumed 10,000 i.u. per  day of vitamin d, no more gas, no more diahhrea.

Vitamin D3 is wonderful.

Posted 5/4/2012 5:30 AM (GMT -8)
I've been taking a lower dose of 1,000 iu per day for about a year. How long does it take for the high doses to work?
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