Search MedicineNet...

home > health & living center > nutrition, food & recipes a-z list > vitamin d de ciency index > vitamin d de ciency article

Vitamin D De ciency
Amazing Vitamin D Slideshow Pictures

Table of Contents

Take the Vitamins Quiz

Prev

Next

9/11

What is the treatment for a vitamin D de ciency?

Read 10 Stories

Share Your Story

Vitamin D3 has been shown to be the best choice for

supplements. Vitamin D2 supplements do not raise your
levels the same amount as D3 and, in some cases, they
have been shown to decrease levels over long-term use.

The amount of vitamin D that is needed to correct a

de ciency will depend on the severity of the de ciency
and your individual health risks. The time of year will
also matter. For example, if you are on the low end of
adequate blood levels and heading in to the winter
months you would need a bit more than if you were
heading in to the summer months. The goal for everyone
is to get your stores to a safe level and prevent them
from dropping with a maintenance plan.

What you take is as important as how you take it. Vitamin D supplements
should be taken with a meal that contains fat. Studies have shown that when
taken on an empty stomach versus with a meal containing fat, there was an
average of 32% more vitamin D absorption in the fat-containing meal. This
ranged from 11%-52%. Even an 11% reduction is signi cant and can impact your
vitamin level. A recent study instructed people to take their supplement with
their largest meal (typically the one with the most fat), and in three months, their
blood levels went up an average of 56.7%.
There are supplements that can be taken on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
It's a matter of preference and, most importantly, which one you will be more
likely to take. You may start out at a higher dose and decrease after a month or
two. Most experts feel that the goal is to get your level above 30-40 ng/mL,
depending on your risk factors, and then take a maintenance amount. When you
are de cient, it is recommended to have your blood tested after two to three
months of taking the supplement to be sure that your levels are going up. Work
with your doctors to nd the optimal plan for you.

MedicineNet

The task force for the Endocrine Society makes the following
recommendations:

Slideshows Images Quizzes Conditions Symptom Checker Health & Living Medications MedTerms Dictionary Pet Health

For children 1-18 years of age who are vitamin D de cient, we suggest
treatment with 2,000 IU/d of vitamin D3 for at least six weeks or with 50,000
IU once a week for at least six weeks to achieve a blood level of 25(OH)D
above 30 ng/ml, followed by maintenance therapy of 600-1,000 IU/day.
We suggest that all adults who are vitamin D de cient be treated with
50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week for eight weeks or its equivalent of 6,000
IU of vitamin D3 daily to achieve a blood level of 25(OH)D above 30 ng/ml,
followed by maintenance therapy of 1,500-2,000 IU/day.
In obese patients, patients with malabsorption syndromes, and patients on
medications affecting vitamin D metabolism , we suggest a higher dose
(two to three times higher; at least 6,000-10,000 IU/day) of vitamin D to treat
vitamin D de ciency to maintain a 25(OH)D level above 30 ng/ml, followed by

From

Featured Centers
Feeling Short of Breath?
What to Eat When You Have Cancer
Top 3 Anaphylaxis Triggers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Frequent Constipation?
Greater Food Accessibility

maintenance therapy of 3,000-6,000IU/day. One study found that for every 33

lbs. of body weight the serum 25(OH)D level was 4 ng/ML lower at the end of
one year of monitoring. This could lead to a signi cant change in the amount
required to supplement based on your body weight and starting serum level.
Continue Reading

PopularCollections
allimages
allslideshows

9/11

Reviewed on 2/26/2015

NEXT: Can vitamin D de ciency be prevented?

Prev

Next

Scales,Plaques&Eruptions

Author:

Medical Editor:

Betty Kovacs, MS, RD

Melissa Conrad Stppler, MD

References

STAYINFORMED
GettheLatesthealthandmedicalinformationdelivered
directtoyourinbox!

Daily
Arthritis
Depression
Diabetes
Men'sHealth
SeniorHealth
WeightLoss&HealthyLiving
Women'sHealth
EnterEmailAddress

BONUS! GetaFreePDFHealthReportinstantly
whenyousignup!
*PrivacyPolicy

TOP 10 Vitamin D De ciency Related Articles

Constipation

Crohn'sDisease

DiabetesMellitus

TaketheNutrition
Quiz

FattyLiver

HBP

MultipleSclerosis
(MS)

VitaminD
Slideshow

Osteopenia

Pregnancy

CompleteList

Patient Comments
Viewers share their comments

Vitamin D De ciency - Symptoms

What were your symptoms associated with a diagnosis of
vitamin D de ciency?
View 39 Comments

Submit

Vitamin D De ciency - Causes

If known, what were the causes of your vitamin D de ciency?
View 16 Comments

Submit

Vitamin D De ciency - Tests

What were your reasons for getting tested for a vitamin D
de ciency?
View 15 Comments

Submit

Vitamin D De ciency - Treatment

Vitamin D De ciency - Treatment

What is the treatment for your vitamin D de ciency?
View 10 Comments

STAYINFORMED

Submit

Getthelatesthealthandmedicalinformationdelivereddirect
toyourinbox!

DailyHealth

Depression

SeniorHealth

Allergy/Asthma

Diabetes

WeightLoss

Arthritis

Men'sHealth

Women'sHealth

EnterEmailAddress

BONUS!InstantlyReceiveaFreePDFHealthReportWhenYouSignUp!
*PrivacyPolicy

Hemorrhoids

Reasons for Blood Sugar Swings

Forms of Psoriasis

Embarrassed by Cellulite?

MedicineNet.com

Health Categories

Popular Health Centers

MedicineNet

Slideshow Pictures
Diseases & Conditions
Symptoms & Signs
Procedures & Tests
Medications
Healthy Living
Vitamins & Supplements
Image Collection
Quizzes
MedTerms Dictionary
Pet Health

Allergies
Arthritis
Blood Pressure
Cancer
Chronic Pain
Cold & Flu
Depression
Diabetes
Digestion
Health & Living
Healthy Kids
Hearing & Ear

Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us
Site Map
WebMD Corporate
WebMD
Medscape
Medscape Reference
eMedicineHealth
RxList
BootsWebMD
Medscape France
Medscape Germany

Heart
HIV/AIDS
Infectious Disease
Men's Health
Mental Health
Neurology
Pregnancy
Sexual Health
Skin
Thyroid
Women's Health
More...

Ad Choices
1996-2016 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights
reserved. Terms of Use.
MedicineNet does not provide medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment. See
additional information.