Poorly chicken

[Alis girls]

Had a call from GP today - need to start taking vitamin D ( or move somewhere hot) - as the first is the cheaper option I wondered apart from the obvious places if anyones found a good deal on this? I need to take for next 3 months -stop - if we have a good summer then stop and restart over winter months. I also am yup officially a menopausal old broad( sound of fanfare) and he said my thyroid levels had been borderline for years but are now slightly more borderline (news to me) so that explains being a fattie (thou I have lost 1and a half stone and trying hard to keep it off) and sluggish. OH is not happy as he feels he should have a reason for being sluggish and overwt despite me having us both on strict diets and hes lost 2 stone and admits he feels better. Told him to get a life and stop making excuses as in my job I've heard them all and could write a book.

[The Dogmother]

Look at. Natural food sources as your first option; so lean meat and eggs as a prime source, and of course, oily fish. I take a high potency cod liver oil and glucosamine capsule every day, primarily to help the early signs of arthritis in my fingers, but also because of its vit d content.

 

I am outdoors a lot, so am probably not deficient, but I reckon that taking a bit, especially in the darker months isn't a bad thing.

 

Boots, and Holland and Barrett always seem to have 3 for 2 offers on, or Healthsoan are good quality and not expensive.

[Olly]

I stocked up at Boots on a 3-for2 deal, think I've got a year's supply! Check the size/dosage in relation to price, too.

 

I was very surprised to be diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency last year because I'm outdoors a lot, but then again I don't expose much skin to the sun because I'm so fair-skinned. Tinned fish is a good source of Vitamin D and luckily I love it, so I eat sardines or pilchards two or three times a week but I've just decided to keep taking the tablets. My GP didn't give any advice about stopping in the summer.

 

My main symptom was joint pain and it improved quite a bit after taking the supplement.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Poundland do vitamins .....I get my glucosamine from Poundland (just checked their website and they do vitamin D)

[ubereglu]

Vitamin D is really cheap as vitamins go, and it's reckoned that the majority of the population are Vitamin D deficient, which can have severe effects on things such as Calcium absorption, and as has been mentioned energy levels. The actual amount of vitamin D a person requires varies quite a lot, and there is an awful lot of research going into this topic at the minute.

 

My Mum works in a health food shop which sells supplements, and their expert recommends Nature's Aid, which I take one daily alongside a multivitamin and mineral tablet. Remember to take it with food.

[Alis girls]

Thanks everyone - we have a Poundland nearby and its a lower dose than many of my friends are on. I too spend a fair amount of time outdoors but dont sunbathe due to fair skin. If it helps the joint pain thats a plus as I creak. He also asked if I wanted HRT but my mum died of breast cancer exascerbated by it so wont touch it.

[mimi5]

Alis girls. Do check the strength of the vit D. I get the highest from holland & barret (usually on 3for2) It will also help your uptake of calcium

[patsylabrador]

I'm trying really hard to avoid anything that comes in tablet or capsule shapes and have been gradually changing my diet to get all the supplements I can from wholefoods because I think they come with a whole package of other goodies. I assume it works because blood tests etc show me as being in a good condition. I'm a little jealous because I'm 56 and no sign of menopause. I'm dead bored with the whole unnecessary business now.

I'm doing a FutureLearn course about keeping the liver healthy. It's fascinating and has scared me into taking even more care about what I ingest.

[Olly]

Like you, I've always been of the view that if you are eating a good and varied diet then you shouldn't need supplements, and if you are not eating a good diet then supplements won't solve your problems. That's why I was so surprised to get the diagnosis, but sometimes other things especially taking other tablets or hormonal changes can deplete your levels. It's also made a big difference to my gums, the dental hygienist kept telling me I needed Vitamin D but I'm sorry to say I ignored her, it wasn't till I went to the GP and got a test that I started taking it!

[spott]

I take vit D from nature's own - they do a food state one, so it's easy to absorb and has a high absorbtion rate.

 

I resisted taking supplemts and pills of any kind until i found out i had multple food allergies. I went to see a nutritionist because i wanted to balance my new diet naturally. She told me that with modern farming methods it's just not possible: due to intensive farming the soil simply does not contain enough trace elements, and that works its way up the food chain. She said that everybody should take a good quality multi vitamin/mineral supplement.

 

The quality is really important, because some chemically prduced vit/min may be chemically idendical to the naturally ocurring ones, but that does not mean the body recognises them out of context, so to speak. That is one of the reasons why you should always take them with a meal. Don't be fooled by those that 100% of the RDA for everything, only a fraction of that will be absorbed.

 

All of the above is one of the reasons i keep chickens:i know the're eggs are nutritionally complete, they get to free range and have pellets, and they're manure might help me get a bit more nutrition from the veg i grow.

 

Sorry about the essay, this is something i have researched a lot over the years...

[merlina]

One of the main reasons why supplements are indicated is because many people don't absorb/convert/utilise a wide range of nutrients very well.

And, unfortunately, as we get older, our bodies are less good at using even the most perfect diet and supplement become, at least arguably, necessary.

On Vitamin D, very pale and very dark skins are generally not good/efficient at synthesising the vitamin from sunlight - even when we're young. Plus, our individual metabolisms/nutritional needs can mean that we all need different amounts of x vitamin - the RDAs are just a very very blunt tool which says what most people need to avoid an actual deficiency - rather than what we need for optimal health.

 

Spott is right that food state vitamins are important. They are much much more easily absorbed than cheaper equivalents (there is research that humans mostly don't absorb lab-variant vitamin E at all).

And it's important to try and take vitamins in the way that helps them to be absorbed. Fat soluble vitamins, such as D, should ideally be taken with food that contains some fat (animal or vegetable)

[mullethunter]

So you should take it with chocolate

[The Dogmother]

..... Or a spoonful of sugar

[Alis girls]

I've got some and started taking them. I am insuffienct in Vit D - which is slightly different. I hope it will help the joints which are painful and stiff. Apparently many people are diagnosed with fibromylagia when they are in fact low in Vit D. The borderline underactive thyroid I will disc c my Gp as I have been feeling knackered for ages and my hairdressers commented on my hair coming out when I saw her the other day.

[patsylabrador]

I'm a bit duh! and doh! about medication and illness in general tbh. But regarding your stiff joints, have you got an exercise bike? I will NOT cycle on London roads but in the safety of my house I cycle about an hour a day. I can't believe the difference it's made to my getting older joints. One of my hips/legs was waking me up and I got lots of cramp, I couldn't climb hills or even slopes or on occasions the stairs because of my knee. Even varicose veins have calmed down, I don't know how that all works but it does.

It has all gone, all of it and in a remarkably short amount of time. I would certainly give that a try unless you already do which makes this all pointless. For me, the exercise bike has been wonderful. It's even toned my upper arms.

[Alis girls]

At the moment I seem to be going thro a bad patch pain wise, hips, knees, ankles and toes. Taking a muscle relaxant they gave me at pain clinic. It knocks me out so take half only on some days when up at 6 for work and tonight will take full dose as can get up later. On Sunday I felt something go twang in my knee, I had a very busy weekend moving ES and his junk and can only think its that. Got Pilates on Thurs so i will have a word with her re exercises I can do. We have exercise bike but I am very tired so will make do with walking and work.

[The Dogmother]

Try cod liver oil with Glucosamine and Chondroitin - helps my early arthritis

[Alis girls]

I cant take Cod liver oil sadly as oily fish makes me vomit. My mum used to feed me mackerel and couldnt understand why I was sick. I can only eat sardines and only certain makes as my lips swell. I suspect that is an addictive.

[Blackrocksrock]

At the moment I seem to be going thro a bad patch pain wise, hips, knees, ankles and toes

 

I am having much the same problems right now - finding losing weight a nightmare and my feet,legs, knees and hips and neck are painful right now - bit better today as warmer but been so cold I think that effects it - I have recently started taking D3 as well and think my feet and toes are not quite so sore but still wake me up during the night. I have great hopes for the d3 and I take Hyaluronic acid too daily to help with my knee cartlidge.

[Alis girls]

I have managed to lose 1.5 stone and my appetite isnt great at the moment. Keeping it off when you pass 50 isnt easy. I do keep busy and I think I will have to start swimming but am just very run down. Sorry to be such a wimp.

[Blackrocksrock]

You are not a wimp - and yes its more difficult to lose - i am 61 now and its more difficult - I need to eat so much less than I do but being me I love my food!. Good home cooked food is hard to beat but I obviously need much less of it.

[Seagazer]

I was told I only have average amount of vit D which did surprise me as I am outside quite a bit. My ES has only recently been diagnosed with MS (after a very long, fraught year) and was told by his MS nurse to take vitamin D tablets with his evening meal as it can help a lot. She said that she has a pot on her dining table and they all have one at dinner time. I think it's worth doing as even if you try to eat healthily it may not be enough.

[Christian]

I've been taking Glucosamine and chondroitin for a few months now and found it has really helped with stiff fingers. I get it from Healthspan and find them really good. The parcels are letter box size so no waiting in for a delivery.

[PixieDust]

I was diagnosed as a complete surprise, with Hypothyroidism just over 2 years ago. I was deficient in both vitamin D and B12 and low on ferritin and folates.

 

Best D and B12 vitamins with high absorbency is this make http://www.amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-DLux-3000-3000iu-Vitamin/dp/B005O8RCO0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1434719985&sr=8-9&keywords=vitamin+d

 

Lack of B12 can cause pain too!

[Angie]

My , we are becoming a group of Silent sufferers of age. I sit in my little world , sometimes thinking it is only me ! You are reassuring me that I am not alone with my aches and pains,with my cupboard full of meds and a drawer of suppliments i forget to take. Come winter and the codliver oil lives by the kettle, next to the vit D...no chondo as they are shell fish based and i am allergic..

I try to eat well , but i have so many days due to pain that i don't eat well at all if i'm honest , and i wonder why i don't lose much weight, but i know i am borderline with the thyroid .I do eat a vit D rich yogurt , i prefer that to pills, i take enough prescription meds and i think that is why the suppliments get forgotten. But also if i don't take the supps i have to make the effort to eat better. Such a vicious circle.