Thank you for the thought. Vitamin D levels should be good but will make a note to ask my doctor to check I have an appointment coming up in November with a endocrinoligist to monitor my thyroid levels as I have Grave's Disease and take synthroid every day.. I eat a well balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, veggies, fish, eggs, yogurt, and I take a GNC Women's Ultra Mega 50 Plus One Daily 3 or 4 times a week. I also drink one or two Ensures a day. I get very little sun light over the course of the year though living in the Great NorthWET. Due to disabilities, I spend most of my day indoors. Thanks again!!!

Be careful about Vitamin D supplements if you're a senior citizen. Recent research is exploring the role of Vitamin D in physical instability, vertigo, and falls among people over age 70. Overdosing Vitamin D is a factor in a lot of these cases. Until the final report is released, both men and women over 70 should keep their daily Vitamin D intake to 2,000 IU -- and that includes regular food sources. I have changed my Vitamin D supplement to not more than 1,000 IU per day.

I see a few comments on vitamin D. It might help to understand that there are water soluble vitamins and fat soluble vitamins. Excess water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C, are flushed out of your body when you pee. That's not to say that too much of a water soluble vitamin can't cause problems but excess is not stored in the body.

Then you have fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin D, A, E, and K. These vitamins enter the body, get absorbed into fat globules, wind up in your blood circulation, and then enter your your body tissue where they're stored. Generally speaking fat soluble vitamins remain in the body so you can more easily get an excess amount of fat soluble vitamins if you take a lot of extra supplements.

I suggest talking to your doctor about how much YOUR body needs, especially when it comes to fat soluble vitamins. Now I'm a big fan of balanced nutrition from fresh food and taking vitamin supplements, especially from natural sources. BUT....there is such a thing as over doing it and that can cause some serious issues. Don't be grabbing a bottle of Vitamin D off the shelf at the store and start chugging them because you think they'll help your aches and pains because too much of a good thing is dangerous. Also, if you're vitamin D deficient, think about how to get more vitamin D in your body from natural food sources and the sun. I've read that the sun if the best source of vitamin D. If you live in an area where it's cloudy and rainy all the time like I do, or you don't get outside enough due to medical issues like I do, be sure to include foods that are good sources of natural vitamin D such as salmon, tuna, milk, eggs, meats like beef liver and pork (no..not bacon...lol), and cheeses like ricotta.

You can Google or Bing Vitamin D. There's a lot of good information out there about this and other vitamins. Just remember, there's such a thing as too much of a good thing and too much can cause serious problems. Also be careful where you get your information. Use highly respected sources such as Mayo and WebMD. There are also good articles along more homopathic or organic veins from long standing reputable sources such as Rodale and Mother Earth Living. Just remember there's a lot of hype out there about quick cures so know your sources..........including ME. I'm not a doctor and there's a LOT I don't know so don't even take my word for anything. Verify, verify, verify.

cahnny i was told  by a doctor that sitting in direct sun light 10 minutes a day  i best for  vit.  d levels<br><br>

kaykat...thank you. We get a LOT of cloudy wet days here but I'll make a better effort to sit outside for at least that long.

VERY GOOD;MY KIDNEY SUPPORT GROUP AT KITTAY HOUSE* IN THE BRONX,NY HEARD<br>THIS ARTICLE YESTERDAY!<br><br>* SENIOR RESIDENCE WITH AVERAGE AGE ABOUT 85,MOSTLY NEEDING ASSISTANCE<br>AND AIDES.<br>

We need to check n the vitamin D levels. I have been told that a minimum of 5000 a day of vitamin D is necessary .<br><br>

5,000 is probably excessive unless you have absorption problems. I'd suggest that you keep the intake modest, as stated above, at least until you have a blood level.

Vitamin D: Here are some vetted resources about vitamin D, including dosage, recommendations and evidence.
- From the Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-d/background/hrb-20060400
- From the National Institutes of Health https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Excellent!!!!!