1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Vitamin D Not Responding to Supplementation- Seeking Insights

Posted by chaiyosef @chaiyosef, Feb 12 6:26am

I’m a healthy 46-year-old dealing with persistent insufficient vitamin D levels despite increasing supplementation over the past year, and I’m hoping to hear from others with similar experiences. For several months now, I’ve been taking 40,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per week, but my levels are still not going up.

Additional concerns:
• I have osteoporosis, so getting my vitamin D levels up is crucial before starting treatment.
• My PTH (parathyroid hormone) has been mildly elevated at times, but my specialist does not believe it’s a major factor.
• My cholesterol has significantly increased despite no dietary changes, and I wonder if there’s a connection.
• I maintain a balanced diet, including dairy and other calcium sources, and exercise regularly, including weight-bearing activities.

Has anyone here experienced vitamin D resistance or poor absorption?
Did you find any underlying cause (gut issues, genetic factors, or something else)?
What strategies have worked for you?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

cmdw2600 | @cmdw2600 | Feb 13 7:18am
In reply to @chaiyosef "Thanks for your input! I’ve been working with specialists, and my nephrologist does not suspect kidney..." + (show)
@chaiyosef

Thanks for your input! I’ve been working with specialists, and my nephrologist does not suspect kidney issues. My parathyroid function has been evaluated, and while my PTH has fluctuated, my specialist does not think it’s a primary issue. I’m taking D3, and I’ve been increasing my dose significantly over the past year, but my levels still aren’t rising. Celiac hasn’t been ruled out completely, but my nephrologist doesn’t think it’s likely. That’s why I’m wondering if there are other absorption-related factors I should be considering.

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I’m in agreement with others about the importance of K2 with your D3-partly for absorption it also to prevent calcium from going to the wrong places.

You can purchase D3 and K2 in one capsule or gummy.

Best wishes,
Cindy

REPLY
maggie25 | @maggie25 | Feb 13 8:51am

I need to take nearly 10,000 IU of D3 per day (as drops) to get my D at the correct level. I also have high cholesterol. I would guess whatever caused my severe OP is also responsible for my body's poor absorption of vitamin D.

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1 reply
kristie2 | @kristie2 | Feb 13 10:37am

One thing to consider if you’re not already doing this is to take a full spectrum K2 with MK-4 & MK7 to help with the uptake of Vitamin D.

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Melinda | @opai | Feb 13 10:49am
In reply to @sondrachristo1 "Hi @chaiyosef I always had an issue increasing my vitamin D. Was as low as the..." + (show)
@sondrachristo1

Hi @chaiyosef
I always had an issue increasing my vitamin D. Was as low as the 20’s and at best in the mid 30’s. And I’ve taken 5,000 IU daily for years.
A few months back someone in another support group mentioned that if you do not get enough magnesium, the vitamin d does not get absorbed.
So I started taking 400 mg of magnesium citrate, and my last blood test showed a vitamin d of 52 ng/ml
Adding the magnesium was the only thing I changed.
Do some research on this and see if you think it’s right for you.
Good luck.

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That’s right some zinc would also help the best absorbed magnesium is magnesium glycinate and no side effects take these at bedtime.

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chaiyosef | @chaiyosef | Feb 13 12:48pm
In reply to @maggie25 "I need to take nearly 10,000 IU of D3 per day (as drops) to get my..." + (show)
@maggie25

I need to take nearly 10,000 IU of D3 per day (as drops) to get my D at the correct level. I also have high cholesterol. I would guess whatever caused my severe OP is also responsible for my body's poor absorption of vitamin D.

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Thanks for sharing. It sounds like we have some similar challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol. I also wonder if there’s a common underlying issue affecting both. Have your doctors given you any insights on that?

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1 reply
Melinda | @opai | Feb 13 1:28pm

I don’t go to doctor very often I do a lot of research.

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mlwh | @mlwh | Feb 13 3:00pm

I do not remember where I heard about this place, (some bone podcast I think) but there is an exceptional Parathyroid Clinic in Florida. It might be worth reaching out to them to see if they would consult with you from wherever you are. It's called Norman Parathyroid Clinic, and this is a link to their site. https://www.parathyroid.com/

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1 reply
mlwh | @mlwh | Feb 13 3:02pm
In reply to @mlwh "I do not remember where I heard about this place, (some bone podcast I think) but..." + (show)
@mlwh

I do not remember where I heard about this place, (some bone podcast I think) but there is an exceptional Parathyroid Clinic in Florida. It might be worth reaching out to them to see if they would consult with you from wherever you are. It's called Norman Parathyroid Clinic, and this is a link to their site. https://www.parathyroid.com/

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Specifically look at their low Vitamin D link. https://www.parathyroid.com/low-vitamin-d.htm

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maggie25 | @maggie25 | Feb 13 3:25pm
In reply to @chaiyosef "Thanks for sharing. It sounds like we have some similar challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol...." + (show)
@chaiyosef

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like we have some similar challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol. I also wonder if there’s a common underlying issue affecting both. Have your doctors given you any insights on that?

Jump to this post

In reply to @chaiyosef regarding challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol and my thought that OP may be related - the endocrinologist reviewed tests I've had done and common diseases which can cause severe OP were not found. The high cholesterol runs in my family and Keith McCormick, DC and author of Great Bones, said I must get my LDL down to help with bone building. I have talked about the cholesterol elsewhere but I'm trying to eat less fat and primarily healthy fat. I was on Prozac in my thirties for about a year and that can contribute to OP but is likely not the entire story. Cortisol in the body may have contributed to my OP. I aspire to bring kindness to myself when I feel anxiety and stress. I am certainly interested in understanding underlying issues contributing to OP and poor absorption of vitamin D and I wish I knew more.

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1 reply
chaiyosef | @chaiyosef | Feb 13 4:04pm
In reply to @maggie25 "In reply to @chaiyosef regarding challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol and my thought that OP..." + (show)
@maggie25

In reply to @chaiyosef regarding challenges with vitamin D and cholesterol and my thought that OP may be related - the endocrinologist reviewed tests I've had done and common diseases which can cause severe OP were not found. The high cholesterol runs in my family and Keith McCormick, DC and author of Great Bones, said I must get my LDL down to help with bone building. I have talked about the cholesterol elsewhere but I'm trying to eat less fat and primarily healthy fat. I was on Prozac in my thirties for about a year and that can contribute to OP but is likely not the entire story. Cortisol in the body may have contributed to my OP. I aspire to bring kindness to myself when I feel anxiety and stress. I am certainly interested in understanding underlying issues contributing to OP and poor absorption of vitamin D and I wish I knew more.

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Thank you for sharing your experience and insights. I appreciate your perspective on cholesterol and bone health—definitely something to think about.

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