Vitamin D in multivitamins is very poorly absorbed, if at all. Likewise, about 90% of the D in most calcium preparations is not absorbed. The vast majority of tablet or powder preparations, such as those in calcium tablets, are not absorbed to any significant extent. Take all you want and you remain vit D-deficient with osteoporosis, growing coronary plaque, low HDL, and exposed to risk for prostate and colon cancer.

If you take vitamin D in supplement form, it must--MUST--be in an oil-based capsule. The tablets are simply much too poorly and erratically absorbed to be reliable. There's nothing more frustrating to take, for instance, 4000 units of vitamin D in tablet form, only to have a blood level of 12 ng/ml--severe deficiency. Take the same 4000 unit dose in capsule form and blood level skyrockets to 58 ng/ml. And it's no more expensive.

One other thing: If you want to waste time and money, take the prescription vitamin D prescribed by many doctors. This is vitamin D2, also known as "ergocalciferol". Why use the synthetic vitamin D2 when D3 is the form your body needs? Because the D2 is patent-protectable and profitable to the drug manufacturer, similar to using Premarin (horse estrogens) when human preparations would suffice--or be superior. I saw a woman today taking 50,000 of prescription D2 once per week. Her blood level of 25-OH-vitamin D3? 17 ng/ml--severe deficiency. Don't waste your time with this garbage."

Vit D is so important. I take it (D3) as a separate supp combined with Vit K (D3 = 2000IU & K = 200mcg)

health4ni wrote:Vit D is so important. I take it (D3) as a separate supp combined with Vit K (D3 = 2000IU & K = 200mcg)

Interesting, where are you getting that from? I've been taking D3 (made by FSC) for a couple of months now but hadn't heard the stuff about a capsule being superior, that's interesting... if it doesn't cost any more then I'll get on the case, Vit D is so damn cheap that it seems folly not to take it.

Mine's a Poliquin one... but it will be rebranded from someone else. Yeah, Vit D is very cheap comparatively and yet so many benefits.

health4ni wrote:Vit D is so important. I take it (D3) as a separate supp combined with Vit K (D3 = 2000IU & K = 200mcg)

What do you recommend when looking for a Vit D supplement Scott... anything to avoid or look out for?

I think to just make sure it's Vit D3. Having Vitamin K in it is great too. That's it really; quite simple. Just a shame so many Vit D supps are the crappy D2 variety.

I use the NOW brand, its Vit D3, SOFT GELS AND HI POTENCY..1000iu. Cheap as chips on e bay...