Vitamin D supplements

[Nirvana]

I am thinking of supplementing my family with Vitamin D. Since we are vegetarians, I am looking for something vegan. This was one link I found

http://www.pure-vegan.net/Pure-Vegan_D2_Spray.asp

Just want to know if anyone else knows of other good brands. I think I did read earlier that Vitamin D3 is better than D2. I will have to look for brands selling D3 supplements too.

I have started using lot of butter and clarified butter in our diet but sadly it's not organic. But it is unsalted butter :giggle:

Let me know if anyone has more info on this.

TIA

[Serephina]

I'm pretty sure most vitamin D supplements are derived from lanolin (from sheep's wool) and therefore are not vegan. But then butter is not vegan either ;)

Nirvana do you think your family are not getting enough sunlight for their bodies to produce enough vitamin D on their own? I wouldn't have thought that it would be a problem given that you are coming into summer in the northern hemisphere.

[Nirvana]

LOL....sorry meant to say I was looking for some vegetarian supplements. Not a vegan yet ;)

I just wanted to make sure I have a good supplement in hand in case of some illness or something. Our sunlight exposure is very limited because it tends to get burning hot here in the days in summer.

Is it ok for us to be out in the sunlight around 4-6 pm? Will that be sufficient? I terribly despise the summers here!

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

I would think so, depending on the latitude. Actually, the major factor isn't so much whether you go out in the sun, but whether or not you wash that off with soap. Since it takes two days to absorb the vitamin D from skin, if you shower all the time using soap you are essentially ruining your absorption of vitamin D.

Which doesn't affect me, since I spot wash grime and smell daily ;) and only shower once a week...

:alien:

[Seaweed]

Since it takes two days to absorb the vitamin D from skin, if you shower all the time using soap you are essentially ruining your absorption of vitamin D.


eek! I bath alot but not with soap. Mainly really to get warm & unwind at the end of the day. Is the soap part what does it or is just water enuf to wash it off?

[Serephina]

That's really interesting MT, I've never heard that before. Do you have any references for that info, I would love to share it with others.

[Wonder-Full]

Oh, hadn't heard that before. Fortunately for my children they will be absorbing all of theirs then since they only bath a couple of times a week lol. I don't shower in the evening so at least will be absorbing a fair amount from the days exposure.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

As I remember, the work for that was done ages ago. I put this information up on another board months ago, pointing out that in the old days when people had a bath on Saturday, they got the best out of the sun :lol: I just thought people knew it.

I don't have a reference. Mercola came out with it on his website yesterday, but when I went and checked he had no references either. Maybe he stuck his head in some old textbooks?

I'll have a look in my old ones again, some time, but right now, I'm nose to the grindstone writing the position paper for my upcoming med talk.

[Serephina]

Thanks for that. I did a google search but only came up with the Mercola article - how frustrating that they don't provide a reference!

[justine]

Ok - I give my son Cod Liver Oil capsules (275mg) Healtheries. He is 8 and a bit picky and I worry about his diet. Is this the D3 vitamin D or ........ I'm a bit confused. Can anyone clarify the difference please?

Thanks
Justine

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

You can get vitamin D from cod liver oil, but the ratio must be 10 vitamin A to 1 vitamin D, or higher for vitamin D. If your son is picky, he might not get enough vitamin A either, so CLO would be a good choice. If he gets enough sun, he won't need much if you live in the norther part of the north island.

D3 is vitamin D. Off to sit in the sun for a while... :D

[betach]

i recall seeing the info about vitamin d being washed off with soap in a book, published in the '60's by Adelle Davis.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Justine, what does it say on the back of the particular cod liver oil you use? Different brands say different things.

Yes D3 is what we are talking about.

[justine]

It says Vitamin A 833IU vitamin D 831IU.
My sons diet is much better now. I stopped buying a couple of things that he really really liked but I knew were bad for him. Since then he has started to be a bit more adventurous.

[justine]

oops, A 833IU D 83IU.

[gilima]

hmm, I'd like to know if it is the soap and water that is a problem or just water to. My younger boys don't like to shower much anyways but every friday they take a shower with soap and a heirwash :) but my teenage daughters defiantely shower everyday and with lots of soap ......
I also like taking a nice warm shower before bed to wind down but I can go without the soap.

[jules]

Over 20 years ago I had a doctor tell me 'you do not need to use soap in the shower other than for washing your hair.' I had a lot of skin breakouts back then. I quit using soap, my skin rarely breaksout, and people think I'm nuts. :) My son who fight eczema, can not wash with soaps either.

I didn't know about the Vit D thing.

I live where its cold and snowy 6 months out of the year(oct-march-give or take). I take a vit d capsule in the winter months. I also open a capsule and dump the oily liquid into my youngest child's drink.(other than a little oil residue, it doesn't smell, and she can't tell :)

[TanyaL]

Is it ok for us to be out in the sunlight around 4-6 pm? Will that be sufficient? I terribly despise the summers here!

From what I've read, that's awfully late in the day to make much vitamin D.

http://nadir.nilu.no/~olaeng/fastrt/VitD_quartMED.html

I _think_ this calculator is accurate, it jives with other things I've read, and when I was playing around with it last year, the amount of vitamin D we can make dropped off dramatically late in the afternoon.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

In New Zealand in the winter, vitamin D can be absorbed between 12.00 noon and 2.00 in the afternoon.

This is an interesting NIWA pdf http://www.niwa.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/41243/Johnston.pdf