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Vitamin d level not increasing
About 2 years ago my vitamin d level was 21
Then I started 12 weeks of 60000iu dose
After that my levels were 25
Then I take supplements (may be 2&3 dose in a year)
Now I again tested it comes 19.6 (why it's not increasing)
Symptoms: fatigue, neck stiffness, anxiety, calf muscle cramps.
Note: I have hypothyroidism and my tsh is 7.21 and t4 -5.44 and t3 is 78
Answers (8)
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If vitamin D is low and the level is not increasing despite completing a course, don’t simply keep increasing the dose. First look for the reason.
If confirmed deficiency
A commonly used treatment regimen is:
* Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 50,000 IU once weekly × 8 weeks
* Then maintenance 1,500–2,000 IU/day may be used in adults with documented deficiency.
* Recheck 25-OH Vitamin D after the treatment period as advised by the doctor.
If level still doesn’t rise
Check for:
* Poor adherence or missed doses
* Taking vitamin D without a proper meal/fat-containing meal
* Malabsorption (celiac disease, IBD, bariatric surgery, etc.)
* Kidney/liver problems
* Medicines that increase vitamin-D breakdown
* Calcium, PTH, magnesium abnormalities
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Your Vitamin D level of 19.6 ng/mL is still low, and the fact that it increased only from 21 to 25 previously and has now dropped again suggests that you may need a proper maintenance strategy rather than occasional supplementation.
Since you also have hypothyroidism and your TSH is 7.21, it would be important to consult your endocrinologist/physician to review whether your thyroid treatment is adequately controlled. Fatigue, muscle cramps and stiffness can have multiple causes, so these symptoms cannot be attributed to Vitamin D alone.
From a nutrition perspective, make sure your Vitamin D supplement is taken regularly as prescribed, preferably with a meal containing some dietary fat, as this improves absorption. Also include Vitamin-D-rich foods such as egg yolks, fatty fish and fortified dairy/plant milk, although food alone may not be sufficient to correct a low level.
I would also suggest discussing with your doctor whether calcium, magnesium, B12 and PTH need to be evaluated, particularly because of the muscle cramps and persistent low Vitamin D.
Health Tips
Avoid taking repeated high-dose Vitamin D (such as 60,000 IU) on your own. Your doctor should decide the appropriate repletion and maintenance dose and when to repeat the test.
Ideally, recheck Vitamin D after completing the recommended supplementation period rather than taking only a few doses intermittently.
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