Vitamin D

[billt]

Try some MSM and Glucosamine Chondroitin.

I have to be careful with that stuff because it raises my blood sugar too much. It becomes a case where the cure is worse than the disease.

[crusader rabbit]

Had a VA appointment yesterday and brought up the vitamin D idea with my primary.  Doc sent me straight over to the lab for a blood draw, so he must have thought it warranted action. I should find out results in the next day or two. 

If the results give me an easily treated reason for all the discomfort I've felt, I will be very grateful, Billt. 

If D solves the problem, maybe next time I'm in Mesa I can buy you a drink or three.

Crusader Rabbit

[billt]

I think you'll see a marked improvement. It sure has made a big difference in my life, with all of the pain I was experiencing. It makes me wonder how many people are taking pain medication, who should be taking Vitamin D instead? You also have to remember as you get older, your skin isn't as able to extract the necessary Vitamin D from sunlight hitting your skin. So taking a Vitamin D supplement becomes even more important for us old farts.

[billt]

One other thing worth mentioning, is pure Vitamin D is stored in fat cells in your body. So when taking pure Vitamin D it is possible to overdose on it. But Vitamin D3 is not. If you take too much your body will simply dispose of it through your urinary tract. In short, you'll simply piss away what your body doesn't need or want. I'm taking 2,000 units of Vitamin D3 daily. Vitamin D2 and D3 are very similar, depending what you read on both.

[billt]

Hey Crusader, has the Vitamin D helped you out at all?

[Sponsor]

[crusader rabbit]

Hey Crusader, has the Vitamin D helped you out at all?

My blood test results showed that I was marginally low, and primary doc recommended I take one 1,000 iu cap daily.  Because I am a firm believer in the old fallacy that if a little is good, more must be better, I have been taking two 1,000 iu caps daily.

I have noticed no positive results.  No negative results, either.

I had really wanted that to be something of a solution and a lifestyle improvement, but it was not to be.

To add a bit more to this discussion, MSM acts like an NSAID, both in reducing pain and also in the unwanted side effects like gastrointestinal distress.  Gotta be careful when using it. 

Glucosamine Chondroitan has gone through numerous clinical trials over the years and at best has showed only marginally improved outcomes and only in a few studies.  I gave it a 6-month trial myself and found no improvement in knee or elbow joints.

CoQ10, on the other hand, has shown significant promise in numerous clinical trials, specifically in improving the heart and circulatory system.  I think it's one supplement that is probably worth the money.

FWIW,

Crusader Rabbit

[tombogan03884]

MSM makes my blood pressure go up.

[Magoo541]

I had a similar experience last year when I got out of ICU. My lethargy was compounded by low iron as well. I ran out and quit taking it for a couple of months until I was having trouble staying awake on the commute home ~55 minutes. Had my INR checked and my wife brought it up and we rediscovered my low iron. I'm doing much better now, hitting the gym 5-6 days a week training for the Oregon Powerlifting Championships in June. 

[billt]

I'm still taking a Centrum Silver, and now I'm up to 2,000 U of Vitamin D3 a day. Along with Cranberry pills. (2 pills 3 times a day). It really helps your urinary tract. I need to get more exercise however. 

[Rastus]

I had a similar experience last year when I got out of ICU. '
<snip>

ICU?