I heard a reference from Dr Merick in a cancer discussion where he mentioned taking 10,000 iu/day.
I’ve taken 5-6,000 iu/day & my level is 114ng/ml at recent labs (a level I’m fine with), though blood calcium is at the high end as well 10.9 mg/dl. (Does this mean Hypercalcemia issues?).
Also taking a magnesium supplement every other day I hear about people taking K-2 with D for some reason?
Wow I am jealous of your Vit D level. Last time I measured about 4 years ago mine was 30ng/ml and I started taking 2000iu of D2 daily. I did D2 because I am vegan. I have since learned a lot about Vit D. I now take a vegan version of D3 at 10,000 iu daily which includes K2/Mk7. The K2 works synergistically with Vit D to enhance bioavailability and help with calcium transport throughout the body. Most people are low in zinc and magnesium. Vegans are even more so since we depend on the soil uptake in veggies for our minerals. I recently had a Ca+PTH test and looked at the reference range for calcium and the indication is >10.2 indicates hypercalcemia. Adding K2 to your regimen might help modulate the calcium.
@vegandan touches on the key point. When you take higher levels of VItamin D (D3 is more important than D2), then you should take Vitamin K2 as well. Vitamin D (among it’s many, many benefits) helps with calcium absorption which is good, but K2 helps direct the calcium to the bones which is where it is needed. Without K2, the calcium is more likely to end up in your arteries walls or as kidney stones.
I take 5K IU Vitamin D3/day + K2. The K2 is purely a precaution at that level. There are multiple books available of people who have taken 50k-100k+ of D3/day to heal problems and improve their health. Those are extreme cases, but they reinforce the importance of K2.
I was taking 10,000IU per day (with K2) drops under my tongue for 2 years and my D levels are top of the range. My new naturopath just about fell off her chair when she saw the number and told me I was the ONLY patient she has ever had (in her 30 yr career) who’s D levels were up there. She suggested I lower my dose down to 5000 to see how well my body will maintain it. I see her again in Feb and if it has fallen lower than I want it to be, I’ll be increasing back up depending on where I end up.
From what I understand, if you take blood thinners, you can’t have K2. I’m not on thinners, but I’ve been taking D3 with K2 for over a decade and my vitamin D levels are so optimal. It makes my naturopaths eyeballs bulge. lol
the brand I use is Ortho molecular products Vitamin D3 with K2 liquid. 25mcg D3 (1000IU) per drop with 10mcg (400IU) K2 per drop