I must be going supplement daft. First Creatine and now this. (for full discolosure I also take fish oil)
There has been so much coverage in the blogs about the benefits of Vitamin D3 that I bought some today.
Some interesting D3 links:
Vitamin D and Obesity
I believe that micronutrient deficiency also plays a role. Inadequate vitamin and mineral status can contribute to inflammation and weight gain. Obese people typically show deficiencies in several vitamins and minerals. The problem is that we don't know whether the deficiencies caused the obesity or vice versa. Refined carbohydrates and refined oils are the worst offenders because they're almost completely devoid of micronutrients.
Vitamin D in particular plays an important role in immune responses (including inflammation), and also appears to influence body fat mass. Vitamin D status is associated with body fat and insulin sensitivity in humans (14, 15, 16). More convincingly, genetic differences in the vitamin D receptor gene are also associated with body fat mass (17, 18), and vitamin D intake predicts future fat gain (19).
Can vitamin D help to combat depression and enhance mood?
Can vitamin D help keep you infection free?
Vitamin D and blood pressure
Vitamin D dosage - more than you think!
Interesting quote on the need for supplements:
.........food sources of vitamin D, such as fish (300-400 units per serving) and egg yolks (20 units per yolk), are inadequate. This makes sense: Humans are not meant to obtain vitamin D from food, but from sun exposure over a large body surface area. And this is a phenomenon that is meant to occur only in the youthful, ensuring that nature takes its course and us older folks get old and make way for the young (i.e., unless we intervene by taking vitamin D supplements).
“The Miracle of Vitamin D” (and the common cold)
Comments
How much are you taking? Is the idea to reduce the amount during summer?
Another Chris
I notice from the photo that you bough D3 tablets, and just wanted to point you to a post by Dr. Davis where he advises against D3 tabs and recommends gelcaps:
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-vitamin-d-form.html
Thanks for your great blog; I've been following for quite a while.
Best,
Mark
On the creatine, I will be really interested to hear about your experiences. I tried it in 2001 and it worked on strength. No doubt. But since then I have always held back on the basis of unknown health implications, medium and long term. Not that I've read anything specific - have you seen anything research that would indicate any effects to be aware of?
thanks. I'd read that after I bought the tablets! The story is that I bought some in Boots - major chainstore pharmacy in the uk - that i think are caplets. I saw these other tablets - quite a bit stronger - when out yesterday and bought them. Then read that gelcaps are best.
Creatine - I'll post an update sometime. One thing that appeals at the moment is a reduction in soreness after workouts! I've been feeling it recently.
There is some info on long term usage here:
http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-4-6.pdf
Among the other health effects of vitamin D that wasn't listed such as possibly autism, cardiovascular disease, etc....
You may be interested in my analysis of vitamin D post workout given the whole milk vs. non-fat and isocaloric non-fat milk.
Pretty interesting stuff. I think it's one of the side effects of why GOMAD works so well.
Vitamin D receptors are one of the few that are on all tissues of the body.
http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/10/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-d/
Kurt Harris (PaNu) has about 5-10 posts on Vitamin D as well.
10,000 IU seems to be the safe upper limit for now. At least 3-4 studies I linked in the above post confirm this.
I'll probably get some bloodwork done soon now that I have insurance, and see what my levels are.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QBU2EM/ref=ox_ya_oh_product
The only other supplement I would consider is BCAA. If you are in to taking BCAA, Purple Wraath BCAA seem to have a good reputation:
http://www.supplement-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Controlled_Labs_Purple_Wraath_2_1lbs__4237.html
http://www.supersupps.com/store_main.asp?prod=509
Thanks for the Creatine link - will check it out.
Asclepius - will check out the BCAA link too.
From Anon Chris
I would certainly recommend BCAAs for post workout recovery. I also take creatine, but in a much smaller dose than perhaps a male would. I also prefer the capsules to the powder, which did unpleasant things to my digestion.
Avril
See also Vitamin D.
Cheers, Nige.
http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-Origins-Vitamin-D3-10-000-IU-360-Softgels/21298?at=0
;)
I generally dose about 1k IU per 25 lbs. body weight; and up the dosage if we feel a cold coming on.
Thanks! They didn't have that dose when I ordered mine.