[Harpy August 4, 2012 at 5:11 pm Post count: 184]

#1059254

Just searching around for MS stuff and found this, seems there is a connection between Vitamin D & Thyroid disease as well,
So probably a good idea to get levels checked.
Searched quickly on site & didn’t find it posted before.
Link & Quote below:

“Vitamin D and autoimmune thyroid diseases

Shaye Kivity, Nancy Agmon-Levin, Michael Zisappl, Yinon Shapira, Endre V Nagy, Katalin Dankó, Zoltan Szekanecz, Pnina Langevitz and Yehuda Shoenfeld

Abstract

The role of vitamin D as an immune modulator has been emphasized in recent years, and low levels of the hormone were observed in several autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Vitamin D mediates its effect though binding to vitamin D receptor (VDR), and activation of VDR-responsive genes. While VDR gene polymorphism was found to associate with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), few studies examined levels of vitamin D in these patients and those that did yielded conflicting results. We therefore undertook to evaluate the levels of vitamin D in patients with AITDs compared to patients with non-AITDs and healthy controls. Serum vitamin D (25-OH) levels were measured in 50 patients with AITDs, 42 patients with non-AITDs and 98 healthy subjects, utilizing the LIAISON chemiluminescence immunoassay (DiaSorin, Saluggia, Italy). Vitamin D deficiency was designated at levels lower than 10 ng/ml. Antithyroid antibodies, thyroid functions and demographic parameters were evaluated in all patients. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in patients with AITDs compared with healthy individuals (72% versus 30.6%; P<0.001), as well as in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis compared to patients with non-AITDs (79% versus 52%; P<0.05). Vitamin D deficiency also correlated to the presence of antithyroid antibodies (P=0.01) and abnormal thyroid function tests (P=0.059).
Significantly low levels of vitamin D were documented in patients with AITDs that were related to the presence of anti thyroid antibodies and abnormal thyroid function tests, suggesting the involvement of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of AITDs and the advisability of supplementation.“

Whole study only available by log in or user pay.

[Carito71 August 4, 2012 at 8:53 pm Post count: 333]

#1173405

Very interesting. I think I had heard something about it before. A friend of my husbands was told 2 weeks ago that he was hypo and was given T3 and T4 plus he was also told he was needing vit. D. Probably related??? This friend also has Celiac like me. Thank you for the information.

[paleblue August 5, 2012 at 5:53 am Post count: 18]

#1173406

When I first got GD, my vitamin D levels were fine, but recently my levels were low, which was a total surprise. I started taking liquid D, and am now w/out meds. I always wonder though–does the vitamin D deficiency contribute to gettting GD, or is there something about GD that inhibits absorption of D? Does the article make any distinction? Thanks!

[Harpy August 5, 2012 at 5:06 pm Post count: 184]

#1173407

There is a strong corrolation between Vitamin D deficiency and many Autoimmune diseases & cancers, but that is not to say that it is a causal relationship, just that very often both conditions are present at the same time.
Vitamin D is a modulator of the adaptive immune response by stimulation of Regulatory T-Cells, so there is the possibility that low Vit D levels may leave the door open for an autoimmune response, but low Vit D levels will certainly be an aggravating factor when there is an autoimmune disease present.
So the main thing is, knowing that there is a risk of low Vit D levels when GD is present, to get levels checked and consult with a practitioner to normalize levels by supplementation and/or direct sun exposure.
Note Vitamin D is produced in the skin by exposure to UVB rays which are strongest in the middle of the day (10-2), they are also the ones that are responsible for the sunburn response, which appears to be an indicator that you have maxed out on Vitamin D, conversly the UVA rays are the ones that penetrate much deeper, produce the tanning effect (melanin production) and cause the greater skin damage. Most guidelines say 15-20 min of daily good body exposure to the sun is plenty, so don’t get burned, this can produce 20-30,000 IU of Vitamin D. Obviously do not apply sunscreen for this brief time and also do not have a shower immediately after as the Vit D is close to the surface and needs time to be absorbed by the body.

[paleblue August 5, 2012 at 5:40 pm Post count: 18]

#1173408

Thanks Harpy!

[mvk August 5, 2012 at 6:51 pm Post count: 33]

#1173409

Hi,

I think Kimberly made a reference recently about Vitamin D levels in a study she referred to and I tried to search for it but can’t find it of course. If someone remembers when and where to find this information would you please post it for me. I think I should be asking to get a Vitamin D level drawn and want to be prepared when I see my endo the next time. Thank you so much for the help!

mvk

[klm August 5, 2012 at 8:23 pm Post count: 1]

#1173410

I am waiting for my 1st appt with my endocrinolgist next week. According to all my test results my doctor is pretty sure it’s Graves Disease. So glad that I have found a place where others have gone thru the same sypmtoms and it’s not in my head. The last few months have been rough with extreme fatigue, intolerance to heat, multiple other symtoms and to mix it up a little, vertigo. Which they think is related to sinus issues. I also did find out that I have severe vitamin d deficiancy, a level of 12.6. I have been put on Drysdol once a week for 8 weeks. It has helped get back a little bit of energy, just not back to normal.

[Darcy43 August 6, 2012 at 11:01 am Post count: 125]

#1173412

This is absolutely true.

Two years ago when I had bruising and extreme hair loss my OB/GYN ran a test and I was Vitamin D3 deficient, extremely…If only I had known to have my thyroid check..it would have saved me another year of the same symptoms (with a goiter and sore throat). That was my whisper that you are leaning towards hyPER and do something…again I had no idea. A year later, I am diagnosed with Graves…

Yes I believe it is an indicater. Bone loss/muscle wasting, etc. are symptoms and the V D3 deficiency is a good indicating that something may not be right. I was told I wasn’t getting enough sun (which is the only way to really get V-D3 (not from dairy). I thought this to be correct because while I lived in Florida I never had a deficiency. I moved up north, lack of sun and bingo.

Thanks for the information.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator August 6, 2012 at 11:30 am Post count: 4294]

#1173411

Just a quick note to stress the importance of working with your doctor to get tested prior to adding a Vitamin D supplement. My own endo does this testing and has recommended supplementation in my case, but there can be toxic effects if you get *too* much Vitamin D (as is the case with most other vitamins/minerals).

@klm – Hello and welcome! Please note that your post was approved with the link removed. We do allow the posting of links here, but they need to come specifically from medical journals or medical organizations. (You can read more in the “New User? Read This First!” thread in the announcements section of the forum.)

[jlnay August 25, 2012 at 9:52 pm Post count: 4]

#1173416

Had my Vitamin D tested a year ago and my level was extremely low. I have been on 3000 Vitamin D daily for about a year now and feel so much better and my levels are in the normal range. My doctor said I will probably have to take the supplement for the rest of my life.

Get your levels checked you will feel better

[snelsen August 26, 2012 at 10:47 am Post count: 1909]

#1173413

This is a reliable reference on the subject of Vitamin D.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

A long read, but covers most things. Further study is needed in several areas. This is from the NIH
(National Institute of Health) Office of Dietary Supplements.
Shirley
In my opinion, the first step is to have the lab drawn, then have a conclusion on whether Vitamin D is needed. If you read to the end of the document, you will see that there is an upper limit where it either is not helpful, nor can be harmful.
But my main point is if another lab is drawn, and the level is above 50 (as stated is most literature) why take it at all? The body has enough.
Maybe had a lab drawn now and then. I live in an area where the sun is an elusive object for us in Seattle! My own Vitamin D level is fine, but it is a good idea to check it now and then. I think all the other relationships seem to be speculative at this time, with further study needed.
Shirley

[Bobbi August 26, 2012 at 2:32 pm Post count: 1324]

#1173414

Again, to re-emphasize Kimberly’s comment: too much Vitamin D is toxic. And it can build up in the fatty tissues of the body. Be under a doctor’s care, and make sure that the doctor is checking your levels periodically, when you are taking large supplements of this vitamin.

[snelsen August 26, 2012 at 4:13 pm Post count: 1909]

#1173415

Excellent point, Bobbi, re Vitamin D toxicity. I agree.
Shirley

[Harpy August 29, 2012 at 5:06 am Post count: 184]

#1173417

Kimberly wrote:

Just a quick note to stress the importance of working with your doctor to get tested prior to adding a Vitamin D supplement. My own endo does this testing and has recommended supplementation in my case, but there can be toxic effects if you get *too* much Vitamin D (as is the case with most other vitamins/minerals).

Agreed,
Always get tested and discuss with your doctor if supplementation is required.

Just need to add that all of the Vitamin D toxicity cases that I have read about are from contaminated food products where there was an error in the fortification by factors of around 100’s or more.

Normal doses recommended are 1,000-5,000IU/day, for most people this is not much more than a maintenance dose and only stops their levels falling further, overall it is pretty poorly absorbed.
Supervised medical dosing has been done for long periods of time at between 10,000-50,000IU/day in trials on MS patients with no ill effects.
Mild toxicity has been seen around 75,000IU/day
Acute toxicity requires longer term doses in the order of 600,000/day

The skin (full body) can produce up to 20-30,000IU Vitamin D in a half hour sitting in the sunshine, but it is only slowly absorbed over a couple of days and a lot degrades or is washed off in our daily scrubbing.

Vitamin A is the bigger concern with toxicity, that’s one most people hear about where someone has just gone overboard and eaten liver for a week.

[beach45 August 29, 2012 at 9:10 am Post count: 178]

#1173418

My Vitamin D was very low right prior to Graves a couple years ago and I live in SC yet that Winter it was unusually cold and I was inside a lot. My doctor said get out in the sun more and when I did that summer the Vitamin D levels came up pretty quickly yet Graves progressed… He was against supplementing with Vitamin D (D3) unless absolutely necessary. Also I heard best to take the Vitamin D along with Calcium;only what I read personally. Bottom line to me what is important is working closely with a doctor on this if it does become an issue. There are also all kinds of studies out there about autoimmne and Vitamin D. Always learning something new!…beach

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