I started the D3 regimen in february, it took some patience and tweaking but as of today, I've been pain-free for more than two months. I've been drinking alcohol, sleeping off hours and nothing has awaken the beast. There's some shadows sometimes but nothing beyond that. I'm incredible happy and feel strong enough to do some needed changes in my life.

Right now, I only have a couple of worries. One of them is reducing the amount of pills taken without endangering my well-being. The main reason behind it is money since all those bottles are quite expensive.

This is what I'm taking these days:
-20000 IU D3
-200 mg Magnesium Citrate
-1000 mg Omega3 Oil
-50 mg B-50
-100 mmg K2
-5000 IU vitA
-One multicentrum Select 50+ pill

If I remember correctly, the VitA had to be taken for a three month period and I'm nearly there, so I guess that's one thing less. I also think that the multicentrum might not be really needed because of the low amounts of the various substances it includes.

Another thing I would like to know is how long does it take for the body to assimilate whatever you are taking? Meaning: I have an x level of vit D 25-H and I start taking the same fixed amount of vit D3 every day. When will the vit D 25-H level stabilize in the new level?

My second worry is the possibility of D3 intoxication. I've heard time and time again in this very forum that it's very difficult to get intoxicated by D3 but in the blood test it already says I'm higher than it should be.

Nowadays these are my D3 levels:
-Calcitriol Vit D 1,25-D :  78 pg/mL
-Calcidiol Vit D 25-H :  126 ng/mL

I'm not really sure if these values are still going up or not, I hope to find that out in my next blood test. In any case, are those values safe despite being over the recommended threshold in the blood test? At what value are they dangerous?

Hey Vispares,

Thanks for the wonderful update and lab data.  I love success stories like this.

For starters, you should be able to stop the vitamin B 50 in a few weeks.  You only need to take it for 3 months.

You can also drop your vitamin D3 intake to 15,000 IU/day for 10 days to two weeks...  If the beast stays away, drop it again to a maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day.  That should also bring your 25(OH)D down around 80 ng/mL. 

If you start getting hit again, no worry...  Just take a 50,000 IU loading dose of vitamin D3 and up your maintenance dose to 15,000 IU/day.

The rest of your regimen should stay the same...

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Thanx! And what about the danger levels?

Vispares,

The 25(OH)D serum concentration most frequently associated with vitamin D3 intoxication is 200 ng/mL, (500 nmol/L).  That said, there are several vitamin D3 experts who claim the real serum concentration of 25(OH)D where vitamin D3 toxicity likely occurs is around 300 ng/mL, (750 nmol/L).

The important thing to remember is the 25(OH)D serum concentration is only a bio-marker.  The only accepted indication of actual vitamin D3 intoxication is an elevated serum calcium concentration above its normal reference range.

We've had several CH'ers report maintaining their serum 25(OH)D up around 190 ng/mL while under a physician's supervision with frequent lab tests for serum 25(OH)D, PTH and calcium.  No elevated serum calcium reported...

Hope this helps.

Take care.

V/R, Batch

Hi!

I'm still PF and really happy about it. Actually, I'm a little afraid of reducing the D3 dosage because that might let the beast in.
Anyway, I have a couple of questions:
-The serum calcium concentration is what appears in the blood test as Calcium (II) mg/L?
-In my last blood test, the calcitriol concentration has gone down but the calcidiol has gone up. How can that be? Aren't the two related to the vit D3 intake?

Thx again!

Hola Vesperas,

Thanks for the update and good question. 
Once vitamin D3 is metabolized to 25(OH)D3, (calcidiol), by the liver, further metabolism to 1,25(OH)2D3 can take two different paths. 

The following chart illustrates the endocrine path through the kidneys and the extrarenal (outside the kidneys) autocrine path that takes place at the cellular and nuclear level throughout the body including the trigeminal ganglia.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

The production of serum 1,25(OH)2D3 is tightly controlled by calcium homeostasis.  When serum calcium drops towards the low end of its normal reference range, the parthyroids sense this condition and secretes the parathyroid hormone (PTH). 

This hormone triggers the kidneys to produce more of the 1 α Hydroxylase enzyme that metabolizes 25(OH)D3 to 1,25(OH)2D3, (calcitriol). The increased serum concentration of calcitriol pulls more calcium from the gut increasing calcium serum concentration.

When the serum calcium concentration approaches the upper limit of its normal reference range, the parathyroids sense this condition and slows production of PTH so the kidneys produce less calcitriol.

Diagnostic lab tests like yours, measure the serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3, calcidiol produced in the endocrine path of vitamin D3 metabolism.  Calcitriol produced along the autocrine path of vitamin D3 metabolism remains within the cells and never enters the bloodstream so cannot be measured.

Soooo... after that long winded explanation of vitamin D3 pharmacokinetics, the simple answer to your question is it is very normal to have your serum concentration of 25(OH)D go up... and as long as your serum calcium levels are normal... the serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3, calcitriol will be low.

Hope this helps.

Take care,

V/R, Batch