My weight loss journey-through thick & thin: Vitamin D

Following the first visit to the hospital on 27/03/2011 a number of blood test had been taken and it was quite a shock when I received a letter from the hospital dated 25/08/2011 advising that vitamin D was insufficient at 42 nmol/L.
When checking the letter another observation was that this letter was copied to me but addressed to another doctor within my local Doctors Clinic.

The hospital recommended that I commence on vitamin D supplement, prescribing Calcium Ergocalciferol BD, providing this did not contra-indicated by any other medical condition - which it did not.

Currently I am on no other medication and apart from being overweight I seem to be very healthy and fit. What did this mean.............?

Made an appointment to see my Doctor 09/09/2011 and said he it "was nothing to worry about "and that a simple tablet taken twice a day may well correct this situation.

The doctor prescribed Ddcal-D3 chewable tablets (box of 112 fruit flavoured tablets)

Starting taking these tablets 09/09/2011.

After searching the internet I found a number of key points and information:-

•Our main source of vitamin D is that made by our own bodies. 90% of our vitamin D is made in the skin with the help of sunlight.

•A main action of vitamin D is to help calcium and phosphorus in our diet to be absorbed from the gut. The calcium and phosphorus are essential for the structure and strength of our bones. So, vitamin D is really important for strong bones. In addition, vitamin D seems to be important for muscles and general health. Scientists have also found that vitamin D may also help to prevent other diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

•Surprising as it may seem, many doctors are unfamiliar with the different vitamin D tests. If your doctor unknowingly orders the wrong test, he could conclude that you have a normal Vitamin D level when you are actually severely deficient.

•A normal vitamin D level has traditionally been set at between 20-56ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). However, more recent studies have indicated that anything less than 50ng/ml should be considered deficient, as in my case.