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Gluten Sensitivity and Vitamin D

I want to share these videos with you because there is some new research that Dr. Petersen discusses that might help someone struggling with Vitamin D Deficiency.

I decided to take a closer look at the vitamin supplements that we use:

This is the Liquid Multivitamin that I take by Country Life. From the website:

Does Not Contain: Yeast, wheat, soy, gluten, milk, artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners.

The Vitamin A in this multivitamin, is sourced 50% from Retinyl Palmitate (the pre-formed version of Vitamin A), and 50% Beta Carotene.  Click here for a great article on The World’s Healthiest Foods website re: Beta Carotene.

I also take a calcium supplement by Country Life, called Target Mins,  From the website:

Does Not Contain: Yeast, wheat, soy, gluten, milk, artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners.

This is the D3 Supplement that I take during the winter, also by Country Life.  From the website:

Does Not Contain: Yeast, wheat, soy, gluten, milk, starch, artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners.

Sam and Luke really like the flavor of the Animal Parade multivitamins by Nature’s Plus.  The best price I have found is on Amazon (180 vitamins for $14.51 with free shipping if you have Amazon Prime).  Be sure to talk with your child’s pediatrician before beginning a supplement program.

Click here for a a better view of the Supplement Facts.  The Vitamin A is sourced from Beta Carotene, so that is good but the Vitamin D in this product is ergocalciferol, or D2 (the less desirable form of Vitamin D).

I have been giving my boys Cod Liver Oil since they were under 1 year of age!  I am really glad I found Dr. Petersen’s video, since the cod liver oil competes with vitamin D absorption.  I will be looking for another DHA supplement for them right way.

This is the Vitamin D3 supplement that I give my boys during the winter, when they are not outside much getting their Vitamin D the natural way, from the sun.  I also buy this on Amazon.

I also want to suggest the following article on The World’s Healthiest Foods website: Vitamin D.  The article covers the role/benefits of Vitamin D, food sources of Vitamin D, and it also covers Deficiency and Toxicity symptoms.

Back in September, 2009; I had my doctor test my vitamin levels.  My Vitamin D3 came back at a “sufficient level” of 79.  Per my lab, the ranges are as follows:

Insufficiency:  < 20 ng/mL

Hypovitaminosis D:  20 – 30 ng/mL

Sufficiency: 40 – 100 ng/mL

Toxicity: Greater than 100 ng/mL

I actually need to watch how much Vitamin D supplementation I take (I do not supplement at all during the warm weather months because I live in a place with an abundance of sunshine and I spend a lot of time outdoors.  It is very important to talk to your health care provider about your specific needs.

Certain supplements can also affect your medications, which is another reason you should talk to your health care provider BEFORE beginning a vitamin/supplement program!  Case in point, calcium can affect how my body absorbs my thyroid replacement hormone so I need to space them out by at least 4 hours.

Lastly, I just ordered the following video and thought others might be interested too.  If the preview interests you, the full version can be ordered here, on the HealthNow website.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQvST3zujaY&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a paid affiliate for any of these products.  I just want to share the information.

Comments

  1. Good to know. I checked my vitamin bottle and it checks out with all the proper things. I got lucky I suppose though as I do not have a clue until I seen your post. I have a Vitamin D level of 20, post thyroid removal I really have a hard time keeping this up. As soon as I can find a GF D3 I'll be ordering it. Thanks for the info.

  2. You're welcome Lisa!

  3. Ok Heidi now you got me thinking…

    I just ordered calcium supplements w/ vitamin d and magnesium. The D is from ergocalciferol…not good? My multi-vitamin has vitamin A from palmitate…not good either huh? The D is D3 from cholecalciferol.

    My kids multi has vitamin A 60% from retinyl palmitate and 40% from Beta Carotene and the D is from ergocalciferol. I am bummed because I thought this was a really great vitamin.
    I just odered them calcium too (mainly for Liv…I worry about hers as well as mine being Celiac's). The D is also the ergocalciferol. I will probably use it til it's gone, but I am going to be researching further!!

  4. Don't feel bad Tai, I just learned about the Vitamin A today!

    I will use up what I have too (the liquid multi), vitamins can be pricey (but I am also not battling a Vitamin D deficiency. If I were, I would switch right away to hopefully start feeling better sooner rather than than later.).

    My problem is that I have a slightly high iron count (go figure, especially when so many celiacs battle iron deficiency!), So I need an iron-free multivitamin too.

    One other thing that I learned a couple of years ago in regards to calcium. Calcium Citrate is better than Calcium Carbonate. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/412220

    I will probably keep giving Sam and Luke the Animal Shapes, they love the flavor and don't fight me when taking them. I will just back up the Vitamin D with the Carlson D3 drops. I will also drop the Nordic Naturals DHA and look for a non cod liver oil based DHA.

    I am trying more and more though to get the boys (and me!) to eat the foods that contain all the vitamins naturally, and only use the vitamins for added insurance.

  5. I take Carlson multi for diabetics. That is the problem…I have other issues that need addressed as well. I am going to have a bone scan done and hopefully all my vitamin levels in the fall. That should help me fill the gaps w/ the right supplements!
    I will have to check into the kids more. We currently give them superkids by beeyoutiful. I love them, and like Sam and Luke, they don't fight me on them because they go right into their oj in the a.m.! So much to learn…but at least we are trying!!

  6. Heidi, great info. Amazing to me that your Vit D levels are so good-I live in Florida and even supplementing mine were only 48 and I had to boost up my intake.
    I'm a big fan of Carlson's Fish Oil (lemon) and Now Foods D3 (which is GF.) Those are staples for me, along with my multi, Cal/Mag and creatine. The NOW foods company is in general excellent about labeling and has a large # of GF products, I've found.

  7. Thanks for the info Erin! Yeah, I am a little mind boggled that mine are so high too. In fact, I am also dealing with an elevated iron count that I am petrified to do my followup blood test for. Have you heard of hemochromatosis? http://eprints.ucl.ac.uk/9037/

  8. Hmm..Heidi, interesting. I've heard of it but did not realize it correlated w. celiac. Must go learn more….

    • GlutenFreeMom says

      Erin,

      I am looking into it more too. Let me know what you find out! 🙂

  9. (Reading through your archives as I'm looking for more photos to include at GlutenFreeFeed!)

    I so appreciate this post and the first video…I'm in my early twenties, super active, and my vitamin D was at 11! After four months of vitamin therapy, I was retested at about 19…So, I'm now on 5,000 + 10,000 3x a week. However, it will be interesting to see if this gets my levels up, or if there is some underlying problem that will need to be addressed…The video gave me a better understanding of this whole issue. Thanks!