TJ123 said...
I'm out in the sun a lot doing yard work, walking, etc... And I live in year-round sunshine. Never guessed I would have a Vit D deficiency until about 4 years ago when I got tested for the very first time. Came back at 24. Doc told me to take 2000 units a day. Instead I've been taking 4000. My last blood work was done about 6 weeks ago. Came back at 55. So just because you're out in the sun don't assume your Vit D levels are adequate, particularly in the age of Covid. Medicare doesn't automatically test my Vit D levels. I guess I could ask my doc to add it. Don't know if it would fly. But the VA does. That's how I found out. Note: My medicare advantage plan does cover A1C testing automatically. Maybe it differs from place to place. Medicare is generally pretty good about lab work and diagnostic testing. Can't imagine it wouldn't check 3 mo. blood sugar levels for old folks. Diabetes is a fairly common (and serious) disease in us old geezers.
And thanks, Billy Bob. You've taught me a whole lot about Vit D in your posts. Keep up the good work.
You are very welcome, TJ, and thanks for the encouraging words. And thank you for helping to prove a point. Very impressive that, even with all of that sun, you were only 24. Now can you imagine if you were a typical American, who gets very little southern noon time sun, staying indoors most of the day? Using sunscreen and well covered with clothing? Or if you lived way up north, as in NY or even further north? ( actually, maybe you do, I don't know where you live )
Me, I'm way down south. According to an app I have, if I get out in just shorts at noon in summer, just 30 minutes generates a whopping 10,000 units easily. (though I'm sure it will be much less in winter, plus I will be mostly covered up with clothing) But up north, or in winter, fahgettabout
it. But when I was first measured, I had already been taking 2000 IU for some months, and was exactly 30. In some studies, this seems to be the minimum for not ending up in ICU if you are in the hospital with Covid, and I'd rather be a bit over the minimum. I'm way down south, but like most other humans, at noon every day I was at work. If a day off, since it is hot outside, I was often indoors with the AC on. So, without supplementing, I bet I matched your 24 most of my life, or even lower. Especially in the winter, during flu season.
So, what is this point you are providing evidence for? (Which I bet would be confirmed by the experience of most of us here?)
If you don't supplement, you are insufficient or outright deficient. Probably in 90+% of the cases. So folks that make the point that there is no need to supplement unless you are actually deficient are talking about
the vast majority of people even down south. And again, up north, fahgettabout
it. And who has the lowest levels in the nation, whether north or south? Nursing home residents(rarely get sunshine) and dark skinned folks(need more sunshine than white folks to make D). And we know how that has turned out with Covid19. Coincidence? I'll bet it works out exactly the same with flu every year, even with flu shots.
Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 11/2/2020 6:29:58 AM (GMT-7)