What is value of Vitamin D in training, recovery and mood?

[Submissionfytr]

 Recent bloodwork I got demonstrate my vitamin D level to be extremely, significantly and clinically low.  I now remember after my last blood labs about three years ago the same was found (along with extremely low test of 19 with a cut off of 300 and under being clinically significant and in need of attention) and then unfortunately due to injuries I had occurred I didn't have a chance to act on any of that. Now new bloodwork from 2 weeks ago show same things, (but I wouldn't expect a deficiency to correct itself when it has gone untreated)  however in my mind it does point to a chronic problem.  Reading online it seems vitamin D deficiency may impact recovery healing I'm even functions as well as mood-- all things I am significantly in need of help with, having lost the desire to train or eat right.

 The doctor who himself is severely overweight and obviously not attuned to the finer nuances of fitness nutrition or supplementation,  as well as super conservative in all his treatments.  His solution to the problem was prescribing me 50,000 units of vitamin D2 to take in once a week.  I picked up the script and that is his Gantley what it was for pills in a bottle with instructions to take one pill a week.  My real question comes in the blood work showed vitamin D3 deficiency and I'm wondering if the D2 is a permissible substitute? Doing cursory Google searches seems to recommend against ever supplementing with D2 and the D3 is always the way to go.  I took the D2 this week but I also bought a bottle of D3 and have been taking one of those every day to help supplement any gaps.  Anyone care to share opinions or ideas?

[deadz]

Recent bloodwork I got demonstrate my vitamin D level to be extremely, significantly and clinically low.  I now remember after my last blood labs about three years ago the same was found (along with extremely low test of 19 with a cut off of 300 and under being clinically significant and in need of attention) and then unfortunately due to injuries I had occurred I didn't have a chance to act on any of that. Now new bloodwork from 2 weeks ago show same things, (but I wouldn't expect a deficiency to correct itself when it has gone untreated)  however in my mind it does point to a chronic problem.  Reading online it seems vitamin D deficiency may impact recovery healing I'm even functions as well as mood-- all things I am significantly in need of help with, having lost the desire to train or eat right.

 The doctor who himself is severely overweight and obviously not attuned to the finer nuances of fitness nutrition or supplementation,  as well as super conservative in all his treatments.  His solution to the problem was prescribing me 50,000 units of vitamin D2 to take in once a week.  I picked up the script and that is his Gantley what it was for pills in a bottle with instructions to take one pill a week.  My real question comes in the blood work showed vitamin D3 deficiency and I'm wondering if the D2 is a permissible substitute? Doing cursory Google searches seems to recommend against ever supplementing with D2 and the D3 is always the way to go.  I took the D2 this week but I also bought a bottle of D3 and have been taking one of those every day to help supplement any gaps.  Anyone care to share opinions or ideas?

One a day isn't much unless it's a 5000iu softgel.

[Coffeed]

I read in FLEX that a few pro IFBB bodybuilders attest to it's testosterone boosting properties.

Definitely something to it. Look at those guys.

[calfzilla]

Morning sun is a great source of vitamin D I believe.

[Tha Grim Lifter]

A Pro Bodybuilder getting a regular amount of Vitamin D from a sponsor allows him to afford more GH which would give him more gains.

[240 is Back]

can't lose body fat if you're vit D deficient.... Truth or broscience?

[calfzilla]

can't lose body fat if you're vit D deficient.... Truth or broscience?

It's true. There are documented cases of peole who spent years in concentration camps who were vitamin d deficient and they didn't lose a pound. 

[Coffeed]

It's true. There are documented cases of peole who spent years in concentration camps who were vitamin d deficient and they didn't lose a pound. 

They had natural sunlight WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY THEY WERE RIPPED TO SHREDZ.

[Costanza]

Falcon is the only one qualified here to speak on Vitamin D related topics.

[DK II]

Get some sun.

If you're black, don't take oral Vit D, blacks are genetically predisposed to have calcification of arteries when taking too much oral Vit D.

If you're in the northern hemisphere, get 2000 i.u per day orally during the winter months, you could boost up every few days but 2000 should be fine.

Latest studies show oral Vit D and endogenous Vit D are processed slightly different, so I would stay on the safe side for my arteries. Until a few years ago they said 8000-10.000 i.u./d are fine.

[BlackMetallic]

Recent bloodwork I got demonstrate my vitamin D level to be extremely, significantly and clinically low.  I now remember after my last blood labs about three years ago the same was found (along with extremely low test of 19 with a cut off of 300 and under being clinically significant and in need of attention) and then unfortunately due to injuries I had occurred I didn't have a chance to act on any of that. Now new bloodwork from 2 weeks ago show same things, (but I wouldn't expect a deficiency to correct itself when it has gone untreated)  however in my mind it does point to a chronic problem.  Reading online it seems vitamin D deficiency may impact recovery healing I'm even functions as well as mood-- all things I am significantly in need of help with, having lost the desire to train or eat right.

 The doctor who himself is severely overweight and obviously not attuned to the finer nuances of fitness nutrition or supplementation,  as well as super conservative in all his treatments.  His solution to the problem was prescribing me 50,000 units of vitamin D2 to take in once a week.  I picked up the script and that is his Gantley what it was for pills in a bottle with instructions to take one pill a week.  My real question comes in the blood work showed vitamin D3 deficiency and I'm wondering if the D2 is a permissible substitute? Doing cursory Google searches seems to recommend against ever supplementing with D2 and the D3 is always the way to go.  I took the D2 this week but I also bought a bottle of D3 and have been taking one of those every day to help supplement any gaps.  Anyone care to share opinions or ideas?

Stay away from D2

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/30/taking-the-right-type-of-vitamin-d.aspx

[cephissus]

If you are fair skinned you only need to be in the midday sun for 5 to 10 minutes with part of your skin exposed to get your daily requirement of vitamin D.

If you are darker skinned, or if it is winter, or not at midday you will need more time exposure to compensate.

"If you're fair skinned, experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 IU of the vitamin." - some website.

If you can't expose yourself to sun regularly, then supplementing with vitamin D3 pills is the way to go. 5000IU per day.

Cool post, never read up on this before.

[SilverSpoon]

Cod Liver Oil.

Simple and effective.  I take this in the colder months when I am not getting enough sunlight.

[drkaje]

I guess it depends on what other supplements someone is taking. Some supplements stress the kidneys. Stressed-out kidneys aren't going to do their thing with vitamin D well.

[Disgusted]

Vit D is a hormone.

[drkaje]

Vit D is a hormone.

True.