Monday, June 1, 2009

Top 3 Questions providers ask me about Vitamin D

What lab test do you order to assess Vitamin D levels?

The best lab test to assess Vitamin D levels is the “25 OH Vitamin D Level” test.

What Vitamin D level is considered deficient?

Ideal blood level: 40-70 ng/mL

Sufficient blood level: 30 ng/mL

Insufficient blood level: 21-29 ng/mL

Deficient blood level: 10-20 ng/mL

Severly deficient blood level: 0-10 ng/mL

How do you treat patients with Vitamin D levels considered less than optimal?

21-29 ng/mL: Recommend 50,000 IU of Vitamin D2 (Once per week for four months)

Less than 20 ng/mL: Recomment 50,000 IU of Vitamin D2 (Twice per week for four months)

I would also advise patients to maintain a daily dosage (over the counter) of 2,000 IU to 5,000 IU of Vitmain D3. Three months after beginning treatment, I would check up on my patient’s 25 OH Vitamin D level.

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