[cloudhead]

So 5000 IU is the recommended amount?

[neRok]

This was linked on here a couple of months ago: [The Big Vitamin D Mistake [2017]](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5541280/)

> A statistical error in the estimation of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D was recently discovered; in a correct analysis of the data used by the Institute of Medicine, it was found that 8895 IU/d was needed for 97.5% of individuals to achieve values ≥50 nmol/L. Another study confirmed that 6201 IU/d was needed to achieve 75 nmol/L and 9122 IU/d was needed to reach 100 nmol/L.

> This could lead to a recommendation of 1000 IU for children <1 year on enriched formula and 1500 IU for breastfed children older than 6 months, 3000 IU for children >1 year of age, and around 8000 IU for young adults and thereafter. Actions are urgently needed to protect the global population from vitamin D deficiency.

> ...

> Since 10 000 IU/d is needed to achieve 100 nmol/L [9], except for individuals with vitamin D hypersensitivity, and since there is no evidence of adverse effects associated with serum 25(OH)D levels <140 nmol/L, leaving a considerable margin of safety for efforts to raise the population-wide concentration to around 100 nmol/L, the doses we propose could be used to reach the level of 75 nmol/L or preferably 100 nmol/L.

[js2]

Multiple previous discussions:

https://hn.algolia.com/?q=vitamin+d+mistake

Vitamin D is a favorite topic around here:

https://hn.algolia.com/?q=vitamin+d

[johnisgood]

It depends. I have MS and I take 10k IU. My cousin who also has MS takes 20k but gets regular blood tests for it.

[zelphirkalt]

According to what I read in a newspaper article, the recommended dose is much lower, at 800.

[moritzwarhier]

According to the internet, it is way higher, probably over 9000.

Edit because the comment might be to shallow for HN: I sympathize with the struggle against depression and, after first-hand experience, share the skepticism against the widespread prescription of antidepressants and the methods of evidence presented for it.

Very serious and important topic.

Regarding Vitamin D, I am also supplementing in the Winter, but I have not read the article, which says it has an estimated reading time > 10min. I use one 1000IE (0.025mg according to the package) tablet a day max.

I'll bookmark this discussion page to read TFA later maybe.

[lossolo]

I was taking 2x2000 IU with almost no sun exposure and then did bloodwork. My level was 77.8 ng/mL. The lab's reference ranges listed 30-50 ng/mL as optimal, 50-100 as high, over 100 as potentially toxic, and over 200 as toxic.

[dns_snek]

I don't know why this is downvoted, I had a very similar experience a while back. I took 4000 IU/day for about 4 months, insignificant sun exposure and ended up at 60 ng/mL (lab listed normal range as 30-40).

My starting levels were unknown but I assumed they were low given my usual sun exposure and some low-energy symptoms (which resolved a couple of weeks after I started taking it). I discontinued VitD then and now I only take 1000 IU/day in the winter.

[maximedupre]

With K3! Otherwise you're fucking yourself up.

[sowbug]

Oh dear, here we go again.

IU, not mg.

K2, not K3.

[Liquix]

5000 IU is very high, might be beneficial during the winter for folks with very fair skin. but most probably shouldn't take that much every day

[bloak]

You mean very dark skin?

It's my understanding that northern Europeans evolved fair skin in order to cope with the lack of vitamin D in their diet.

[Flatterer3544]

You got it backwards, it would be more beneficial in areas with few hours of sun for darker skin folks, since they do not absorb as much Vitamin D as fair skin folk do.

[HPsquared]

That's equivalent to about 10 minutes of sun exposure. Not very much when you look at it that way.

[graemep]

I think you mean for those with very dark skin, not fair?