2 Responses to “Swine Flu and Vitamin D”

1. 1 Patricia Dillavou
   October 23, 2009 at 1:16 pm

   Dr. Khalsa,

   I am spreading the word on your concerns about Vitamin D – and especially (right now) about Vitamin D3 and swine flu.

   I’ve sent many to your blog – but others do not have access or are too busy. And I’m concerned about my children – three twenty-something college students.

   This quote is from your article on Swine flu and Vitamin D at Huffpost ~~

   “This is what I am recommending in my own practice of medicine. Specifically I am recommending to my patients who weigh over 120 pounds, to take 5000 units of vitamin D every day with the understanding that after taking this for three months, we must do a blood test to be sure their levels are not TOO high. For my patients that weigh under 120 pounds, I will be recommending 4000 IU of vitamin D per day. Also with the understanding that they will get a blood test in three months to ensure that their levels are within safety range.”

   Yet in a response in the comments section you reiterate 2000 IU.

   This seems like a contradiction? I must be missing something. Are you recommending 5000 IU or 2000 IU?

   Wouldn’t it be safer – during flu season, which i understand normally extends through March – to take higher amounts – perhaps even 3-4000 IU? Why NOT 5000? As long as a blood test is done at three month intervals?

   And what then about maintenance? This flu, for instance – did NOT ever go away – it stayed through the entire summer season.

   What about one extremely petite person I know that weighs about 90 Lbs.?

   What recommendation should I be passing on to those I talk to?

   Patricia Dillavou, Northern Illinois
   *

2. 2 Dr. Soram
   November 1, 2009 at 12:02 pm

   Patricia
   I am sorry if my comments re 5000 and 2000 were confusing.

   I am giving my patients who weigh more than 120-125 pounds 5000 IU of D per day. Otherwise I am recommending 1000 IU per 25 pounds for smaller people.

   The KEY is that a blood test must be done at 3 months to make sure these doses are not too high for that individual patient. In my own practice I can control for this. I cannot control what a reader might do so I have to write very carefully.

   Your friend at 90 pounds should get a blood level to start, and go from there.

   2000 is always safe in otherwise healthy people. That is the max without some blood test at some point so that is why you will often hear me say 2000 . Your friends who don’t have time to read my blog will NOT take time to do a blood test and you do not want to hurt them with too much D .

   Hope that clarifies for you
   As far as year round if you are doing blood tests at 3-6 month levels you can take high doses but the blood tests make sure you do not go over 100 ng/ml. I have had 2 patients make themselves toxic with D with doses that they chose on their own with no blood test

   Best
   Dr Soram