Vitamin D - Do you stop it for testing?

Hi. I am new to this site. First post. 65-year-old female in Canada. This site is a wealth of information. Very happy to have found it. I have been dealing with occasional Afib, and A-flutter and other periodic arrhythmias I can't fully identify for 5 years. I have a cardiologist. But his only solution involves a prescription pad. And he is not interested in investigating or even really answering relevant questions to assist me with my own investigation. I am more interested in non-pharmaceutical and non-surgical approaches, and I believe I will be able to find a way with diet, identification of triggers, etc to reduce or eliminate this issue from my life without drugs or ablation.

Anyway - first question: When getting one's Vitamin D level tested so we can supplement appropriately).. Do you stop taking Vitamin D a certain number of days in advance of the test? Or is the whole point of the test to see what your serum level is when your daily supplement is in your body?

Thanks!
Kim

Our doc does not suggest we stop before testing. Though he does for.certain things, like biotin, coconut oil and alcohol ( that is for other, not D tests).

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GeorgeN
Our doc does not suggest we stop before testing. Though he does for.certain things, like biotin, coconut oil and alcohol ( that is for other, not D tests).

Thank you George!

kim

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PoetKim

Kim,

Vitamin D is fat soluble, and is best consumed with other fat, say in a meal. Because it is fat soluble, D levels should persist for fairly long periods of time. Hence what you take the day or two before a blood draw, really should not impact a blood test. This statement assumes you are taking common daily doses of D, say 10,000 iu's or less. Some people take doses like 50,000 or 100,000 iu's once a week, and timing would matter more in these situations. The data suggest the once a week doses are less optimal than once a day.

George

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GeorgeN
Vitamin D is fat soluble, and is best consumed with other fat, say in a meal. Because it is fat soluble, D levels should persist for fairly long periods of time. Hence what you take the day or two before a blood draw, really should not impact a blood test. This statement assumes you are taking common daily doses of D, say 10,000 iu's or less. Some people take doses like 50,000 or 100,000 iu's once a week, and timing would matter more in these situations. The data suggest the once a week doses are less optimal than once a day.
George

Thanks again George. I am just taking 2,000 IU of Vitamin D daily (along with 100 mcg K2-Mk7 and 200 mg Magnesium bisglycinate). I felt 2000 IU was a safe level to take without testing. But if I am going to go down this road seriously, I feel I should get tested so I can dial it in better and aim for 65 ng/dL.

kim