09 August 2009

what is normal, anyway?


i had some bloodwork done recently and compared the results to the "normal" ranges on this page. happily, most results were within normal range.

after some months of vitamin D3 supplementation, i had my 25(OH)D levels included in the workup, and found they were a whopping 94.1 ng/mL. I was shooting for between 40-70, as recommended by Dr. Holick and his http://www.vitamindhealth.org/ page. My score isn't dangerous, I don't think, but I'll dial it back some anyway.

But according to the bloodbook page, "normal" range for 25(OH)D is 8-80 ng/mL. What? Suddenly, "normal" looks to mean, "what people have," and not, "what is optimum range."

Of the two dozen other levels I checked, how many of those "normal" ones are not, in fact, optimum? How is an everyday patient meant to inform himself of the difference between optimum and two standard deviations out?

My doctor doesn't seem to make such distinctions. rather, he freaked when I told him how much D3 I was taking (and my dialback amount is still > 2x his "max dose"). Is it really incumbent upon every person interested in their own health to dedicate hours and hours of research to each supplement, to each blood level, and to sort through the mountains of confusing, conflicting and probably money-influenced trial results?

thank god for the blogs in my health section, at least they give me a good headstart. still....

2 comments:

pyker said...

Your D3 level is not at all dangerous. Dr. Cannell of vitamindcouncil.org recommends levels of 50-80.

Is it really incumbent upon every person interested in their own health to dedicate hours and hours of research to each supplement, to each blood level, and to sort through the mountains of confusing, conflicting and probably money-influenced trial results?
Yes.

Most doctors don't seem to know much about supplements or nutrition. Congratulations, you already know more about vitamin D than your primary care physician.

pyker said...

Maybe print out this article for your doctor next time he freaks out because you're taking more than 400iu/d of D3.