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Vitamin D Can Potentially Help with Symptoms

After the first article and its terrible list of symptoms, it no doubt sounds a little strange for me to mention a humble vitamin as a big factor in managing my symptoms.  But Vitamin D is neuro-protective, meaning it helps protect the nervous system from damage. It is essential to our bodies for healthy nervous, musculoskeletal, and immune systems and more.  People with common nervous system diseases like Multiple Sclerosis often test as having an insufficiency for Vitamin D, as do many Long COVID, migraine and asthma patients. Some studies have speculated that low levels of Vitamin D during a COVID infection might possibly contribute to the development of Long COVID after the acute infection  is over.

Significant shortfalls in Vitamin D Can Cause:

  • Fatigue
  • Bone pain
  • Muscle aches, weakness and cramps
  • Intense “pins and needles” stinging or tingling in hands or feet
  • Muscle spasms (i.e. twitching)
  • Depression
  • Cognitive impairment in older adults
  • Severe asthma in children
  • Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer

If you compare that list of symptoms to those in my first post, you will see quite a bit of overlap. These links discuss this topic in more detail:

Do Not Over Do It

Now, before pounding Vitamin D as the elixir of life, it is important to know that there really can be too much of a good thing.  Some people have permanently harmed themselves by taking insanely high doses over long periods.  The best way to know how much, if any, Vitamin D supplementation could be helpful is to have a doctor order a simple blood test.  Vitamin D is not often included in routine blood panels during annual physicals, so you may have to specifically request it if it interests you.   
 

Most people get enough vitamin D from food and by exposing their skin to sunlight which stimulates Vitamin D production.  But for those of us dealing with a chronic illness or disability that makes it difficult to get outside and enjoy the sun, it is possible to develop an insufficiency.  Similarly, certain digestive disorders and dietary choices can lead to an insufficiency of Vitamin D.

What My Insufficiency Feels Like

If I miss my daily dose of D3 for about 10 days, my neurological symptoms skyrocket in intensity.  Weakness, fire-ant stinging in hands and feet, fatigue, very low moods, brain fog, the works.   It feels as if gravity is increased just for me or as if I am wearing a lead bodysuit.  Movement is exhausting.
 

The Vitamin D Supplement I Use

To prevent that I use one drop of this product daily.  There is almost no taste, and it is a bit like placing a single drop of cooking oil on your tongue.  I really like this method because I tire of taking so many other pills each day: 
 
Carlson Super Daily D3

The product I linked to is the dosage I personally use: 4,000iu per day.  This is a fairly high dose, and probably more than someone without a diagnosed insufficiency should take.  But this same company offers it in other dosages ranging from 1,000 – 6,000 IU per drop.
 
You may have noticed that this specifically says D3.  D3 is found in animal sources and is believed to be more bio-available (i.e. useful) than D2, the form found in plant sources.

Many Other Options for Vitamin D

It is possible to get Vitamin D3 from lots of other supplements.  For example, this pleasant-tasting high-quality fish oil is loaded with Omega-3 and contains a small amount of Vitamin D3 too:
 
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-D3

For people who like gummies over pills and liquid drops, Rainbow Light has multiple options that taste good enough to be almost like candy, including a moderately strong one with 2,500IU per gummy: 
 

I switched away from this one to the Carlson drops to avoid the 2 grams of sugar in each gummy, but they were quite pleasant.

Information about the possible role of Vitamin D in Long COVID

© 2024 All rights reserved. This blog reflects the personal experience and opinions of a long COVID and CFS survivor and is not qualified medical advice. Consult a doctor for your situation.

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