VITAMINS/BLOOD TESTS

I had my blood test done last month.  My doctor didn't seem concerned, however, after I spoke to him, he sorta changed his tune...alittle. Everything was good, except for three things that were highlighted. ALT (SGPT) - my level was 41 H  - limits were 0-40  I didn't think this was that bad since I was technically only 1 over.  However, I don't know what it is. Vitamin B12 - my level was 981 H - limits were 211-911 I didn't think was that bad either because I was alittle high, however, I did take my B12 nasal spray the morning of the test, so that could explain that. Vitamin D - my level was 21.5L - limits are 32-100 Here I was low and I thought that I should be taking additional Vitamin D.  After we talked, he told me to start taking them.  Now....since he didn't seem to see a problem with the level being low, he really didn't tell me how much I should be taking.  I am taking one table (400 IU) per day.  Is that enough, or should I be taking 2 per day?  How do you know?  Can you take too much? This is in addition to my multi-vitamin that I take twice a day (flintstones). Does anyone have any suggestions for my Vitamin D? Thanks!!

Your B-12 is not too high.  Mine is always about 1500 and I love it being over 1000.  I always stop my vits 2 days before my tests and I also fast the morning I do the labs. Are you taking dry Vitamin D?  We absorb dry A, E, and D better than regular.  I am trying to get my D level to 70.  I take over 2000 IU of dry D. You can buy dry D at vitalady.com, Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Food, and other health food stores.  

Sorry, for taking so long to get back.  What is dry Vitamin D?

ALT + liver enzyme

B12 - we're born at about 2000, so we spend the rest of our lives trying to get back up there. Those levels are about 3 yrs behind the latest studies, which show the bottom of B12 at 800. Our labs still use the old level, too.

D - has to be dry, has to be D3. Personally, I think 400 is, as my dad usta say, "spittin' into the wind", waste of time and money.

If you are at 21 and want to reach near to 100, BEFORE serious bone/tooth damage, you'll have to hit it way, way, way harder than that. Even out BANDS start on 5,000 IU! Our proximal rny on 10,000, but many need to be adjusted up from that, even.

So, you have to consider if you just want to be "between the pegs" or healthy. Our Lab Corp levels are 32-100, but another lab in my area is 32-150. The starter level of 20 is old, old.

Ok.  I'm not sure what Dry Vitamin D is.  I've up my pills to two a day, which is still nothing compared to what everyone is saying.  Now I'm even more confused.

WE can't use vitamins that are in solft gels, that is gelatin "shell" with oil inside.

Dry means powder in a capsule. You can melt the "shell", that's not the problem. But we don't absorb fats/oils reliably.

And D needs to be D3, not D2.

Recent studies and medical reports on TV indicate that D levels are low in over half of the US population. My D levels were 8 on my initial lab results after surgery. My doc put me on the prescription level of D, which were 50K IU capsules, once per week for 8 weeks and then retest. I did this routine for 3 times, reaching a maximum level of D of 14.  This was while I was taking pilled vitamins. I then tried a good liquid vitamin, after some minor Internet research noted that liquid medications and vitamins are absorbed better. This made even more sense since the RNY surgery has a malabsorptive factor, and that the stomach area is a lot smaller, thus producing less stomach acid to dissolve pills.  After 7 months of the liquid vitamin (600 IU of D per daily dose), my levels tested at 33. This is barely in the normal level, but far better than the 14 on prescription levels of D.  These recent studies on low D levels indicate many health issues---poor calcium absorption, MS, higher risk of many cancers (prostrate, colonrectal, breast, etc.), rickets, and others--I opted to augment my daily routine with a dry D3 from Vitalady, taking two of the 5000 IU capsules. I'm hoping my next labs will be above 70, which is the current recommendation for avoiding the health issues noted in regards to proper levels of the D vitamin.  Everybody needs to pay attention to their D levels on labs.  A recent report also indicates that a minimum of 1000 IU of D is recommended for adults and even children. DAVE

That liver enzyme test, where you were a 41, I was a 71. I have to get it re-tested. I either drink too much wine (haven't had any alcohol in years) or my gall bladder is going bad. Do you still have yours? I had to take Actigall for 6 months after RNY because rapid weight loss can cause gallstones, but I had some nausea and didn't take them religiously, and I lost a lot more weight after the first six months than they expected, so I'm wondering if it's about to need removal. Did your doctor mention anything like that to you?