low vitamin d levels

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Dr. Theo FriedmanDr. Theo Friedman
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Vitamin D Deficiency and Thyroid Disease
----------------------------------------

March 27, 2009 - 2:28pm 28411 reads 5 comments

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Vitamin D is an important vitamin that not only regulates calcium, but
also has many other beneficial actions. Not many endocrinologists
realize this, but several articles published over 20 years ago showed
that patients with hypothyroidism have low levels of vitamin D.

This may lead to some of the bone problems related to hypothyroidism.
It was thought that one of two mechanisms may explain the low levels
of vitamin D in patients with hypothyroidism, 1) the low levels of
vitamin D may be due to poor absorption of vitamin D from the
intestine or 2) the body may not activate vitamin D properly. Other
articles have demonstrated that patients with Graves disease also have
low levels of Vitamin D.

Click here to comment on this article.

Importantly, both vitamin D and thyroid hormone bind to similar
receptors called steroid hormone receptors. A different gene in the
Vitamin D receptor was shown to predispose people to autoimmune
thyroid disease including Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
For these reasons, it is important for patients with thyroid problems
to understand how the vitamin D system works.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is really two different compounds, ergocalciferol (vitamin
D2), found mainly in plants and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), found
mainly in animals. Both of these hormones are collectively referred to
as vitamin D, and they can either be obtained in two ways. One is by
exposure of the skin to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of sunlight or also
from dietary intake.

Vitamin D is found naturally in fish (such as salmon and sardines) and
fish oils, eggs and cod liver oil. However most Vitamin D is obtained
from foods fortified with Vitamin D, especially milk and orange juice.
Interestingly, as breast feeding has become more popular, the
incidence of Vitamin D deficiency has increased as less fortified milk
is consumed.

Vitamin D deficiency may also occur in patients with malabsorption
from their intestine, such as in the autoimmune disease called Celiac
Disease, which occurs frequently in patients with thyroid problems.
Multivitamins also contain Vitamin D, as does some calcium supplements
like Oscal-D and Citracal plus D.

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Add A New Comment5 Comments
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Anonymous Comment by Anonymous on March 28, 2009 - 8:01am

Dear Dr Friedman,

Thank you for your article however there is one point which I disagree
with.

Your inference that vitamin D could relate to increased breast feeding
is I think and bad inference to make to mothers. There are so many
benefits from breast feeding and so many negatives attached to formula
that you just have to look at the third world (yes even if we have
better water although that could be debated). What you will find is a
bigger correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the use of sun
block (particularly on children) and the common vitamin D deficiency
past on from parent to child. Pre conception health of both parents is
key.

reply

Anonymous Comment by Anonymous on March 29, 2009 - 7:53am

I understand the concern that vitamin D deficiency in infants may
increase with breast feeding may be misconstrued as advice against
breast feeding babies. What I think the point here is that if a mother
is breast feeding, she should also give her child a vitamin D
supplement in addition to breast milk rather than forgo breast feeding
the baby.

It amazes me that the importance of vitamin D has been so ignored. I
have just been floored by the articles that have been coming out the
last two years relating low vitamin D to everything from diabetes to
MS to obesity to stroke to heart disease to back pain to cancer. Now
thyroid disease too. How much money could we save on medical treatment
and improve our quality of life just by taking a cheap vitamin D
supplement? I started.

reply

Anonymous Comment by Anonymous on March 29, 2009 - 9:01am

Mothers that are breast feeding and are worried about the lose of D-3.
Just get the baby out in the sun when possible.............Pete

reply

Anonymous Comment by Anonymous on April 18, 2009 - 3:34pm

I am a gastric bypass patient of 5 years. My vitamin D -25 hydroxy
levels was a 5. My question is if I can not absorb the 50,0000 IU am i
just taking pils? I am in alot of pain and aches with my joints and
hand and leg pain and have family history of arthritis, and cushing
syndrom and ankloysis.
What do i do or what r my options? I have an appt with Endo in a
month....thanks Ann

reply

Anonymous Comment by Anonymous on June 25, 2009 - 7:33am

There is a mistake in your article.

Dr., You've mixed up your Vit. D types. In the article you say, "
cholecalciferol (vitamin D2) and ergocalciferol (vitamin D3)." You
have it reversed. Actually, Vit. D3 is cholecalciferol and Vit. D2 is
ergocalciferol.

If you need extra proof, just check out the National Osteoporosis
Foundation's website at http://www.nof.org/prevention/vitaminD.htm

reply

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