I've had this one hanging around for days and since I'm on a roll just now, and just got a question about D, here goes. I'm not going to dig up the many past posts, but you can find most of them here, or simply search vitamin d to the right.
The short version is that vitamin D is crucial for a host of processes and modern life has come to the point of shielding humans from receiving the vitamin as nature and evolution intended. The things we already know about are clothing, shelter, working indoors and sunscreen that keep us from the D we need. But here's another: soap. Yep, all you clean freaks: you're washing your vitamin D off before it gets absorbed.
It was an interesting discovery for me, as it has been a very long time since I've put soap to anything but hair, face, armpits and groin. I never use lotions or creams and I have wonderfully soft skin. Maybe that's one reason for my high levels of D, along with supplementation, of course (now 4k IU per day instead of 6, since I get sun about 4 times per week).
So, here's Dr. Mercola to explain, with a video and a write up.
I must say that I disagree with his hierarchy of the most preferred way to get D. I think you need to get tested and that your 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels ought to be above 60 ng/ml. Unless you're living at a low latitude, I don't see how you're going to get that from sun exposure, at least year round. Tanning panels or beds are very expensive, and they strike me as rather like the treadmill in terms of eventual boring drudgery and something that ends up sitting in your house just taking up space. Supplementation is inexpensive, takes no time, is safe, and in the gelcap form is proven to get levels of D where they ought to be.
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I knew there had to be a good reason why I usually only wash those same few (and one more) parts. I think I started when I was much younger and my folks bought "Irish spring." Multiple daily showers with that stuff made my skin itchy leather.
I supplement with cod liver oil to get my D.
I received my Grassroots Health vitamin D results. After about 2 months of supplementing with 6000 iu's of Vitamin D3, I was only at 41 ng/mL! I was a bit surprised but wonder if it is because I am still carrying around a good deal of fat. I was going to cut back for the summer but think I'll up it to 8000 iu's for a bit. Even though I live in the desert, I will probably not get much more midday sun exposure then I already have been getting.
On a canine note, I am having several of my Goldens 25(OH)vitamin D levels tested. From a research paper I found, it appears that dogs are expected to have "normal" levels in a range similar to humans.
Cancer is rather rampant in modern dogs (purebred & mutt). While most researchers are looking for genetic causes, can the answer be as simple as a Vitamin D deficiency? From what I can find, dogs, like most coated mammals, make Vitamin D in their hair. The theory is that licking the coat causes them to ingest the Vitamin D. Now my dogs do not sit around licking themselves, so this idea is a bit suspect to me. Perhaps the oil oozes down the hair shaft and is absorbed by the skin. My dogs are indoors while I'm at work so have limited sun exposure and if receiving regular baths for shows, then the Vitamin D will be removed from the coat. I have been supplementing my dogs with 1000 iu's Vitamin D3, along with vitamin D deficient cod liver oil for the Vitamin A, about once or twice a week. If they come back with low numbers, I will be upping their dosage and try to get them into the "good" range.
Any input from someone with more info on Dogs and Vitamin D would be greatly appreciated!
This actually goes a long way to explaining why animals are licking themselves, and may also explain why my cat, who has had to stay indoors recently, has been licking off all his fur. Craving the Vitamin D, perhaps.
Karen:
Near & dear to my heart as I have learned much the same things you have about fur and grooming and such. My two rat terriers do go out every morning and spend significant time laying in the sun. They like to expose the pink skin on their bellies, but they also groom themselves pretty well.
They are only about 15 pounds each, so, once per week I put a Carlson 1,000 IU drop in food they will both consume over 2-3 days. I also divide one 1g Carlson high-potency CLO, and they get 2 mg of Thorne K2 MK4.
They are in excellent health and the older one, a 10-yr-old male is more active and vibrant than when he was 5, and he has a bum leg owing to a break at the growth plate and failed operation as a pup. he still chases squirrels with everything he's got.
They get walked about five miles every day.
TW, do you have a link to that research paper, and also, where do you get D levels for dogs checked, at the vet?
Hi Richard,
I’m so happy to see this post on supplements you give to your pets.
Is that 2 mg of K2 each, or divided?
I use the fermented CLO that has 600 IU vitamin D per ml and I give 1/2 ml to each of my 12 pound maltese’s (once a week). Is that enough vitamin D or should I buy some vitamin D drops as well?
Many thanks!
Forgot to say, they don’t get alot of sun, they only sit in the sunshine for about 10 minutes a day
It’s usually 2mg mixed in food that will be divided by both over a few days.
Not sure about dose. I split one Calson high potency CLO between them (about 15 lbs each) per week, and I usually put 1000-2000 IU via drops in their food along with the K2, but not always. Usually, every other can of food or so.
I just happen to wash only those same areas on a regular basis. Also, my family has a genetic disorder that renders us photosensitive, and thus we aren't able to tolerate as much sun exposure as most. This definitely necessitates oral supplements. I've been taking 6k IU from the Carson drops daily. That's in addition to the 1/4 teaspoon of high-vitamin CLO which has about 500 IU of D3.
The research paper abstract is here:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120745676/abstract
My vet friend who also shows/works/breeds Goldens will be doing the blood draw and sending to the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at Michigan State University (http://www.animalhealth.msu.edu/). Vets need to have an account setup with DCPAH. Possibly other labs offer the service also. Here is the page with the specific test info:
http://www.animalhealth.msu.edu/Bin/Catalog.exe?Action=Test&Id=1707
A low altitude? Or do you mean low latitude?
My skin is also super soft and my wife comments on it all the time. I keep telling her to quit using those lotions and moisturizers. I'm sure genetics is a part of it, but I can't stand those things on my skin. I do shower every morning though. Solely using Dr Bronner's these days. Have used other junk in the past. Plus I eat plenty of fat and protein.
Our lab mix has been licking herself obsessively lately. I've been wondering if its instinct. She's tumor ridden at 14.5 years old. I've been wondering if she's trying to get more vitamin D. I tried to switch her to a grain free higher protein food Wellness Core, but wife thinks it messed with her digestive system too much. I think she's gotten used to it but we've already started going back. Next dog will be either on their natural diet or a food like Wellness Core/Evo and supplements.
@Karen, maybe they're not licking themselves because, like humans, they don't show the outward signs in the short term? Only over the long term? I've always put our dogs tumors down to diet but didn't think about Vit D. My brother had to put his lab down two days ago and it also was tumor ridden.
Latitude. Thanks for the catch. Will fox.