Vitamin D weaning (& restarting) question

[A Mad Swayentist]

De-lurking again! Stats: planning a first-time pink sway in Oct 2016.

So I've been taking Vitamin D for several years since I started working overnights (which I only worked for 16 months in 2011-2012). I've also done a lot of independent research on Vitamin D that has made me think of a lot of questions, especially since I learned about swaying. My story: I had taken 1000 units for about a year (starting 3 months after I started overnights) and asked my doc for approval, which he gave. At my next annual physical in Feb 2013 (after I'd stopped overnights that fall), he tested me and found I was 29 (insufficient) on 1000 units/daily so bumped me to 2000 units. In Feb 2014 and 2015 I was around 39-41 (both in middle of the range) and so he asked me to continue that daily dose. Anecdotally, on 1000 units/day I felt much better emotionally in winter - I've been convinced for years that I had SAD, though I never sought a professional diagnosis. No significant difference emotionally after increasing to 2000 units/day.

This year in January 2016 I switched to Vitamin D drops. At my physical in Feb 2016 Vit D was 51 - a full 10 points higher! And this is in Feb in the northern hemisphere. I've been thinking for about a year now that part of the problem is that I probably don't need supplementation year-round anyway - if my levels are 40 in Feb, they are probably 60 in August based on the few studies that have investigated seasonal variance in Vitamin D, assuming I continue daily supplementation. Anyway, my doc wasn't concerned about my higher levels, but I was a bit, especially now that some skeptics are studying the levels in equatorial tribes like the Maasai (approximating our human ancestral levels) and finding Vitamin D averages of 30-50 are the norm (at least in men). And with the exception of maybe a slight change in rainy vs. dry seasons, this probably is consistent throughout the year (unlike those of us who live closer to the poles). Last month I watched a Frontline documentary on supplements, which noted that independent testing of many brands of Vitamin D drops (which are frequently used for babies) found too much per dose (like 200%)! While probably largely harmless, this is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored for a while and really ought to be better regulated. I wonder if the dramatic change was from accidentally overdosing due to too-high concentrations per drop?

Anyway, I guess my personal question was this: believing that I have mild SAD and knowing my blood levels benefit from Vitamin D capsules (and maybe benefit too much from the drops), should I be weaning off of D now (was thinking of dropping by 2 drops a week until off for the summer), and then restarting a lower dose in the late fall (around 1000 units daily) to protect against SAD and for general health? The bigger question is general-sway related: would Atomic (or any of the moderators or other contributors) give any credence to a theory of "more even" Vitamin D levels (e.g. around 35-40 year round, like the Maasai) being better for swaying pink, seeing as more girls are born closer to the equator? Or would there possibly be genetic differences that might make swaying different for different populations (Caucasian vs. African vs. South Asian) closer to the equator? I realize there's so much we don't know about Vitamin D (and I'm skeptical myself of groups like the Vitamin D council that promote levels of 70+ year round as "healthy"), but I've always been confused by the correlation of winter-early spring conceptions sway girl, yet people who live in year-round even sunshine also sway girl, both of which invoke a role for Vitamin D. Also, I realize it would be an extreme guessing game to even try to maintain "even" Vitamin D levels in the northern hemisphere without regular checking and scientific study. Regardless, I don't feel good about dropping Vitamin D all next winter knowing how much I hate the winter blues. Also, once I get pregnant I definitely plan on increasing the dose to 2000+ units daily (including whatever is in my prenatal), because I am strongly convinced that blood levels of 35+ in winter are a good hedge for general fetal health as well as protection against diseases like autism.

Thanks in advance!

Also, I need to remember to add a siggy. And start thanking folks for responding to posts!

[atomic sagebrush]

I do think taking supplemental Vit. D sways blue, and I also share your concerns with the rush to jack Vit D levels into the stratosphere especially when contemplating pregnancy due to its fat soluble nature.

Beyond that, you're asking me questions that I literally have no way to answer. I agree the trends in the studies are intriguing, but they're ephemeral, there's just not enough meat in them to really sink our teeth into. There are WAY more differences around the equator than just Vit. D levels staying "even". We know that skin color does in fact lower Vit D absorption and additionally in many equatorial countries, omen actually wear religious garments that cover them from head to toe and have been found to be Vit. D. Singling out Vitamin D levels as THE explanation for the variation in gender ratio, I think is not necessarily supported by the facts. We also know that women of African heritage have more daughters to start out with, and also that people of subSaharan African descent retain much higher levels of sodium in their bodies, in addition to a thousand other differences in diet and lifestyle. So I wouldn't get overly hung up on this one aspect because it may be something else or lots of something elses working in concert.

What my concern is, reading all this, is to warn you against that type of detail-oriented approach to a sway where you get so focused on working out the puzzle that you inadvertently undermine your sway. There's a lot of figuring and equations in this and I think it's the kind of approach that can sway blue without really even realizing you're doing it. So while I do agree it's fascinating and I too love to speculate on stuff like this I jsut want to warn you that it's not necessarily great for your sway.

[A Mad Swayentist]

Haha, thanks Atomic! I've been fascinated by the Vitamin D stuff for a long time, since I was so surprised to find I ran toward deficient. I figured there was no strong research on it yet, though, and I absolutely agree there are too many cofactors to parse out in looking at people who live near the equator. Still, I thought if I have to supplement with Vit D, better to only do it in winter when I actually feel symptomatic, and to wean and titrate gently. And I will try not to get swaycessed, although the good thing is that with this being #1 (and me still hoping for one of each), I may look forward to having a baby of either gender. Mostly I think it'll be an interesting side note to keep track of in the stats, regardless of my sway outcome.

Also, along equatorial lines...I was thinking of getting a vegan West Indian cookbook this summer and trying to make LE-style recipes for dinner from the countries with the most even gender ratios. All in good fun in the pursuit of delicious food!

[atomic sagebrush]

So much of this would be SO easy to test - like hormone levels or Vit. D levels (or whatever levels) in women TTC and then a comparison of the gender they end up conceiving. But instead all the studies are based not on experimentation but of analysis of other studies or of old history documents or overall gender ratios and they tell us...nothing really. All of it is sheer guesswork and so I want you guys to stay focused on just doing what seems to be working for most people most of the time and not get too caught up in trying to recreate the whys and wherefores, because we don't even know that the theories are correct.