Hey everyone, I have another quick question for you,
I’ve been sitting out in the sun for a half hour everyday, do you think I should be taking vitamin D supplements as well? I live in Phoenix, Az area so the sun is pretty powerful where I live. And should I be trying to do cardio exercise too? I read that can help raise the threshold of migraines. I’ve been trying to walk around as much as I can around the house athough the topamax is making me more dizzy right now so its been harder. Thanks.
— Begin quote from “dizzyinaz”
Hey everyone, I have another quick question for you,
I’ve been sitting out in the sun for a half hour everyday, do you think I should be taking vitamin D supplements as well? I live in Phoenix, Az area so the sun is pretty powerful where I live. And should I be trying to do cardio exercise too? I read that can help raise the threshold of migraines. I’ve been trying to walk around as much as I can around the house athough the topamax is making me more dizzy right now so its been harder. Thanks.
— End quote
From my understanding the sun is the best source of Vitamin D but you may want to get your levels checked and see where they are at…
When I had mine checked last July it was at 8 and should be no lower than 35 so I was put on supplements. It will take more than just the sun to get the levels back up to a safe level if they are very low. I think once you get them back to an acceptable level then getting what you need from the sun is the best way to keep them there but I would have my doctor to check them and advise you on what is the best plan for you.
As far as the cardio it depends on what you can tolerate but walking is a good choice but I do it at the mall in the mornings before the stores are open so there are not crowds and I do not get as hot since that seems to make my symptoms worse.
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You should probably have your Vit. D level checked first (the test is “25-OH-D” - NOT “1,25-OH-D”). I was pretty shocked to see mine in the optimal range after LITERALLY not being out of the house the entire summer. I guess the milk etc. took care of it.
The reason you should test is that IF you are really deficient, you need LARGE doses to fix it. If you are NOT deficient, such large doses can be toxic. So, taking a small supplement will probably be a waste.
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I’ve always known about the link between Vitamin D and natural light, particularly Sunlight but it’s only recently, since being told I have a deficiency, that I’ve looked into the subject further. Much is dependent on geographical location. As I am U.K. based I’ve concentrated on that even then there quite a wide variation. Nine minutes in Southern England and some 19 in Scotland.
”White-skinned people in the UK (and similar latitudes) are able to meet vitamin D requirements (defined as remaining at or above 25 nmol/L 25(OH)D throughout winter) by spending nine minutes outdoors at lunchtime from March to September or for nine to 13 min, dependent on South-North geographical location, June–August, in season-appropriate clothing. Where such sun exposure is impractical or not desired, dietary sources of vitamin D (food, food fortification (country dependent), and vitamin supplements) should be assessed to ensure an adequate supply of the vitamin even though sun exposure is still likely to make some seasonal contribution to vitamin D status”.
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Great find. I often wonder about this. In summer in Australia, I’m still taking supplements. And will double in winter. I think there is a difference between people retaining it too. Some people are just lower than others in the same sunlight. With the same skin type. I need to find the research on this though.
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Absorption efficacy comes in here for sure. Doesn’t matter how much one swallows if the system cannot absorb it one proves deficient. Was reading very recently Vitamin D should be taken with fat to aid absorption. Be good to find out quantities. More research.
No doubt genetics plays a part with absorption as does overall vitamin balance within the body and, in ‘our’ cases on here the hypersensitivity associated with the condition. Our associated GI issues don’t help either.
Migraine management for Otolaryngologists
A lot of it must come down to individuality because if you search this forum you will find there are people with extremely low Vitamin D (as low as 9) yet others who have extremely high levels yet according to discussion all had been relatively housebound for longish periods of time.