Hi Chip Lynne and Slats,Glad to hear this info. I was dx with common variable immune deficiency a while back because my immunoglobulins were low. I was offered IVIGinfusions txs , sounds similar to what you were doing Chip. I opted not to but cho

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Hi Chip Lynne and Slats,Glad to hear this info. I was dx with common variable immune deficiency a while back because my immunoglobulins were low. I was offered IVIGinfusions txs , sounds similar to what you were doing Chip. I opted not to but chose prophylactic antibiotics. Anyway this same Doc decided it was the inhaled steriods that lowered the iggs. He continued to dx me the same CVID and offer the same txs which I decided not to take part in including the antibiotics. My D level was low at the time and I have been taking D supplements for about two years now. I still get infections but not as often. I might ask my dc about taking an even higher dose, right now Ive been taking 2,000 iu a day. Thank you for the info!!!!!!!!! To: asthma Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 11:00 AM Subject: Re: Asthma questions Lynne2

Hi Chip,

You may not be getting near enough Vitamin D in your 25 mcg to do you much good. This is especially true considering where you live. (I'm assuming it's Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) that you're taking, not Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol).) In the US we don't measure Vitamin D in micrograms, but in IUs (International Units). Your dose of 25 mcg is equivalent to 1000 IU. That is more like a "maintenance" diose than a "corrective" dose.

http://www.robert-forbes.com/resources/vitaminconverter.html

Vitamin D3 is a hormone-like vitamin in that it is a "steroid vitamin" and effects organs and body systems in ways more like hormones do than like vitamins do. It is required for absorption of calcium and phosphorous; it regulates and strengthens the immune system; it can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks and help keep asthma patients out of the hospital; it can help us get to and maintain a healthy weight; and it makes us less likely to develop cancer. It's really pretty much a miracle vitamin.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php

Children and young adults are able to synthesize enough Vitamin D3 in their skin from sunlight, but as we age we gradually lose that ability so that by the time we are 80 we can no longer make Vitamin D3 in our skin. It is available as a supplement only from animal sources, particular fish liver oils, with cod liver oil being the single richest source. Most Vitamin D3 supplements, including the one I take, are obtained from lanolin after it is washed from sheep's wool. It is a fat soluble vitamin and what we don't use on a daily basis is stored in our body fat.

I take a dose five times the size of yours, 5000 IU daily. Doses of 10,000 IU have been found safe and beneficial for adult humans. You would probably be on entirely safe ground to increase your dose considerably.

In the US we usually are tested for our Vitamin D3 levels before deciding whether to supplement D3 and by how much. The normal range for the test my doctor orders is 30 - 100, but most of our doctors feel 30 is way too low for optimum health. My doctor wants my number at least at 60 and preferably at 80 or higher.

Slats

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> Hi Lynne, regarding your immune system, or lack of it! My immune system disappeared a while ago and I was given a treatment called Vivaglobin. This had to be injected via pump into the floppier bits of my belly with each infusion taking one hour to complete. I inserted two needles first, one in each side of my stomach (with only a few tears!), before inserting the last when one of the other pumps had finished. I needed three infusions but only had two pumps.

> It was not the most pleasant treatment and I had to put aside one full morning a week, I chose Tuesdays, to undertake this masochistic treatment, a day I soon learnt to hate! Once the needles were in and the pumps attached, I could carry on with minor chores as straps were provided to hang the pumps around ones neck. I looked like an electronic medallion man!

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> I suffered this for 5 months before one of my consultants, an eminent professor informed me that recent research had concluded that daily doses of vitamin D would do just as well! I stopped my weekly pin cushion practise and gave the vitamin D a try. Lo & behold not only did I improve but my immunity levels increased to almost normal!

> Vitamin D is becoming widely recognised as the best and safest form of treatment for immune deficiencies, there is plenty of information list on the web. I take 25 mcg (micrograms) per day, one pill popped with my evening meal and that works for me. Others I know of take larger or smaller doses depending on their metabolism, condition and other requirements. Advice from an immunologist should be sought for this info, GP's and local Dr's will not have the expertise as this is recently medicine. 25mcg per day is a good starting point.

> Unfortunately for those in the UK, the NHS does not supply Vit.D alone or in enough quantities so I purchase mine from Holland & Barrett in the form of Vit.D3. It's not expensive and I only need to buy 3 or 4 bottles per year of the 25mcg strength, obviously it will depend on what dosage one uses but 25mcg is the normal recommended dose for adults.

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> Finally it's nice to hear that a `natural' remedy actually does work! There are no listed side effects or drug interactions either so as my consultant stated, it's one of the safest treatments available!

> http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/categories.asp?cid=163 & searchterm=vitamin%20D3 & rdcnt=1

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> Hope this helps?

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> Cheers from Mike (Chip) Chapman

> Cornwall. UK