Vitamin D is important for good health, growth and strong bones. If your Doctor prescribed vitamin D capsules to help treat your low vitamin D level please collect the script from reception or your usual chemist.
The dose prescribed by your doctor is:
- Colecalciferol 20,000 units.
- Take 2 a week for 7 weeks.
This is a safe and effective dose to help treat low vitamin D levels and will allow your levels to return to normal quickly. It is important you take the full treatment course.
Please return to the surgery to book a blood test when you have completed the full treatment course. This should be in 12 weeks. This blood test will help us to check if the treatment has been effective and if further treatment is needed.
If you have any questions, please speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Please see the attached information sheet for ways in which you can keep your vitamin D levels up.
Many thanks
Oakwood Lane Medical Practice
Vitamin D is important for good health, growth and strong bones. Your tests have shown you have a low amount of vitamin D in your body. This leaflet provides you with information on how to increase the vitamin D levels in your body.
90% of the body’s vitamin D requirement is obtained from sunlight exposure, with only a small amount obtainable from food. Therefore the best way to increase your vitamin D levels is by increasing the amount of sun exposure you get.
During the summer two or three exposures of 20 minutes (of at least the face and arms without sunscreen and not behind glass) each week should provide enough vitamin D for most fair skinned people. In the UK, from October to April there is not enough sun exposure to produce enough vitamin D so the body has to use what is already stored or get this from the food you eat.
Diet – Food Sources Which can Provide Vitamin D are:
- Oily fish such as herring, sardines, mackerel, salmon and tuna.
- Eggs and meat contain small amounts.
- Vitamin D fortified foods such as margarine and cereals & powdered milk (check product labels).
Nutritional Supplements
If vitamin D levels remain low despite adjusting the diet and having adequate sun exposure as mentioned above, then the following supplements can be taken on a daily basis.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women:-Pregnacare® range One capsule daily(Cost varies depending on the product).
- Other patients:- Valupak Vitamin D3 1000unit tablet – One tablet daily
(Approximate cost = £1.00 for 60 tablets).
The Healthy Start Vitamins are available free of charge to qualifying women who are pregnant and for children under 4 years if the family receive some benefits. Further information can be found from http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/
Other supplements are available to buy from pharmacies, health food shops and supermarkets. Please speak to your community pharmacist if you are unsure what to buy.