I may have mentioned this once or two dozen times before: I am not a fan of supplements.  I have tried them over the years with various results but on the on the whole, I don’t think people should take them if they don’t need them.  So, when all the hoopla started over Vitamin D supplements, I found myself cynically noting how many of these Vitamin D pushing doctors were associated with supplement companies.

Let me be clear that I do I think there are times when supplements may be necessary.  Like so many other things I normally avoid but have had to embrace this year: conventional medicine, prescription pain-killers and protein shakes, I’ve begun using some supplements again for various lengths of time.  The only one that I take regularly is a Vitamin B-12.  I take it because my diet is essentially vegan and provides no opportunities for me to consume the bacterial by-product we like to call Vitamin B12.

By the way, there are serious doubts as to whether or not meat-eaters are getting proper amounts of B12 either.  Some studies have shown that meat-eaters are as deficient in B12 as strict vegetarians.  Other studies indicate that the amount of B12 required to avoid deficiency is so small that it is usually a non-issue for most people.  I like science, especially when it helps me win an argument, but at the end of the day, my best indicator of whether I need something or not is how I feel.  I know that when I go too long without a B12 supplement, I feel off.

I’d been taking B12 regularly.  So, I knew that wasn’t the reason I felt out of sorts in early September this year.  It was like winter came early.  I felt like I was dragging and had the blues.  As someone with a history of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), I don’t take this feeling lightly.  I had been feeling like this for a while when I went outside and laid in the sun with shorts and bikini top on and soaked in the September afternoon sun for an hour.  I felt significantly better and began to wonder if I was deficient in Vitamin D.

The sun is the best source for Vitamin D and I knew I wasn’t getting enough.  I have a long work day with a long commute.  Getting outside seems next to impossible most of the time.  Mushrooms and almonds contain Vitamin D; many soy products are also fortified with Vitamin D (as is cow’s milk) but it seemed doubtful that I would consume enough to make up for the lack of sunshine in my life.  Determined to avoid a wrestling with a bout of CFS (atop my current dental issues), I gave in and bought the vitamins.  About a week later, I started feeling better.  The blues subsided and my energy became unstuck.  You could probably make an argument for a placebo effect but either way, it worked.  I felt better and have been taking them ever since.

What are your thoughts and/or experiences with Vitamin D?  Please leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you.

Love and Blessings to All,

Cynthia

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