Vitamin D defency and hair loss

Jadie
Jadie Member Posts: 723
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone. I too have been out of the loop as of lately. Hello to all the newbies.

The Goodhousekeeping magazine that Lili brought up a couple of weeks ago ( September issue) also had an article on Vitamin D deffency and Iron deffency. The article hinted that there might be a link to hair loss and suggested that you get your levels checked.

Just thought that I would share this since so many of us have been so concerned about hair loss.

Hugs
Jadie<3

Comments

  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #2
    vit d
    I haven't heard about Vit. D and hair loss, but I did read today that something like 70% of breast cancer survivors were low in vit. D at diagnosis. That's considerably lower than average for the rest of the population. It definately leads to more inflamation and joint pain. It may also be something related to the start of cancer, but they are still working on that. In any case, it is something to get tested and treated, if only so that our joints don't hurt!

    C. Abbott
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #3
    cabbott said:

    vit d
    I haven't heard about Vit. D and hair loss, but I did read today that something like 70% of breast cancer survivors were low in vit. D at diagnosis. That's considerably lower than average for the rest of the population. It definately leads to more inflamation and joint pain. It may also be something related to the start of cancer, but they are still working on that. In any case, it is something to get tested and treated, if only so that our joints don't hurt!

    C. Abbott

    Vit D3 is very important for so many reasons...
    Based on the fact that most of us are given NO advise on supplements, etc., I have done my homework and found out some very interesting information. No one has even tested my D levels but after my research I think I have a handle on it. I will demand that I get tested at my next onco appt. but in the meantime I take 1000 units of Vit. D3. A women I work with was having a big problem with hair loss. She is 38 yrs old and does not have cancer. Her doc tested her for everything and she came out with a level of 18 for Vit D which is considered seriously deficient. Her thyroid, etc. were in what is considered the normal range. He is supplementing her with Vit.D. What bothers me is that her doc said 45 was normal when based on my reliable research it should be 80. Do docs really not know the correct levels? I also have questions about whether what they say is a normal thyroid level is really adequate.

    I'm really annoyed that in 2009, we have to do our own research to get information that could save our lives.

    Roseann
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #4
    Jadie!
    missed you, so glad to see your smiling...smiley face.
    Thanks for the heads up, I actually asked my doc to check my D levels when I went in for surgery, just to keep an eye on it, then forgot to get the results. Just say it...chemo brain, gonna call the doc tomorrow.
    =^.^==
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #5
    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your
    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your bouncy, smiling face!

    The radiation oncologist I saw this summer recommended 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily. This is in addition to calcium plus D, such as Caltrate. The range of the test is 30-100, I think she said. Mine was 30.

    This onc. also recommended testing during the winter months wherever you live, assuming that you aren't lucky enough to live out in sunny CA, like our friend Cat!). Testing during the least sunny season will give you a more reliable test result. I'm going to ask my med. onc. for a re-test this winter.
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #6
    Moopy23 said:

    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your
    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your bouncy, smiling face!

    The radiation oncologist I saw this summer recommended 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily. This is in addition to calcium plus D, such as Caltrate. The range of the test is 30-100, I think she said. Mine was 30.

    This onc. also recommended testing during the winter months wherever you live, assuming that you aren't lucky enough to live out in sunny CA, like our friend Cat!). Testing during the least sunny season will give you a more reliable test result. I'm going to ask my med. onc. for a re-test this winter.

    hey...
    Yes, Moopy, I am lucky to live here, and I was so very low in my D levels (actually at a 4), that my doc put me on a 10,000 pill to take once a week. Go figure, but I am a paleface and have never been one of those tanning people, I just burned and peeled, so it wasn't worth it. I now just make sure I drive home with the top down and figure that gives me my 15 minutes a day of sun!
    =^..^=

    ps. love that smiling face!
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #7
    Vitamins! They are included
    Vitamins! They are included in my "day of the week" pill container. But I frequently skip them. Why? Because they are so darn big to swallow and they upset my stomach, even when I take them with food. Just thinking about them makes me feel a little gaggy. Any suggestions?
  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #8
    cats_toy said:

    Jadie!
    missed you, so glad to see your smiling...smiley face.
    Thanks for the heads up, I actually asked my doc to check my D levels when I went in for surgery, just to keep an eye on it, then forgot to get the results. Just say it...chemo brain, gonna call the doc tomorrow.
    =^.^==

    Ahhhhh cat thanks
    Its nice to know that someone missed me.

    Hugs
    Jadie<3
  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #9
    Moopy23 said:

    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your
    Hi, Jadie, nice to see your bouncy, smiling face!

    The radiation oncologist I saw this summer recommended 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily. This is in addition to calcium plus D, such as Caltrate. The range of the test is 30-100, I think she said. Mine was 30.

    This onc. also recommended testing during the winter months wherever you live, assuming that you aren't lucky enough to live out in sunny CA, like our friend Cat!). Testing during the least sunny season will give you a more reliable test result. I'm going to ask my med. onc. for a re-test this winter.

    Hi Moopy and thanks
    Thats a lot of vitamin D! I have been on a additional 50,000 three time this year. (for 6 weeks at a time) I was out in the sun more this spring and summer than I have been in years, but my levels have remained low. My iron levels have also been low. Scares me to think that cancer might be related to a vitain deffency.
  • organica
    organica Member Posts: 1
    #10
    roseann4 said:

    Vit D3 is very important for so many reasons...
    Based on the fact that most of us are given NO advise on supplements, etc., I have done my homework and found out some very interesting information. No one has even tested my D levels but after my research I think I have a handle on it. I will demand that I get tested at my next onco appt. but in the meantime I take 1000 units of Vit. D3. A women I work with was having a big problem with hair loss. She is 38 yrs old and does not have cancer. Her doc tested her for everything and she came out with a level of 18 for Vit D which is considered seriously deficient. Her thyroid, etc. were in what is considered the normal range. He is supplementing her with Vit.D. What bothers me is that her doc said 45 was normal when based on my reliable research it should be 80. Do docs really not know the correct levels? I also have questions about whether what they say is a normal thyroid level is really adequate.

    I'm really annoyed that in 2009, we have to do our own research to get information that could save our lives.

    Roseann

    different units
    Vitamin D levels could be measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). That likely accounts for the 45/80 discrepancy that roseann4 noted. Also, there are differing recommendations. I'm planning to learn a LOT more about this stuff. I came in at 5, extremely low. I will learn on Monday, which units were used, when I get the blood work faxed to me.
  • aurora2009
    aurora2009 Member Posts: 544 Member
    #11
    lynn1950 said:

    Vitamins! They are included
    Vitamins! They are included in my "day of the week" pill container. But I frequently skip them. Why? Because they are so darn big to swallow and they upset my stomach, even when I take them with food. Just thinking about them makes me feel a little gaggy. Any suggestions?

    Waiting for test results as we speak
    Thanks to all the info I've gathered on this site I asked my onco to test my vitamin D levels, and whether or not I metabolize tamoxifen. She was more than happy to do so and said that right now there are alot of studies being done to see if having low vitamin D levels are a link to getting breast cancer, she said that so far there is evidence to say that there is.

    I get my results tomorrow, I'll let you know how they turn out.

    On a side note I am a good metabolizer for the tamoxifen, having alot of mixed feeling about that durg as it is right around the corner for me.

    Aurora

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