Vitamin D3 – we all know it very well from various publications, describing how much good it can do, but also how we should not exceed the dose established by experts in a given country. Experts whose names are rarely mentioned, and even if we do find them, it’s worth considering where the term "expert" comes from in describing their knowledge in this field.
Overdosing Vitamin D3 and Autoimmune Diseases
Let's start with the fact that vitamin D3 is not really a vitamin. It is a steroid hormone responsible for regulating thousands of functions in our body. Our body, exposed to sunlight at noon, produces about 10,000 units of vitamin D3 in just 30 minutes. Accordingly, with 4 hours of sun exposure, this value increases to 80,000 IU. So the question arises to experts, whether during holidays we need to be in constant contact with a doctor due to the deadly danger associated with overdosing on vitamin D3? Let's draw a veil of silence over this problem. It is worth noting that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) indicates that 10,000 IU is considered a NOAEL - no observed adverse effect level.
Remember that only at the appropriate level of vitamin D3 can all cellular processes proceed correctly, and most patients with autoimmune diseases have significantly greater resistance to vitamin D3! Therefore, they need higher levels of vitamin D3 to combat this resistance. Only then can we see that this vitamin positively affects cells and tissues. Vitamin D is the biggest regulator of activity in the immune system, inhibiting autoimmunity.
Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D3
An autoimmune disease is the result of a deregulated immune system, which causes an abnormal autoimmune response. Vitamin D is essential for modifying this process. It should also be noted that vitamin D3 does not suppress the immune system; on the contrary, it strengthens it in the fight against bacteria and other microorganisms. There are thousands of studies that can be found, as I did when I started vitamin D3 therapy in 2017 according to the recommendations of doctors from the Cicero Coimbra Clinic.
As early as 2009, research presented at the American Academy of Neurology showed that high doses of vitamin D3 drastically reduced the relapse rate in people with multiple sclerosis. Doses of 40,000 IU per day were supplemented. In 2015, a study published in PLOS Medicine showed a genetic correlation suggesting that a lack of vitamin D could be the cause of multiple sclerosis.
Using a technique called Mendelian randomization, the authors studied 14,498 people with multiple sclerosis and 24,091 healthy individuals. The study found that genetically lowered levels of vitamin D are strongly associated with an increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. According to Dr. Benjamin Jacobs: "This study reveals important new evidence of the link between vitamin D deficiency and multiple sclerosis. The results show that if a child is born with genes associated with vitamin D deficiency, they are twice as likely to develop MS in adulthood. This may be because vitamin D deficiency causes multiple sclerosis.”
Vitamin D3 Dosage
So what doses of vitamin D3 are ideal? Of course, it depends on the level of 25(OH)D3. As I mentioned, IOM considers 10,000 IU a safe dose.Dr. Cicero Coimbra starts the supplementation of MS patients with 1,000 IU per kg of body weight. So, in a person weighing 80 kg, he begins supplementation with 80,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day.
A test that can assess how a person responds to vitamin D3 and determine their resistance is parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone is secreted by the parathyroid glands. Vitamin D3 inhibits its secretion as calcium levels increase. Consequently, as vitamin D levels rise, PTH levels decrease. If PTH levels were maximally suppressed, it would indicate that vitamin D3 is working at its highest therapeutic potential. Since PTH also has other tasks, Coimbra maintains it at a minimal level. When PTH levels are kept at such a level, we achieve the best therapeutic effect.
In my case, daily supplementation with 200,000 IU of vitamin D3 significantly lowered PTH levels, but only doses above 200,000 IU per day stabilized it at a minimal level.
Vitamin D - Side Effects of Taking High Doses
Possible side effects of taking high doses of vitamin D over a long period include excess calcium – in the blood (hypercalcemia) or in the urine (hypercalciuria) and bone mass loss. Excess calcium can be easily avoided with a diet free of dairy products and calcium-fortified foods, as well as regular laboratory tests to ensure calcium levels are controlled. During supplementation, I have tests done twice a year. All my results are perfect.
Interestingly, to avoid bone mass loss, patients are instructed to perform daily aerobic exercises, such as a 30-minute brisk walk. None of the patients at Coimbra took vitamin K2MK7.
In the later stages of treatment, I supplemented with vitamin K2MK7 at a dose of 1,000 mcg. It is assumed that vitamin K2MK7 is added in an amount of 200 mcg for every 10,000 IU of D3. However, the maximum daily intake is 1,000 mcg. This means that the maximum dose of K2MK7 is reached at 50,000 IU of D3. After that, D3 is increased without increasing K2MK7.
Vitamin D Supplementation for MS Patients in Poland - My Opinion
In Poland, there is a doctor who treats with the Coimbra protocol. From my personal experience - I do not recommend it. The people I referred to him are not satisfied. I did and continue to do high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation on my own. Combined with other supplements, it gave excellent results. Will it work for everyone? I don't know... But it worked for everyone I recommended this therapy to, provided they followed the recommendations.Innovisense is a producer of supplements for nervous system diseases, mainly multiple sclerosis. This direction emerged when I was sure that the path I took after my MS diagnosis was right and led me back to health.
Not only for me, but also for many others I had the opportunity to meet, as well as those who still turn to me for help when doctors have already given up on them. The company's offerings include products dedicated to MS patients, including vitamin D3 and vitamin K2-MK7. Our highly recommended products that support the body in MS are Neuromentis® and Revimyelin®.
The quality of the products is excellent. However, if for some reason you want to buy similar products elsewhere, make sure to check the source of their origin carefully. Do not buy unverified and uncertain products, and thus do not make the mistake I made initially, wasting only time and money. If you do not want to buy Innovisense products, you can check products from Swanson or Now Foods.
Author: Andy - CEO of Biomelius LTD, who was diagnosed with MS in 2017
