# how fast do vitamins build up in your body? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2009, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815 "2009-04-21T04:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/21 "2009-12-04T20:17:19Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > While I’m generally quite the skeptic about these sorts of claims about various vitamins, minerals and foods, I must say that after researching the issue fairly extensively (there’s a bang-up article in the New England Journal of Medicine: [zen-tai.com](http://www.zen-tai.com/user_files/vitd_def.pdf)), I think there’s a real significant need to get more vitamin D into a LOT of people. For a wide variety of health problems. I can’t open this link. Does someone have an updated one? I just tested very low in Vit D, too. 15 (whatever units they measure) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/22 "2009-12-04T20:34:17Z")
> [@JillGat](#): > > I can’t open this link. Does someone have an updated one? I just tested very low in Vit D, too. 15 (whatever units they measure) [http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/VitDGenScience/Holick%20NEJM%20review%2007.pdf](http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/VitDGenScience/Holick%20NEJM%20review%2007.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/23 "2009-12-04T22:06:19Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > I’d imagine your patients get a less varied diet, and less fresh food, than many folks. Do you find many with vitamin or mineral deficiencies? It’s estimated that about 80% of US citizens are deficient or suboptimal in Vitamin D. We are just beginning to learn the profound affects that vitamin D has on the body. From infections, to cancer. Google ‘vitamin D study’ for a sampling. Please, get tested. If you are deficient, supplement and get out in the sun (without burning, of course). It should be over 50. Under 30 is dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/24 "2009-12-05T00:08:36Z")
well, i was also recently diagnosed as vitamin D deficient - comes with old age, i guess! my doctor prescribed 50000 units to be taken once a week. i did not fill the prescription, since i was afraid it would be overpriced and my medical coverage will not cover it (i have a large deductible which includes prescriptions). i was able to buy vitamin D3 in liquid form over the counter and that is what i am taking… i was advised to have another blood test in 6 months, so i guess i’m safe at that dosage for at least that long. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/25 "2009-12-06T17:17:44Z")
**Lily** , that’s probably not the best way to treat a Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D2 is much more metabolically active, and what a person who’s deficient in Vitamin D needs is a lot of metabolically active vitamin D. Once the deficit has been treated, maintaining the levels with small doses of Vitamin D3 is fine. But it will take many, many months to treat a significant deficiency with D3. And taking higher doses of D3 doesn’t help, because then toxicity issues may come into play. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815/26 "2009-12-06T22:04:32Z")
> [@LilyoftheField](#): > > well, i was also recently diagnosed as vitamin D deficient - comes with old age, i guess! > > my doctor prescribed 50000 units to be taken once a week. > > i did not fill the prescription, since i was afraid it would be overpriced and my medical coverage will not cover it (i have a large deductible which includes prescriptions). > > i was able to buy vitamin D3 in liquid form over the counter and that is what i am taking… > > i was advised to have another blood test in 6 months, so i guess i’m safe at that dosage for at least that long. You can ask how much the prescription will cost at any pharmacy, it isnt any sort of secret. Heck, they may have some sort of program at the local health department to cover meds for you if you are unemployed and without insurance. Just ask, all they can do is say no. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-vitamins-build-up-in-your-body/493815.md?page=1)