Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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Okay, so, this is a bit embarrassing, but: I really suck at remembering to take my Vitamin D. Every few days I wander into the kitchen, open the cabinet, and have an "Oh crap!" moment when I realize I haven't taken it in forever. I'll pop 5,000 IU (in one single pill) then forget about it again.

Tonight, while at the store, I picked up some of these D3 gummies. I'll be honest, they're pretty yummy. Two of them have 2,000 IU and two grams of sugar (from glucose syrup). I have no doubt that I'll have no difficulty remembering to take these.

My question is, is the trace sugar in a gummy supplement worth it to encourage me to take the Vitamin D every day, or is my sporadic usage of taking my typical 5,000 IUs in pill form more than adequate?

Also, I live in the Pacific Northwest. There is no sun here. I've looked for it, but I've since written it off as an urban legend meant to install awe in young children and lure innocents such as myself to the area. Plus, sunlight gives me cold sores, so I sadly have to avoid long exposure anyway.

flag	asked Aug 17 2011 at 7:46 Kaz 5,628●1●7●21

Ginnungagap · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-17 08:16:40Z UTC

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IMHO both ways are fine. The traces of sugar arent going to hurt you, but also, vitamin d3 has a pretty long plasma half-life, so it's probably fine taking a higher dose only once per week. At nursing homes they just give the people vitamin d shots a few times a year, and this too keeps their plasma levels up just fine.

answered Aug 17 2011 at 8:16

Ginnungagap
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The sugars are especially a minor issue due to the fact that most gummies are glucose-based, with less or no fructose. – Harfatum Aug 17 2011 at 8:38

I had no idea about Vitamin D's plasma half life. That's very reassuring. Thank you! :) – Kaz Aug 17 2011 at 22:32

Dean · Answer 2 · 2011-08-17 12:26:56Z UTC

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Vitamin D is a fat soluble prohormone and as such you can have some space between supplementation without problems, for example taking 20000 IU every four days, or however much you missed in the last few days. Accordingly, it's not better to eat gummies instead.

edited Aug 17 2011 at 12:26

answered Aug 17 2011 at 10:23

Dean
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Absolutely one spot. Vitamin D is one of those you can stock up on all at once for the week and let the levels drop, it doesn't reduce in the system terribly fast. – wildwabbit Aug 17 2011 at 13:28

That's so good to know! I didn't know that and was worried that I was doing myself a disservice by my erratic dosing schedule. Thank you! :) – Kaz Aug 17 2011 at 22:37

Danielle · Answer 3 · 2011-08-17 08:42:27Z UTC

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Why don't you put the bottle on your bathroom sink? A couple days ago I moved my supplements to above the toilet and have forgotten to take them the past few days, whereas when they're on the sink (next to your coffee maker? In the fridge?) I don't forget. Probably best not to make that mental habit of remembering only because they taste good. I personally wouldn't even go there.

answered Aug 17 2011 at 8:42

Danielle
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Exactly what I was going to suggest. Put them somewhere that you know you always look everyday. Out of sight out of mind is very relevant here. – turkeytyme Aug 17 2011 at 11:48

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For me -Eventually, even in sight, they disappear from sight. Gotta make it a habit. Pair it with something you won't ever forget -like brushing your teeth. Rubberband it to that toothpaste if you have to. – Senneth Aug 17 2011 at 17:10

You're right. I used to store them with my BC but then I moved my BC somewhere else because I started to forget to those. I think I'll go back to setting an alarm for my meddies then keep them all in the same drawer. Thanks, guys. :) – Kaz Aug 17 2011 at 22:36

Katherine · Answer 4 · 2011-08-17 11:16:38Z UTC

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D3 gummy supplements are fine. Other gummy supplements (multi, EFA etc) suck horribly and are no better than taking).

ITA with the above poster though that you cold take 20,000 IU every four day (or five, or whatever depending on height/weight/bodyfat) and be totally fine.

answered Aug 17 2011 at 11:16

Katherine
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I think that's what I'll start doing, then, once I run out of these gummies. Thanks, Katherine. :) – Kaz Aug 17 2011 at 22:38

Travis Culp · Answer 5 · 2011-08-17 19:49:42Z UTC

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There will be no negative effects from that unless it stuck on your teeth and contributed to caries or something. It's better if the sugar is glucose or a glucose-glucose disaccharide like dextrose, but even 2g of fructose would be better than a vitamin d deficiency.

answered Aug 17 2011 at 19:49

Travis Culp♦
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Thanks, Travis. I always brush my teeth afterwards, since taking my supplements tends to be part of my nighttime routine. :) – Kaz Aug 17 2011 at 22:39

Susan · Answer 6 · 2011-08-17 08:35:43Z UTC

Not an expert on Paleo -- just getting started that direction myself -- but I do know what you mean about going back and forth about how to how to supplement. Myself and both my kids need Vit D supplements, our levels are consistently low, but hopefully that will be changing with a better diet now and we won't have to take as much per day. I've bought the gummies before, the kind I found at Walmart were colored with beet & carrot juice, etc and did have some sugar but were free of most allergens including gluten. They do taste very good! We switched to the small soft gel capsules because they're a better price per dose, but we're always forgetting to take them now. It was hard to forget before because the kids loved the gummies and would ask for them nearly every morning. So really, if the additives like sugar are minimal then I think whichever way helps you get the vitamins into your body regularly is the best way. You may not have as much of an issue with it but I can tell when I've been two or three days without my Vit D supplements, and I live on the mostly-sunny east coast and I take 2000 I.U. a day.

Robin Doepel · Answer 7 · 2012-02-13 08:28:09Z UTC

I use the gummies with my Vit C and Multi Vit, and the gel cap with the Vit D. I totally adore the gummies!!and tend to take more than the bottle says to. I see a difference when I am out for a few days so I always take them every morning. When the doctor suggest to take a supplement I always look for gummies. Makes it enjoyable to take them and to remember to take them. My question would be do they dissolve if you cant chew them very well? I have heard that most of the hard pill dont even dissolve so they are not worth spending the money on them.

Gummy supplements better than no supplements?

7 Answers