Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Update on Vitamin D3

In a previous post I talked about vitamin deficiency, and that it is a real problem, and could be affecting more teens than we realize.
It's difficult for me to know for certain that the Vitamin D3 is the reason for some of the changes I'm seeing because we are talking about a teenager, but I think it is the D3 that is helping.
I'm seeing him laugh more, and engage in conversation more, and actively participate in activities. His tone is more animated, where he was monotone before. He's up for a little more adventure than he used to be, and he's not so dismissive when I suggest activities.
It's made a difference in his learning, and he works more, with more enthusiasm and energy.
I really think he was barely able to get through a day, and I'm so thankful that I got him to the doctor when I did so we could get this addressed.
He was on mega doses for a few weeks, and is now on a reduced dose, but it's still high.
Soon we will go back for another blood test to see if his levels are up to normal.
If you have a child or teen who seems more tired than you believe is normal, is uninterested in things, can't get going, is showing signs of depression, or has anxiety, please insist on a test for vitamin deficiencies.
I waited too long. I thought I was dealing with a normal teenage moodiness. My son's D3 levels were dangerously low.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Vitamin deficiencies are a real thing

I don't know how the time flew by so quickly, but it sure did. We are halfway through 9th grade already! Holy smokes.
With high school, the stakes are a little higher. We're talking about high school requirements and credits, and colleges, and majors, and careers, and goals.
The year started out kind of flat. We've been moving along, but slowly, and his interest wasn't there. He was uninterested in everything, and I couldn't seem to get him to engage with anything. He slept late, stayed up late, and talked to friends on his XBox, but even that didn't seem to do much for him.
He's always been respectful, and can hold a conversation on most any topic, at an adult level. He's a kid who understands so much more than a lot of adults I know.
So, I decided we should go to the doctor.
The doctor did a full blood panel, and we found out he was beyond low in Vitamin D3. He was almost at zero, and the lowest our doctor considers normal is 800.
I don't know how he did it, but he was in PE class at the YMCA twice a week, and was a trooper. He helped out around the house, and stocked fire wood, etc. when we asked him to, and he did it without complaint, but he wasn't usually very quick.
I feel so guilty for being frustrated some of the time, mostly when he wasn't willing to go on a hike, or some other activity, or when he stayed in bed so long. Gosh, how I wish I had taken him to the doctor as soon as the symptoms appeared, but I thought he was just being a typical teen.
Six weeks of mega doses of Vitamin D3, and some B12, and I've got a completely different kid!
So, if you've got a teen who seems disengaged, flat, moody, tired, and doesn't want to do much, you might want to get their blood work done to see if they have a vitamin deficiency. It's real, and the difference is astounding once they get the correct amount of vitamin levels in their blood stream.