Help with Vitamin D absorption

General health and lifestyle
1

I am currently on my second course of treatment from my GP for Vitamin D deficiency. However, I am not convinced it will work, and that my underlying problem is absorption

Although I sunbathe quite a lot, I tan very easily and have extremely dark skin/a lot of melanin.

I also have a problem with my bile duct - it is narrowed and tapered (diagnosed in 2010), and I have a lot of digestive problems (nausea when eating fatty foods) associated with it.

I have taken a daily cod liver oil capsule for years, and now take a 25ug Vitamin D3 daily supplement instead. Despite this, I am still deficient.

Is there anything I can do to improve my gut absorption please?

2

Several things.

  1. Find sublingual vitamin D3. It’s available as spray or tables, and offers far better absorption for those with impaired digestive systems.
  2. Take magnesium. Without it, vitamin D is not activated.
  3. Take vitamin K2 or find foods rich in K1 or K2. There are lots of them, actually.
3

Thank you viktor17916, this is very helpful.

4

Vitamin D is a fat-soulable vitamin, which means that it needs fat to be absorbed. Consuming vitamin D with some fat may help you. But as you mentioned that you take cod liver oil, which contains a lot of fat, it might not help to consume more. Still worth a try though

5

Drink tea shortly after taking the tablets. Drink lots of tea it helps with absorption.