NOW Supplements, Vitamin D-3 5,000 IU, High Potency, Structural Support*, 120 Softgels

After having blood work done I found out that me Vit. D3 level was quite low. I searched for a reputable Vitamin Company that made D3 5000 Iu at a reasonable price, as the doctor prescribed. NOW was the only company that satisfied this and Amazon price was the lowest It is a very small gel pill, easy to swallow. After 6 weeks blood test was redone and my blood level was normal. I was told by my doctor to continue taking this since I have a sun allergy and D3 is essential.

I have finally found the perfect Vitamin D supplement that works for me!! I love them!!

It IS possible to overdose on vitamin D! Please consult your doctor before you start taking this if you think youre deficient! I found out that I had a severe Vitamin D deficiency when I needed to get a complete blood count for other health reasons. Not sure how that happened, because I live in a city where the sun shines every single day and we worship rainy days. Maybe I need to get out more. At the time, I didnt have a doctor, so I thought Id try taking an OTC supplement until I could get in to see one. I searched for the highest amount of IU available and when I came across this listing, I got excited because I knew I could trust NOW to be a good quality while still beating out pretty much all the competition in terms of price. It didnt take too much comparison shopping to realize that I wasnt wrong. I ended up needing 50,000 IU which is prescription-only, so I dont take this anymore. By the time I actually got around to finding a primary care physician and going to see them, I had gone through 2 bottles of NOWs vitamin D already. I really dont consider it a waste, though, and if I end up needing to maintain my vitamin D levels after theyre up to par, Ill definitely be throwing this back in the shopping cart.

Great vitamin.

I trust NOW. Use a few of their products. Was on 50,000IU Prescription Vitamin D for my Auto Immune Disease. But I was tired of having to have my hair cut every 2-3 weeks and trim my nails every 3 days (literally). So tried this daily. My lab work Vitamin D levels are still great! The pills are also tiny. So thats a plus. 5 Stars!

I didnt know brand mattered with supplements, but it really does. I was taking some unknown brand of vitamin D (5000 units) and my yearly bloodwork still came back insufficient. So I did the research I should have done the first time and came upon NOW brand. After taking the 5000u pills every day for about two months, my recheck bloodwork is now well within normal range for Vitamin D! I learned my lesson, no more shady supplement brands ever again.

Small. No after taste. Good for mood and energy when sunlight is limited bec of winter season. Good for hair growth also.

Take with a good source of vitamin k2 in your diet or supplement routine in order to ensure good absorption.

Easy to swallow and I have a hard time swallowing pills or tablets. Will definitely buy again.

itamin D3 deficiency is common in older adults and has been implicated in psychiatric and neurologic disorders. For example, in one study of 80 older adults (40 with mild Alzheimer’s disease and 40 nondemented persons), Vitamin D3 deficiency was associated with low mood and with impairment on two of four measures of cognitive performance.6 Back Pain Musculoskeletal disorders have been linked to Vitamin D3 deficiency in a number of studies. One of the newest studies explored the role that low Vitamin D3 levels play in the development of chronic low back pain in women. Sixty female patients in Egypt complaining of low back pain lasting more than three months were studied. Researchers measured levels of Vitamin D3 in the women with low back pain and compared those levels to those of 20 matched healthy controls. The study revealed that patients with low back pain had significantly lower Vitamin D3 levels than controls. Low Vitamin D3 levels (25 OHD < 40 ng/ml) were found in 49/60 patients (81 percent) and 12/20 (60 percent) of controls.7 Bone Health One of the best known and long-established benefits of Vitamin D3 is its ability to improve bone health and the health of the musculoskeletal system. It is well documented that Vitamin D3 deficiency causes osteopenia, precipitates and exacerbates osteoporosis, causes a painful bone disease known as osteomalacia, and exacerbates muscle weakness, which increases the risk of falls and fractures. Vitamin D3 insufficiency may alter the regulatory mechanisms of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and cause a secondary hyperparathyroidism that increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.8 Cognitive Enhancement Scientists are developing a greater appreciation for Vitamin D3’s ability to improve cognition. In a recent study, Vitamin D3 deficient subjects scored worse on mental function tests compared to individuals who had higher levels of the Vitamin.9 The researchers wrote, “In conclusion, the positive, significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D concentration and MMSE [mental state examination scores] in these patients suggests a potential role for Vitamin D in cognitive function of older adults.” Immunity Scientists have linked various aspects of immune health to a Vitamin D3 deficiency. Vitamin D3 regulates T cells, which are important to the functioning of a strong immune system. Vitamin D3 acts as an immune system modulator, preventing excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines and increasing the killing efficiency of macrophages. In addition, it dramatically stimulates the expression of potent anti-microbial peptides, which exist in immune system cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells, and in cells lining the respiratory tract. These Vitamin-D3-stimulated peptides play a major role in protecting the lung from infection.13 In addition, Vitamin D3 deficiency may influence development and progression of various autoimmune diseases.14 Multi-Talented Nutrient Vitamin D3 deficiency has been linked to a host of other conditions such as high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and an increased risk of pre-eclampsia and insulin resistance during pregnancy.11,15-16 Most recently, low Vitamin D3 levels have been linked to an increased prevalence of early age-related macular degeneration.17 Proper Dosage In many of my patients, even after consuming 2,000 to 4,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day, their test results indicate that their Vitamin D3 levels have not increased. These patients needed to consume 8,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day to achieve proper blood levels of the Vitamin. Patients should, therefore, have their physicians test their serum 1,25-dihyroxy D3 levels to determine the proper level of supplementation required. Testing is very important due to the fact that, in a small number of patients, Vitamin D3 supplementation can raise calcium levels to an excessively high level. I have found this to be especially true in African American patients. Testing for 1,25-dihyroxy Vitamin D3, PTH and calcium blood levels should therefore become a part of every woman’s regular blood work. Conclusion A growing number of researchers who have widely studied Vitamin D3 are almost begging the general public to consume more of this important nutrient. Due to Vitamin D3’s high safety profile in doses up to 10,000 IU per day and because of the wide role it plays in our health, consuming 2,000 to 4,000 IU per day of this nutrient at times of the year when sunlight is scarce is a prudent way to improve overall health.