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I cannot find much straight forward science on this, but I have learned that vitamin D is very complicated.

One product of vitamin D is the vital vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, which is produced by the kidneys and is required for calcium and phosphorous digestion. I think this is the same substance referred to in “Decreased serum concentrations of 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 in patients with gout.”, by Takahasi and colleagues. They demonstrate a reduction in this compound when uric acid is high and show that reducing uric acid through allopurinol or benzbromarone causes vitamin d hormone to increase.

So it would appear that gout does decrease the effectiveness of vitamin D, but this is reversed if uric acid is lowered through appropriate treatment.

Unlike many vitamins, I think the case is slowly being made that we may need MORE Vitamin D than the 400i.u. standard that has been in effect since the FLOOD.

I have found a correllation, albeit anecdotal, in the amount of VItamin D that I take and the number of colds I get. THus, in winter I now take 1,000 i.u. per day. My logic was “What do you get in the Summer when colds are rare that you DON'T get in the Winter when colds are frequent?” My answer: sunlight, aka Vitamin D. So while Linus Pauling was incorrrectly preaching about Vitamin C's prevention of the common cold, it may well be he was VERY close to the answer, off by only a SINGLE letter of the alphabet.

I am hearing more and more people being prescribed even several thousand i.u.'s for conditions far removed from classic rickets.

In Summer I ger COPIOUS sun, too much actually, so I take only the old standard 400 i/u.dose. Almost time for a switchover because they are predicting a record 87 degrees for New York City today…and that's where I'll be (Indian lunch of Lamb Vindaloo followed by a big 160 Picassos show in Chelsea.)

That's great news, tinabb.

All I could add is that perhaps 50,000 IU/d might be pushing the envelope for day to day dosing. But the best way to arrive at the correct amount is by regular blood testing to check for hypervitaminosis.

Trouble with taking 2 drugs at once, like Vit. D and allopurinol, you can never get a good handle on cause and effect.

But it IS wonderful to suddenly become pain free…makes one want to jump for joy…without fear of injury on landing.