The RX form of vitamin D is D2.
D2 ERGOCALCIFEROL simply makes matters worse as it speeds up the catabolism of the vitamin.

BIOTECH 50,000IU is far better as it's already in the form human skin makes and therefore does not cause this problem as there is no unnecessary processing required.
2 TWO of these 5000iu = 10,000iu EVERY DAY until his 25(OH)D is above 60ng/ml should help. Meanwhile get as much skin exposed to midday sunlight as possible without causing sunburn. IHERB $5 discount code WAB666, US folk may find (depending on shipping, Amazon/vitacost cheaper. UK readers keep order below �18 to avoid tax & PO handling extortion ransom demand.

Ted Hutchinson you are very astute!

Yesterday I gave him a magnesium drink (300 mg), a seaweed capsule (1000 mcg iodine), vitamin C (five hundred mgs) and 2 ginger root caps. This morning I gave him a fifty thou D (prescription), an eyevite, a coQ and 2 more ginger caps. I have also been giving more water. (He was somewhat better this morning)

I did mention to him the antibiotics are not doing anything and we need to get off of them and back on ohiras probiotic capsules. He said lets wait to talk to the doc tomorrow.

Ted, I will stop the D2 and get him on D3s. I gave him a D2 this morning, but will talk to him (he is open minded).

Don't stop the D2 until you have D3 in your possession. While I don't approve of it's use it may be better than nothing.WEEKLY 50000iu D2= 15000IU/D3 = DAILY 2143iu and therefore isn't sufficient.
Elderly people NEED MORE vitamin D than do younger folk
Perhaps consider 1 x 50000iu/D2 every third day until the D3 arrive.
Then swap to ONE 50,000iu a week = 7000iu/daily approx.
Do continue with the magnesium.
Magnesium is best absorbed in smaller amounts through the day although it's absolutely fine in a drink.

I'd be happier if the vit c were through the day and in a time release formulation as it's half life is measured in minutes (30) once absorbed so 1g time release every 8~12hrs is far more effective at raising Vit C status.
The paragragh above comes from Hickey Roberts Ascorbate

Ted, thank you. I have the 5000IU D3 from iherb. Also, thanks for the mag info. I will give him the drink twice a day in 1/2 quantities. As for the C, the eyevite has 250mgs (morning) and I will give him a 500mg C in the afternoon.

I just ordered mag citrate from iherb (supposedly very well absorbed) and now I am giving him Ionic Fizz (basically mag carbonate and citric acid which fizzes when water is added as the citric acid reacts with the carbonate). I discovered the ionic fizz a couple yrs ago and noticed when I take it, that I sleep really well. 2 yrs ago in florida a friend came to visit and she mentioned she could not sleep so I gave her a dose of ionic fizz and it worked. Another friend was seriously stressed out and had severe insomnia so I mailed him a few pakets and he said he slept 10 hrs and fell asleep quite fast.

I definitely believe that most people are deficient in mag and my dad is on lasix and eats few green leafy veggies.

I would also suggest pretty high levels of coq10 enzyme, like 100 mg 3 x day inlight of his CHF and other chronic diseases

Most people do not realize that when people are getting ready to die, which happens months or even years before it actually happens the complex enzyme functions significantly decrease. This activity could have really been instigated by surgery..

There are many many enzyme functions that go down. Coenzyme q10 is only one of them that we can just happen to supplement. Taking minerals can also stimulate these enzyme pathways as well as just taking nutritional enzymes during AND BETWEEN MEALS.

We have a lot to learn about this enzyme stuff that is not yet known.
Heel homeopathics makes an enzyme stimulator product that is suppose to stimulate some of these pathways. I do not know if its work but I guess somebody thinks they work. Symptoms associated with blocked enzymatic systems including malaise, exhaustion, fatigue, stress and slow metabolism. as it is a major product in their protocols. They are a significant part of Rekeweg type homeoapthy. You can find them at iherb.com and it is called coenzyme compositum.

They also make a product called cocculus compositum which is effective on some forms of dizziness. also at iherb.com Please put my code number in if you order if you are inclined.. it is BAR967

__________________
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Arrowwind09 is quite right about the function of enzymes.

That's one of the reasons failure to correct magnesium deficiency is so dangerous.

The miracle of magnesium sets it out clearly.

The fundamental point it that these enzyme actions need both switching on and switching off at the right time and magnesium is essential as the critical switch operator.

That's why a shortage of magnesium may result in a myriad of different symptoms depending on which particular enzyme action is most severely affected.

I don't think most people appreciate how modern fast growing cultivars aren't in the ground long enough to absorb the amount of magnesium older slower maturing varieties contained OR that modern milling and refining techniques remove the little magnesium that is present, thats apart from the fact it's a water soluble substance and year on year more gets washed away so soil becomes depleted.

Went home 2 hrs ago. Gave him a 1/2 mag drink, a small Vit C (120 mg organic) and asked him if it was ok to stop the antibiotics (he has been on them since last thursday, if there was an ear issue, results should have been seen by now). He was cool with that so I also gave him an Ohira's probiotic cap (will increase tomorrow) and made him some pureed apple, grape, forzen berries.

What bothers me is the magnesium. Even if blood tests say normal, it can actually be quite low.

Arrowwind, I give him 100mg regular CoQ and 50mg upiquinone .

You'd probably recognize this by increasingly soft defecation. This can also depend upon the magnesium binding, which you may be using.

Mag malate (malic acid) will elevate the ATP, the energy of the cells. My favorite.

Mag chloride is more bio-available and best when given transdermally, bypassing the digestive system. Mag citrate (citric acid) is next best.

Mag oxide would be very bad if taken frequently. It is the cheapest form; but will be converted to mag hydroxide in the amazing chemical factory body. That will chemically burn the digestive tissue. This is why you would get diarrhea faster.

Remember that magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker; so it is best to take it separately from a calcium supplement or calcium food. Both elements are essential.

__________________
- Jim

Thanks JFH I have heard that taking mag away from calcium is a good idea.

I have used magnesium malate and have found it to be the most bioavailabe form, at least for me, but I also found differences from different companies. A number of years ago I had some definite mag deficiency symptoms. One product took the symtpoms away practically over night and the others didn't.

Magnesium malate from Progressive Labs is the one I go with.

Now the topical thing is newer to me and I have been experimenting but it is hard for me to tell as I don't really have any symptoms to monitor. I am just using the mag oil because everyone says to . Yet I find the mag oil very uncomfortable. It leaves a tacky feel on the skin and sometimes itches..... and man alive! don't put it on a sunburn! you will be up all night!

You can get a liquid magnesium chloride at www.iherb.com for about the same price as mag oil but it is pure, not in that brine stuff. No itch, no tackiness. And I guess I did get some really good results from it when I added it to my muscle injury protocol. In fact markedly better results over night. They don't promote it as a topical but thats what I did anyway.... so now I am thinking of cutting that mag oil with the pure magnesium chloride to make it a little more tolerable for me on the skin. I guess it doesn't bother a lot of people but I am inclined not to purchase it again. Only my feet get along with it... but still its tacky when you go to put your socks on.

__________________
"The nurse should be cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, full of faith, - receptive to Truth and Love" Mary Baker Eddy
Visit www.HealthSalon.org

I would specifically ask to have his blood oxygen levels checked to rule out hypoxemia.

Oxygen saturation under 90 is considered low, under 80 is severe.

__________________

The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.
~Voltaire~

Yep Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker.
But it is required for the switching on/off of some 325+ different enzyme actions. It's also required in the process that changes the Calcidiol form of Vit d into the active hormone Calcitriol. Most people with a balanced diet should be able to meet their Calcium requirement (once 25(OH)D is above 42ng/ml) from dietary sources and these are best utilized. The problem with magnesium is that currently people are only consuming 2 thirds of "official" RDA and that is far too low.
Those who think there is magnesium in their mutlimin/vit tablet will probably be using the oxide form of which only 4% is absorbed.

Cookie, he has emphysema and his O2 runs around 88-94. Arrowwind/Ted This morning I gave him a 1/2 dose of mag drink and he drank half, along with Vitamin C (low dose, it is a brand called vitamin code that has enzymes and probiotics). I also gave him (first thing 2 Ohiras capsules). Also, upiquinol (100 mg). Went to the GP and he is going to do a head MRI, he was totally cool with stopping the antibiotics and said it sounds more like a hip issue. We cannot get in to see the orthopedic guy unti may 5, but I did get him in next wed to a sports medicine guy who is BIG on nutrition.

Also, side note: I puree raw and frozen fruit for him so he gets LIVE enzymes.