Q. My physician recently found that my vitamin D level is very low. I find this hard to believe since I drink nearly a gallon of milk weekly and take a multivitamin and supplement of calcium plus D each day.
I also take prednisone, tramadol, gabapentin, methotrexate and leucovorin. Could one of these drugs interfere with vitamin D absorption?
A. Many Americans have low vitamin D levels, especially in winter when they don’t get regular sun exposure. A glass or two of milk daily combined with vitamin supplementation does not always correct the imbalance for healthy people.
Your medications are likely making the situation much worse. Prednisone, gabapentin and methotrexate can all interfere with vitamin D.
You may need at least 2,000 International Units daily which is much more than you are getting from your supplements and diet. Have your doctor monitor your progress. Vitamin D is crucial for immune function, muscle strength, balance and blood pressure control as well as bone density.
