Failure of NP’s and PA’s to treat low Vitamin D levels properly

It is truly amazing the number of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who fail to treat low Vitamin D levels appropriately. I see many of the failing to even address the low lab results that they themselves ordered. When they do address it, they commonly prescribe 50,000 IU’s of Vitamin D once a week for up to three months. Then they tell their patients “You’re good.” They fail to recheck the Vitamin D level before saying that! You have to RETEST the Vitamin D to see if the levels have come up BEFORE you can say “You’re good.” Often times the Vitamin D level fails to come up to where it needs to be. If you quit taking the Vitamin D when it’s been low, guess what? You’ll just get low again. The FDA still recommends the out-dated 400 IU level per day. Most physicians that I know are easily comfortable prescribing 2,000 IU per day. But those in the know are prescribing more like 4,000-6,000 IU per day. Treatment can benefit the patient in many ways, as low levels affect chronic pain, sleep, anxiety, depression, overall metabolism, and more.