Vitamin D Supplements

Are you taking vitamin D pills in addition to your daily CF multivitamin? If the answer is yes, you may want to ask your CF Center about taking MVW Complete Formulation^® multivitamins with higher vitamin D. The higher D products are currently available as a softgel and will soon be available as a bubble gum flavored chewable. Whether you take the higher D softgel, or higher D chewable, each product contains all of the recommended vitamins you need, plus 3000IU of vitamin D.

Each MVW Complete Formulation® D3000 Multivitamin Softgel contains the same amount of vitamins as the regular MVW Complete Formulation® Softgel, but has more vitamin D – 3000IU per softgel. The recommended dose for individuals above the age of 10 is two (2) softgels daily, providing 6000IU of vitamin D.

Like the regular MVW Complete Formulation Multivitamin® Chewable, for ages 4 to 8 years, the recommended dose of the MVW Complete Formulation® D3000 Multivitamin Chewable is one (1) chewable daily. For individuals over 9 years of age, two (2) chewables are usually taken per day. This chewable will have a bubble gum flavor.

The amount of vitamin D in the MVW Complete Formulation® higher D multivitamin products meet the recommendations published in the CFF evidence-based paper: An update on the screening, diagnosis, management, and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in individuals with cystic fibrosis, published in 2012.  The vitamin D in each product is cholecalciferol, a form recommended for vitamin D supplements.

When taking the MVW Complete Formulation® higher D products, you may be able to stop taking your additional vitamin D pills. Your CF Center Registered Dietitian can help you figure out what is best for you. As with all fat-soluble vitamins (K, E, D, A) it is best to take the multivitamins with a fat-containing food or drink and, and if you take enzymes, with your enzymes. The price of the MVW Complete Formulation D3000 Multivitamin® products is the same as the regular MVW Complete Formulation Multivitamins®.

Why is vitamin D important for everyone, but especially for individuals who have CF? Vitamin D has long been known as important for bone health. Vitamin D along with sufficient calcium keeps our bones in good shape avoiding rickets, kyphosis, or osteopenia. More and more research is revealing other important roles for vitamin D including support of immune function and preventing inflammation (infection). The relationship of vitamin D to lung health was first reported for asthma. Researchers found that vitamin D deficiency results in decreased pulmonary function, worse asthma control, and perhaps decreased response to asthma therapies. The work with asthma led CF researchers to look at vitamin D and CF pulmonary health. The research is still early, but reports are available which describe a significant relationship of serum vitamin D levels to pulmonary function and pulmonary exacerbation. In summary, vitamin D is important for both bone health and pulmonary health. Using the MVW Complete Formulation D3000 multivitamins may help maintain optimal blood levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D in the MVW Complete Formulation® Multivitamins

* Recommended dose for ages 4 to 8 years is one chewable daily
**Recommended dose for ages 10 and up is 2 softgels daily