<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I had asked two questions:

Question 1) I have heard many times, that you should have your vitamin and
mineral levels monitored, to check for absorption etc. Should you stop
taking your vitamins before the blood test? And if so, for how long?

- not very many responses to this question -

- As for the blood testing my doctor has never had me stop taking my
vitamins except for the morning before so that my blood work is a fasting
blood work.
i have to tell you that i think your doctor is very
wrong. the calcium level in your blood will always be
maintained by your body, whether it is coming from your diet,
or whether your parathyroid hormone is taking it from your
bones. it tells you absolutely nothing about your bone density.
your body needs to maintain the calcium level in your blood in
order for everything else (muscles, neurotransmitters) to
function properly, and it will do this by any means it can.

my blood calcium levels are always normal and i have osteopenia
(diagnosed osteopenia at 21; diagnosed celiac at 2).

i hope this helps you. i really am surprised by your doctor's
answer.

- If the levels are too high on anything, they could drop between the time
you stop and the time you get tested giving you an inaccurate result.  But
I'm not a physician, so I'd check with your doc before deciding to stop or
continue the vitamins prior to testing.

- You probably shouldn't stop taking vitamins before a blood test for
vitamin levels--after all, you're trying to see how much of those vitamins
you're taking are getting into your system.

(my comments) I suppose it depends on what exactly you want to test --- how
much your body is absorbing with or without the supplements. Now that I've
said that, I would think it would be useful to test first without the
vitamins, then prescribe the dosage of vitamins, then test again after
several weeks with the vitamins to see if you have corrected the deficiency
or if you are taking too much.

Question 2) I asked my doctor for a bone density test. He replied that I had
just had  blood tests done, and my circulating calcium levels were "just
fine", so there was no need for a bone density test. Is this an accurate
indicator of osteoporosis and bone density ?

- most people replied to this question and all the answers were pretty much
the same -

My doctor would likely be pretty embarrassed if he knew how many of you
think he's an idiot. LOL. The following responses sum it up.

- My calcium levels were fine and I have a bad case of osteo.

- Your calcium levels are absolutely no indication of your bones.  Insist on
a bone density test.  Your calcium levels would only be off in case of
something extreme -like parathyroid or cancer - otherwise, no matter how bad
someone's bones, calcium will always be normal.

- No, serum calcium is not an accurate indicator. Serum calcium levels are
closely regulated as there is a narrow window that "supports life"-- any
additional calcium needed comes from stores (most especially bones). My info
comes from multiple classes as a med student.

- My understanding is that the body will pull calcium from the bones to
maintain "circulating" needs.

- i have to tell you that i think your doctor is very wrong. the calcium
level in your blood will always be maintained by your body, whether it is
coming from your diet,
or whether your parathyroid hormone is taking it from your bones. it tells
you absolutely nothing about your bone density. your body needs to maintain
the calcium level in your blood in order for everything else (muscles,
neurotransmitters) to function properly, and it will do this by any means it
can. my blood calcium levels are always normal and i have osteopenia
(diagnosed osteopenia at 21; diagnosed celiac at 2).

Janice.

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*