Consuming too much vitamin D can lead to excess calcium in the blood. Due to this, various symptoms and signs of toxicity appear, which can have a negative impact on the general condition. However, neither excessive exposure to sunlight nor eating such foods are possible causes. An overdose of the vitamin is more likely due to the increased intake of dietary supplements. To prevent possible health risks, you can find out more about the side effects and the necessary measures below.
How can too much vitamin D cause symptoms in the body?
Excessive amounts of the vitamin absorbed through sunlight are not harmful to health because the body breaks down D3 as the skin heats up. In addition, various other non-functional forms of the sunshine vitamin are also formed from the thermally activated compound. However, a vitamin D overdose may cause muscle pain, dizziness, frequent urination, and headaches. This especially happens when you take too much vitamin Dthrough supplementationtakes. Other physical symptoms could also include weakness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
In more serious cases, vitamin D toxicity can even lead to kidney or bone problems or cause kidney stones. Otherwise, it is an important nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium and thus supports the development of strong bones. Given the symptoms described above, the vitamin also plays a crucial role in theFunction of the immune system, the nervous system and the muscles. On the other hand, a vitamin D deficiency could lead to psychological disorders such as depression.
What is the currently recommended daily dose of vitamin D?
For the majority of people, taking the vitamin additionally can be beneficial. In this way, they can increase the vitamin content in the blood to a sufficient level. This can be achieved either by sunbathing or by changing your diet, or by taking nutritional supplements as recommended by a doctor. While a deficiency of this nutrient is a very common problem, it would also be possible to have too much vitamin D in the blood. So-called hypervitaminosis can lead to the serious health risks described above. However, many people try to self-medicate, which often leads to overdose.
When it comes to the current recommended daily dose of vitamin D by health experts, it is currently 600 IU per day for adults under 70 years of age and 800 IU for older people. A safe upper limit is usually up to 4,000 IU per day. However, daily doses of up to 10,000 IU have not been proven to be toxic. In most cases, however, it is actually a matter of excessively taken supplements, which resulted in significantly higher amounts being absorbed by the body. However, these are rare cases because it is generally not easy to absorb toxic amounts of vitamin D.
What signs should you look out for if you have too much vitamin D?
So there is a possibility of suffering from certain symptoms of poisoning if you overdose on vitamin D. These are mainly linked to metabolism, which can include hypervitaminosis D, hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and hyperphosphatemia. However, the last two are not invariable findings regarding vitamin D toxicity, even though they are common. But what can happen to the body if you take too much vitamin D? In addition to the symptoms described, some signs of an overdose include constipation, dehydration, disorientation, fatigue, high blood pressure, irritability, thirst or tinnitus.
As for hypercalcemia, normal blood calcium levels should be between 8.8 mg/dL and 10.8 mg/dL. At levels between 10.5 and 13.9 mg/dl, symptoms are classified as mild to moderate, while levels between 14.0 and 16.0 mg/dl are considered a hypercalcemia crisis. In the case of hypercalcemia caused by too much vitamin D, treatment with steroids would be possible, although eliminating the source of the excess vitamin is also crucial. The fat solubility of vitamin D means that toxic effects can persist for months after exogenous supplementation or ingestion has stopped.
What are the risks to the kidneys and other organs of too much vitamin D?
Another health hazard due to excess intake of vitamin D and hypercalcemia can also lead to kidney problems or even kidney damage. Since this also increases the absorption of calcium, it can cause kidney stones to form. There is also evidence that overdosing with vitamin D can lead to more serious, long-term kidney damage. In some cases, the deposits in the kidneys can lead to a condition called nephrocalcinosis, which can cause permanent kidney damage or even kidney failure.
While adequate intake of vitamin D is essential for bone health, too much can actually be detrimental. Some research has shown that too much vitamin D can...Impair the effect of vitamin K2can. This is a nutrient that helps retain calcium in bones. Other health risks are not ruled out, with long-term toxicity even potentially causing pancreatic cancer, cardiovascular problems and falls leading to fractures in the elderly.
How to prevent vitamin D toxicity?
If you are deficient in vitamin D, you can start taking supplements to relieve any symptoms such as seasonal affective disorder. However, it becomes problematic when you overdo it or believe that taking a larger amount will have more positive effects. To prevent toxicity, the tolerable upper intake levels for vitamin D were set as follows:
Age intake (IE)
0-6 Fun 1000
7-12 Fun 1500
1-3 years 2500
4-8 years 3000
≥9 years 4000
Pregnant women 4000
The body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, but many people don't get enough of it due to a variety of factors. In most cases, you can meet all of your sun vitamin needs naturally without supplementation through sun exposure and diet. Regular walks outdoors with exposed extremities can also boost vitamin D production. However, if you are exposed to the sun for more than 20 minutes, you should use sunscreen on your skin.
Eating foods that are naturally high in vitamin D or fortified with this nutrient can also be helpful. These include egg yolks, fortified milk, yogurt or juice, cheese, fatty fish like salmon or tuna, and organ meats like liver. If you decide to take a vitamin D supplement to make up for a deficiency or because you are unable to obtain an adequate amount through sunlight and diet, always follow your doctor's instructions and do not take more than the recommended amounts.
