Medically reviewed by Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD on September 18, 2020. To present you technically correct, evidence-based info, content material printed on the Everlywell weblog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with experience in medical and bioscience fields.
Vitamin D is a key nutrient as a result of it helps your physique take up dietary calcium so you may have robust, wholesome bones. That’s why it’s vital to get sufficient of it. However it’s additionally doable to get an excessive amount of vitamin D—known as vitamin D toxicity. Whereas that is uncommon, it might nonetheless be helpful to know the frequent indicators of an excessive amount of vitamin D—notably when you take vitamin D dietary supplements repeatedly.
Right here, we’ll talk about a few of the signs that may develop when you expertise vitamin D toxicity, so learn on (and when you’d prefer to examine your vitamin D ranges from the consolation of house, think about making an attempt our vitamin D check package).
Indicators and signs of an excessive amount of vitamin D
Indicators you’re getting an excessive amount of vitamin D might embrace:
Understanding vitamin D toxicity
Additionally referred to as hypervitaminosis D, vitamin D toxicity is rare and happens when your physique’s vitamin D ranges are too excessive. Vitamin D toxicity sometimes develops from over-supplementation, versus weight loss program or solar publicity. With the solar, your physique can regulate the quantity of pure vitamin D that’s produced. And on the subject of meals, naturally-occurring vitamin D isn’t frequent—and fortified meals don’t often include sufficient vitamin D to result in toxicity.
How a lot vitamin D do you want?
Questioning, “How much vitamin D do I need?” The advisable dietary allowance (RDA) for folks in several age teams is proven beneath. These suggestions come from the Nationwide Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Drugs. Primarily based on quite a few components, nonetheless, your healthcare supplier might counsel doses which can be increased or decrease than what’s listed—so think about asking your supplier for his or her suggestion. Observe that the quantity of vitamin D in meals and dietary supplements is often expressed by way of Worldwide Items (IU), so “IU/day” refers to “International Units per day.”
Really helpful dietary allowance (IU/day) for vitamin D adopted by the higher consumption stage:
Infants 0-6 months
Infants 6-12 months
Kids 1-3 years previous
Kids 4-8 years previous
Individuals 9-70 years previous
Individuals over 70 years previous
Ladies 14-50 years previous who’re pregnant or lactating
In some instances, healthcare suppliers might prescribe increased doses to deal with a vitamin D deficiency, although these numbers present a great guideline. In fact, speak along with your healthcare supplier to study what quantity of vitamin D consumption they suggest for you.
How are you going to measure your vitamin D consumption in Worldwide Items (IU)?
When you’re taking a vitamin D complement, the quantity of vitamin D will seemingly be listed on the complement’s dietary label, both in Worldwide Items or micrograms (2.5 micrograms = 100 IU). Micrograms could also be abbreviated as “mcg.”
Vitamin D quantities aren’t at all times listed immediately on the labels of meals objects. Nonetheless, labels typically do record the p.c Every day Worth (DV), which displays the quantity of vitamin D in a serving of that meals as a proportion of 800 IU.
Lastly, you may as well get a way of the vitamin D content material of varied sorts of meals by visiting the Nationwide Institutes of Well being’s useful resource on vitamin D (see Desk 3).
What could be executed about vitamin D toxicity?
If vitamin D toxicity happens, your healthcare supplier might counsel limiting your dietary calcium consumption. Therapy may embrace discontinuing the usage of any vitamin D complement—not less than quickly.
Methods to get vitamin D – “can taking too much vitamin d harm you”
You may get vitamin D from daylight publicity, dietary sources, and dietary supplements.
Getting ample vitamin D via solar publicity could be simple, however you do must be sure you don’t get sunburned (by limiting how a lot time you spend out within the solar, for instance).
In meals, vitamin D could be present in beef liver, egg yolks, and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. There are additionally many fortified meals, like milk and dairy merchandise, that present your physique with vitamin D.
Indicators of insufficient vitamin D consumption
Together with figuring out the indicators of an excessive amount of vitamin D, it’s a good suggestion to know the indicators of insufficient vitamin D consumption.
Insufficient vitamin D consumption may end up in indicators and signs like:
Research have even proven that low vitamin D ranges could also be related to increased dangers of coronary heart illness, diabetes, most cancers, temper issues, and dementia.
Advantages of testing your vitamin D ranges
When you’re experiencing any of the signs of vitamin D insufficiency famous above—or are experiencing indicators of an excessive amount of vitamin D—your consumption could also be imbalanced indirectly. Testing your vitamin D ranges might help you establish in case your ranges are regular or when you might must make changes and have a dialogue along with your healthcare supplier.
Our at-home vitamin D check package helps you to examine your ranges simply—it solely requires a easy finger prick blood pattern, and delivery is free each methods. Plus, you’ll get to conveniently view your outcomes on our safe, on-line platform simply days after the lab receives your pattern.
Associated content material
Vitamin D throughout being pregnant
When must you take vitamin D?
References
1. What’s vitamin D toxicity? Ought to I be apprehensive about taking dietary supplements?. Mayo Clinic. URL. Accessed September 18, 2020.
2. Vitamin D. Nationwide Institutes of Well being. URL. Accessed September 18, 2020.
3. Taking an excessive amount of vitamin D can cloud its advantages and create well being dangers. Harvard Medical College. URL. Accessed September 18, 2020.
4. Vitamin D. NIH, Workplace of Dietary Dietary supplements. URL. Accessed September 18, 2020.
“can taking too much vitamin d harm you”