Should Everyone Stop Vitamin D
It’s important to put this new study into context. It didn’t look at babies and children under 5, so does nothing to undermine the current Public Health England guidance that they, along with pregnant women, should take a daily supplement. People who are at risk of vitamin D deficiency because they cover up for religious reasons or don’t get outside at all should also continue to take supplementation.
In addition, this study was only looking at the impact of vitamin D on bone health. In recent years, we’ve discovered that vitamin D regulates at least 1,000 genes in the body – affecting blood vessels, immune system, muscle strength and more. Tiredness and muscle pains are the most common symptoms, but low levels have been linked to an increased risk of depression, heart disease and even multiple sclerosis.
As yet, there haven’t been any large scale studies looking at whether taking a vitamin D supplement, if you’re at risk of deficiency, protects against any of these. But vitamin D at the recommended levels doesn’t appear to have any adverse side effects: so if Vitamin D supplements does offer any protection at all, the risk: benefit ratio is likely to come down in favour of taking them.
Are There Any Side Effects
There are few side effects to worry about, especially if youre only taking the recommended daily allowance. However, if you take too many supplements then something called vitamin D toxicity or hypervitaminosis D can occur. If this happens, then the main consequence is a build-up of calcium in the blood which can cause vomiting and nausea, muscle weakness and frequent urination. The toxicity would also escalate if its not dealt with and create issues in the bones and kidneys, such as the creation of calcium stones.
For this to happen, however, there would need to be a daily intake of about 60,000 IU over several months. This is 100 times higher than the recommended daily allowance of 600 to 800 IU per day so it would be quite hard to achieve by accident. Vitamin intake via the sun or foods doesnt contribute to this, as the body regulates any naturally occurring vitamins coming into the body.
How Much Vitamin D Should You Take To Prevent Fatigue
Well, that depends. Each of you reading this article is dealing with a rather unique set of health circumstances. Different doses are required for different conditions.
For those of you dealing with fatigue, Id like to see your vitamin D levels above 100 nmol/L and below 200 nmol/L.
This is why Im such a strong advocate for testing. By testing, youll know exactly where your vitamin D levels are at. This tells you how much vitamin D you should be taking.
Heres a general guideline for vitamin D dosing I use in the clinic:
- Maintenance dose
- This shall be sourced first from sunlight. Supplement only when necessary.
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How Much Vitamin D Should I Get From The Sun
In addition to wondering how much vitamin D should I take, many people wonder how much vitamin D should I get from the sun.
Theres a reason that vitamin D is referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Sunlight exposure on our bare skin is the single best way to get enough vitamin D. Unfortunately most people today dont spend enough time in the sun, due to factors like working long hours inside, living in cold climates, being afraid of sunburns, etc.
In order to get enough vitamin D naturally from the sun its important to get outside and expose your skin to sunlight, without sunscreen. Aim to spend about 1020 minutes in the sun daily with as much of your bare skin exposed as you can, which will help your body produce vitamin D. You will absorb the most sunlight between about 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Melanin is a substance that affects how light or dark your skin color is. The amount of melanin you have in your skin also affects the amount of vitamin D you can produce, so the fairer your skin, the more easily you can make vitamin D. If you have dark skin, you will likely need more time in the sun, roughly 40 to 60 minutes daily, to make enough vitamin D.
Eating vitamin D-rich foods like eggs, raw milk and fish can also helps improve your blood levels of vitamin D.
Role Of Vitamin D In Health
Despite its name, the qualities of vitamin D make it more of a prohormone than a true vitamin. It exerts a wide range of physiological functions that make it possible for you to stay healthy. Vitamin D helps you maintain strong bones as an essential component of calcium absorption. Other roles include reducing inflammation, turning on and off certain genes and regulating your immune system so that it recognizes foreign invaders.
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Can You Get Enough Vitamin D From The Sun Alone
Some people will be able to get enough vitamin D just from sunlight. However, it depends on where in the world they live, the time of year, the time of day, and their skin color.
People who live nearer the equator get more sun exposure. In the Northern Hemisphere, a person may not get sufficient vitamin D from sunlight during the winter.
The sun is usually strongest between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. In the summer, a person does not need to be out in the sun for very long during this period to make enough vitamin D.
The amount of melanin a persons skin contains affects how much vitamin D they can make. Less melanin results in lighter skin, which does not protect as well against harmful ultraviolet rays.
People with more melanin in their skin have better protection from the sun, but take longer to make vitamin D. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic black people are more likely to have vitamin D deficiency.
These varied factors make it difficult to recommend how much sunlight a person should get to make the vitamin D that their body needs.
The Vitamin D Council gives some examples:
- At noon during summer in Miami, someone with a medium skin tone would need to expose one-quarter of their skin to sunlight for 6 minutes.
- At noon during summer in Boston, someone with a darker skin tone would need to expose one-quarter of their skin to sunlight for 2 hours.
| Age |
- egg yolk
- beef liver
Magnesium Dosage: How Much Should You Take Per Day
Magnesium is a mineral that you need to stay healthy.
Its crucial for many functions in your body, including energy metabolism and protein synthesis. It also contributes to proper brain function, bone health, and heart and muscle activity (
2 ).
Supplementing with this vital nutrient has been linked to many benefits, including constipation relief and improved blood sugar regulation and sleep.
This article reviews different types of magnesium supplements and how to determine the best daily dosage for your needs.
Magnesium is essential for maintaining proper health.
However, low magnesium intake is relatively common.
Its primarily found in people who follow a typical Western diet, which contains processed foods and refined grains and can lack foods like leafy green vegetables and legumes, which provide magnesium and other important nutrients .
The table below shows the recommended daily allowance or adequate intake of magnesium for adults, infants, and children (
| Birth to 6 months | 30 mg |
| 420 mg | 320 mg |
2 ).
Certain diseases and conditions are associated with magnesium deficiency, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and alcoholism .
Taking a magnesium supplement may help increase magnesium levels in those who have a higher risk of deficiency or dont consume enough through their diet.
Summary
The recommended daily allowance for magnesium for adults is 310420 mg depending on age and gender.
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How Ethnicity May Affect Your Need For Vitamin D
People who live in colder climates generally need more vitamin D than those who live closer to the equator, but among all geographic locations, people with darker skin tones often need more of the vitamin than those with lighter skin. Indeed, people with highly pigmented skin who live in cold climates are considered to be at a particularly high risk of vitamin D deficiency, according to a study published in June 2017 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 31404-4/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 13)
Observationally, weve seen that people of African descent and people of Middle Eastern descent also need more vitamin D to achieve optimum levels, Foroutan says.
Your Value Is Between 40
In the view of vitamin D experts this level means you’re getting an adequate amount of vitamin D. Most people would produce this amount of vitamin D in their body if they were exposed to the sun completely naked all year at the equator. These levels are also achieved by hunter-gatherers in the bush in Africa who live a traditional way of life.
At this vitamin D level, the body can perfectly regulate calcium absorption via the adequate formation of parathyroid hormone. Breastfeeding mothers can sufficiently pass on vitamin D to their baby through breast milk.
Some studies suggest that these amounts of vitamin D are associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers and with better heart and circulation health. Research results also indicate that vitamin D levels in this range strengthen the immune system and support the body in fighting infection.
If your vitamin D blood level is e.g. 25 ng/ml or higher and you want to increase them, you can take the following amount of vitamin D :
To reach the mentioned value.. take this vitamin D Dose per day:
50 ng/ml ..900 IU 60 ng/ml ..3000 IU 70 ng/ml ..5700 IU
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How Much Vitamin D3 Should A Person Take
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Only a few foods contain vitamin D3, making it impossible to meet your bodys needs through diet alone. Supplementation and sun exposure serve as the primary ways to get enough of this vital nutrient. Supplementation is suitable for those at risk for deficiency, in which case its necessary to see your health care provider to determine whether supplementation is appropriate for you and how much you need to take. In the meantime, gathering more information about vitamin D and its role in keeping you healthy will help you prepare to discuss supplementation.
Can You Take Too Much Vitamin D
Too much vitamin D can be harmful. The body cant make too much vitamin D in the sun.
Excess weight gain often occurs as a result of taking supplements. However, it is very rare and usually only occurs when people take a very high dose for an extended period of time, such as over a year.
The highest amount of vitamin D a person can take before it causes health problems is 4,000 IU daily.
Signs of high vitamin D levels in the blood include:
- nausea
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What Causes Vitamin D Toxicity
Vitamin D toxicity is almost always the result of excess supplementation. Because your body regulates vitamin D production, you are unlikely to develop it as a result of sun exposure . Foods generally do not contain large amounts of vitamin D, so getting an excessive amount in your diet is unlikely.
People may begin taking vitamin D supplements in order to address a deficiency or to help relieve symptoms of things like seasonal affective disorder or depression. The problem is that they may go overboard or think that taking more will produce more beneficial effects.
Q: Why Is Vitamin D Important
A: Research I have done in this area has found that people with low blood levels of vitamin D have a greater risk of a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes or high blood pressure later in life. In pregnant women, low vitamin D levels are linked to pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and adverse pregnancy outcomes. No matter your age or stage of life, having adequate vitamin D levels is important.
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How Much Is Too Much
Many people don’t realise that you can have too much of a good thing. In very high doses, many minerals and vitamins can harm your body. Current guidelines say adults shouldn’t take more than the equivalent of 100 micrograms a day. But vitamin D is a ‘fat-soluble’ vitamin, so your body can store it for months and you don’t need it every day. That means you could equally safely take a supplement of 20 micrograms a day or 500 micrograms once a month. Don’t worry – your doctor or pharmacist aren’t trying to poison you! You can divide the monthly dose by 30 to give you the daily equivalent, which is what counts.
Of course, speaking of too much of a good thing, too much sunshine can be disastrous for your health. Any redness or even tanning of your skin is a sign that your skin has been damaged. In spring and summer, you can get your vitamin D from 15 to 20 minutes a day with arms and face uncovered in full sun. But don’t get burnt – this raises the risk of all kinds of skin cancer, but particularly of deadly melanoma.
How Can I Get The Vitamins And Minerals I Need
It is usually better to get the nutrients you need from food, rather than a pill. Thats because nutrient-dense foods contain other things that are good for you, like fiber.
Most older people can get all the nutrients they need from foods. But if you arent sure, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian to find out if you are missing any important vitamins or minerals. He or she may recommend a vitamin or dietary supplement.
If you do need to supplement your diet, look for a supplement that contains the vitamin or mineral you need without a lot of other unnecessary ingredients. Read the label to make sure the dose is not too large. Avoid supplements with mega-doses. Too much of some vitamins and minerals can be harmful, and you might be paying for supplements you dont need. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend brands that fit your needs.
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Your Value Is Between 10
Vitamin D deficiency is still present, along with increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Parathyroid hormone levels are likely to be elevated. This hormone regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the body.
If your vitamin D blood level is e.g. 25 ng/ml or higher and you want to increase them, you can take the following amount of vitamin D :
To reach the mentioned value.. take this vitamin D Dose per day:
20 ng/ml ..500 IU 30 ng/ml ..1700 IU 40 ng/ml ..3200 IU 50 ng/ml ..4900 IU 60 ng/ml ..7000 IU 70 ng/ml ..9700 IU
How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much
Since relatively little is known about how vitamin D toxicity works, its hard to define an exact threshold for safe or toxic vitamin D intake .
According to the National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, 4,000 IU is the safe upper level of daily vitamin D intake. However, doses up to 10,000 IU have not been shown to cause toxicity in healthy individuals (
28 ).
Hypercalcemia caused by regularly taking high amounts of vitamin D supplements may take a few months to resolve. This is because vitamin D accumulates in body fat and is released into the blood slowly .
Treating vitamin D intoxication includes avoiding sun exposure and eliminating all dietary and supplemental vitamin D.
A doctor may also correct your calcium levels with increased salt and fluids, often by intravenous saline.
Summary
The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, weakness, and kidney failure. Treatment involves limiting all vitamin D intake and sun exposure.
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When To See A Doctor
Having a vitamin D deficiency could be caused by or cause serious health conditions. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are essential for maintaining healthy bones. A deficiency can lead to inadequate calcium absorption that can cause osteoporosis, osteopenia, or rickets in children.
Rickets can be serious for childrens bone health because it causes soft bones and skeletal deformities. Osteomalacia is the same condition but for adults, which sometimes leads to falls and broken bones that are hard to heal. With osteoporosis, bones become thinner and are therefore more likely to break or cause posture issues.
Sometimes, being deficient in vitamin D isnt just caused by not getting enough sunshine. Certain health conditions affect how the body absorbs or processes the vitamin. Kidney and liver diseases can lower the amount of an enzyme that the body needs to use vitamin D. Celiac disease, Crohns disease, and cystic fibrosis all cause the intestines to absorb less vitamin D. Even being overweight can lead to a deficiency because fat cells store vitamin D, keeping it from being easily used.
How Long Does It Take To Correct A Vitamin D Deficiency
To correct a deficiency, the Endocrine Society suggests that the deficient person has 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week for eight weeks or alternatively, 6000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. This will increase the level of vitamin D3 in the blood, which should correct the deficiency.
Uta Boellinger, from nutritional coach Aiverley, agrees with this. She says that it depends how low your levels are to start with, Most commonly a higher dose is required for six to eight weeks.
So its fairly easy to correct with suitable intervention and its a good job too, since lacking in vitamin D is very common and in fact, its estimated that 1 billion people around the world are vitamin D deficient. This means, also, that it takes more than sunshine and nutrient-rich food to correct a vitamin deficiency so check out these supplements to get started. If in doubt, however, and you feel that a vitamin D deficiency is seriously affecting your life then the best thing to do is to make an appointment with your GP. They will be able to assess the personal situation and run tests to ensure this is actually what the problem is, as some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are also that of more serious conditions.
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