How Much Vitamin D3 Supplement

When Should I Take My Vitamins Day Or Night

Neil Levin, a clinical nutritionist at NOW Foods, agrees that morning is best for multivitamins and any B vitamins. Multivitamins tend to do best when taken earlier in the day, as the B vitamins in them might stimulate metabolism and brain function too much for a relaxing evening or before bed, Levin says.

What Foods Provide Vitamin D

The major sources of vitamin D are fortified foods. In Canada, cow’s milk and margarine must be fortified with vitamin D. Goat’s milk, fortified plant based beverages , and some calcium-fortified orange juices are permitted to be fortified with vitamin D. Cheese and yogurt can be made with vitamin D-fortified milk, however, the final product does not contain as much vitamin D as fluid milk alone. The only natural sources of vitamin D in the Canadian food supply are fatty fish and egg yolks.

Because it is a commonly-consumed food, fluid milk is a major dietary source of vitamin D.

Elevated Blood Calcium Levels

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. In fact, this is one of its most important roles.

However, if your vitamin D intake is excessive, your blood calcium may reach levels that can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms.

The symptoms of vitamin D toxicity are primarily related to hypercalcemia, which means excessively high blood calcium levels (

Hypercalcemia typically develops after people take megadoses of vitamin D for a prolonged period of time.

For example, a 2015 case study reported that an older man with dementia who received 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily for 6 months was repeatedly hospitalized with symptoms related to high calcium levels .

In the 2020 case report mentioned earlier, the woman who took an average of 130,000 IU of vitamin D per day for 20 months was also hospitalized for symptoms related to hypercalcemia .

These included nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, and kidney injury. Her blood calcium levels were 3.23 mmol/L (

• poor appetite

However, not all people with hypercalcemia experience the exact same symptoms.

One woman experienced nausea and weight loss after taking a supplement that was later found to contain 78 times more vitamin D than stated on the label .

Importantly, these symptoms occurred in response to extremely high doses of vitamin D3, which led to calcium levels greater than 12 mg/dL.

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What Are The New Dris For Vitamin D

The DRIs for vitamin D are based on maintaining skeletal health and have been set using the assumption that sun exposure is minimal.

The DRIs for vitamin D, which can also be found in the DRI tables, are as follows:

The IOM report states that there are no additional health benefits associated with vitamin D intakes above the level of the new RDA.

Total vitamin D intake should remain below the level of the new UL to avoid possible adverse effects. Long-term intakes above the UL increase the risk of adverse health effects.

What Is The Calcium Status Of Canadians

Information on calcium intakes is available from dietary intake data, collected in the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey . At a national level, the prevalence of inadequate calcium intake varies widely, but tends to increase with age and is higher in women than men.

Based on food intakes only:

• Only about 3% of children aged 1-3 had inadequate intakes of calcium.
• Almost one-quarter of children aged 4-8 had inadequate intakes of calcium.
• More than one third of boys aged 9-18 and more than two-thirds of girls aged 9-18 had inadequate intakes of calcium.
• Adult men had a prevalence of inadequate intakes ranging from 27-80%, depending on the age group.
• Adult women had a prevalence of inadequate intakes ranging from 48-87%, depending on the age group

Data on calcium intakes from food and supplement sources combined show that supplement use did not greatly affect the prevalence of inadequate calcium intakes in most age and gender groups, with the exception of women over the age of 50.

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Foods That Are Bad For Your Bones

Ideally, you never want to exceed 4,000 IU per day, Clifford says. Too much vitamin D can lead to anorexia, weight loss, irregular heartbeats, and excessive urination.

It gets more serious when you end up with excess calcium absorption, which puts your heart, kidneys, and blood vessels at risk.

Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include:

• Loss of appetite

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Vitamin D Is Associated With Levels Of Both Serotonin Important For Mood Regulation And Melatonin Which Regulates Our Sleep

Evidence suggests there may be a relationship since vitamin D is associated with levels of both serotonin, important for mood regulation, and melatonin, which regulates our sleep. Low levels of either hormone could contribute to SAD symptoms. Researchers have yet to carry out a definitive randomised control trial, however, and the exact mechanism by which vitamin D bolsters the hormones is unknown. One theory is that vitamin D receptors which are found in many parts of the brain and concentrated in the hypothalamus, a region involved in our circadian timing play a part in controlling the bodys hormone levels.

Research has found that vitamin D plays a wider role in our mental health, from depression to schizophrenia, as well as in brain development, but how it plays a role also remains unclear. A meta-analysis published earlier this year found that while there is a correlation between lower vitamin D levels and depression, that didnt necessarily mean D caused depression.

Again, perhaps depressed people just went out less and got less sunlight.

Sunshine serum

If studies are inconclusive, though, perhaps that doesnt reflect on the importance of vitamin D. Perhaps its the fact that most of them are based on supplements, not sunshine.

Some experts believe that vitamin D is most effective when its from the sun, not supplements

How And When To Take Vitamin D Supplements

So whats the best way to take vitamin D supplements?

Even if a supplement says you can take it on an empty belly, vitamin D seems to do best with a meal. This is especially true when paired with a meal higher in fat. One study showed adults taking vitamin D with a fat-heavy meal had a 32 percent boost in vitamin D blood levels after 12 hours compared to those taking the supp with a fat-free meal.

Should you take vitamin D morning, noon, or night? Honestly, its up to you and your preferences. There seems to be no ideal time, although some research claims it may be best to take in the morning rather than at night. Thats because increased vitamin D levels may suppress melatonin the hormone responsible for regulating our snooze cycle according to a 2018 article.

If youre an expecting mama, vitamin D is usually recommended to be part of your daily supplement routine. You should confirm with your doctor how much is safe for you, specifically.

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Does The Intake Of Other Fat

It has been hypothesized that two other fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin K and vitamin A, may play important roles in vitamin D toxicity.

Vitamin K helps regulate where calcium ends up in the body, and high amounts of vitamin D may deplete the bodys stores of vitamin K (

36 ).

Keep in mind that these are just hypotheses, but it may be wise to make sure youre getting enough of these nutrients if youre going to supplement with vitamin D.

Summary

If youre supplementing with vitamin D, then it may be important to also ensure sufficient intake of vitamin A, vitamin K, and magnesium. These may reduce the risk of adverse effects from a higher vitamin D intake.

What Are Some Vitamin D Foods

It isnt easy to get enough vitamin D from your diet. While fortified vitamin D foods such as milk and cereals are available, most provide vitamin D2, a form which is much less well utilized by the body than D3. Good dietary sources include fortified foods, eggs, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Since sunlight causes our bodies to make vitamin D, daily exposure is helpful. A helpful rule: estimate the amount of time it would take for your skin to turn pink or slightly, but noticeably darker in the sun. Then reduce that time by 50 percent if you have fair skin, 25 percent for darker skin, and get that amount of exposure between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. two to three times per week.

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If You Take Any Group Of Patients With Almost Any Disease Their Vitamin D Levels Will Be Lower Than In A Healthy Individual Ian Reid

Ian Reid, professor in medicine at the University of Auckland, believes that diseases cause low vitamin D levels, as being unwell often leads to spending less time outdoors exposed to sunlight, rather than vice versa. If you take any group of patients with almost any disease, their vitamin D levels will be lower than in a healthy individual. This has led some to hypothesise its low vitamin D developing the disease, but theres no evidence to prove it, he says.

Some experts believe people who are unwell have low vitamin D levels because they spend less time outdoors, not that their low levels cause health problems

Researchers have found that higher vitamin D levels are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer it plays a role in stemming the formation of new blood vessels and stimulating better communication between cells. Vitamin D also has been found to help maintain normal levels of calcium in the colon, which slows growth of non-cancerous but high-risk cells.

Other studies, including of the link between vitamin D and liver cancer,breast cancer and prostate cancer, suggest there is good reason to think that low vitamin D plays a part in the spread of cancer cells. But taking supplements would then, surely, help stave off cancer and a recent meta-analysis failed to find that supplementation reduced cancer risk.

D for depression

One Study Estimates That Around 20% Of The Population In The Uk Has A Profound Vitamin D Deficiency

Few doubt the role that vitamin D plays in our bone health to regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, which is why those who have a vitamin D deficiency are particularly encouraged to address it. And that may be more people than you think: one study estimates that around 20% of the population in the UK has a profound vitamin D deficiency, for example.

A third of UK adults who supplement their diet with vitamins take vitamin D

But some experts say that people with healthy levels have no need of vitamin D supplements which would be most people. In other words, they argue that in healthy people, vitamin D is not, as some have hoped, a way to prevent disease.

So whats the reality?

The basics

Despite its name, vitamin D is not a vitamin. Instead, it is a hormone that promotes the absorption of calcium in the body. The challenge is that, aside from a few foods like oily fish, vitamin D is hard to find in the average diet. But in the presence of “ultraviolet B” rays, our skin can produce its own from a common cholesterol.

Vitamin D is found in only a few foods, like oily fish

There are two main types of D. The first is vitamin D3, which is found in animals including fish and is the kind the skin makes when exposed to sunlight. The second is vitamin D2, which comes from plant-based foods including mushrooms. Studies have found that D3 is more effective, and the conclusions of a 2012 meta-analysis argue that D3 is the preferred choice for supplementation.

Broken bones

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How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much The Surprising Truth

Vitamin D toxicity is rare, but it does occur with extremely high doses.

It usually develops over time, since extra vitamin D can build up in the body.

Nearly all vitamin D overdoses result from taking high amounts of vitamin D supplements.

Its almost impossible to get too much vitamin D from sunlight or food.

This is a detailed article about vitamin D toxicity and how much of it is considered to be too much.

How Much Vitamin D Does My Child Need

Vitamin D is measured in international units .

• Babies younger than 1 year old need 400 IU of vitamin D a day. Baby formula has 400 IU per liter, so babies who drink at least 32 ounces of formula each day get enough. If your baby drinks only breast milk or gets less than 32 ounces of formula each day, ask your health care provider about giving your baby a vitamin D supplement.
• Kids older than 1 year need 600 IU or more of vitamin D a day. Health care providers often want healthy kids to take 600 to 1,000 IU daily.

Some kids might need more vitamin D, such as those who:

• have certain medical problems

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Risks And Side Effects

What happens if you take too much vitamin D? Can you overdose on vitamin D?

Taking high doses of vitamin D causes your liver to produce a chemical called 25D, which makes calcium accumulate in your bloodstream. Youre most likely to experience symptoms of too much vitamin D when taking supplements in high doses for a long period of time. This can potentially cause side effects if levels of 25 in the blood become elevated.

Potential side effects can include high blood calcium levels exhaustion abdominal pain and digestive issues like nausea, constipation, diarrhea or loss of appetite increased thirst and dry mouth and possibly kidney stones. The best way to avoid experiencing vitamin D toxicity is to not take very high doses of vitamin D in supplement form, such as 10,000 IU per day for more than several days in a row. Instead, get the vitamin D you need from sunlight, a healthy diet and supplements in the recommended dosage range.

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.

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Vitamin D: Benefits Dosage Information And Warnings

Vitamin D3 provides a range of health benefits, from bone health to immunity support. Learn more about its benefits, dosage information, and warnings.

7 minute read

Vitamin D3 is an essential vitamin that your skin produces in response to sunlight exposure. It can also be consumed through a variety of animal and plant-sourced foods. Vitamin D3 is known to support bone health, but it also supports the immune system to protect you from environmental and seasonal threats.

With increased concerns over sun exposure, there has been an increase in vitamin D3 deficiency, which can affect immune function. Taking supplements of vitamin D3 helps you maintain healthy levels to support immune function, bone health, and overall health.

Best Vitamin D Supplements To Take In 2021your Browser Indicates If You’ve Visited This Link

As summer turns to fall, and as we start to transition back to the office, our sun exposure starts to diminish, which can mean a drop in vitamin D, which is crucial for overall health. “You may be familiar with vitamin D’s role in keeping bones strong and absorbing calcium,

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