Yipes Don’t Take That Prescription
What IS cause for concern, however, is that if you were told to take Vitamin D 50 000 IU, you were probably given Prescription Vitamin D and THAT is what is not recommended. Prescription vitamin d is in the form of Vitamin D2 and vitamin d2 has many disadvantages over the recommended form of vitamin d. Please read the page on Vitamin D3 in order to understand why Vitamin D2 is far inferior to ‘over the counter’ vitamin d3 that you can get at a health food store.If your doctor wrote you a prescription for vitamin d, you should think twice about taking it for another reason. High dose vitamin d, taken all at once, are not recommended for someone who is unsure how they will react to Vitamin D. Vitamin D Side Effects are rare, but those who are seriously deficient are at higher risk.
What’s The Best Way To Get Vitamin D And Calcium
To reiterate, you shouldn’t stop taking supplements your healthcare provider has recommended. But if you’re worried about your calcium and vitamin D intake, and you currently don’t take either of the supplements, try getting the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D via lifestyle changes rather than pills, said Dr. Kopecky.
“A pill doesn’t make up for our deficient lifestyle. That’s what every study has shown,” said Dr. Kopecky.
“It’s always better to get it in your diet if you can. People tend to take supplements to make up for their diet. can be a marker of a bad diet.”
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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.
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
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Other Potential Negative Effects
But toxicity may not be the only thing to worry about. Even at lower intakes, as low as 30 to 48 ng/ml, the NIH reports potential risks including increased all-cause mortality, greater risk of some cancers, such as of the pancreas, increased risk of cardiovascular events, and a higher incidence of falls and fractures among the elderly.
What To Consider With Timing Your Vitamin D Supplement
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it strongly prefers a source of fat in order to be properly absorbed in the body. According to integrative dietitian Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT, vitamin D supplements are “best absorbed when taken with food containing avocado, olive oil, flax, or other sources of beneficial fats.”* So, popping your standard D supplement on an empty stomach probably isn’t the best idea.
There’s one important exception here, though. “If your supplement is already packaged with adequate fats included, there’s no need to take it with food,” Crouch adds. This is a rare feature among vitamin D supplements offered today, so it’s important to check product labels to make sure yours contains some kind of fat or oil to foster absorption, Holick says.
If that is the case, though, you can feel free to take your vitamin D sans food. And if not, you’ll still absorb some vitamin D. “We’ve done studies and shown that vitamin D with oil can be taken with a full meal, on an empty stomach, with additional fat or without it,” says Holick.
To be sure you’re maximizing the fat-soluble bioavailability of this critical nutrient, that’s exactly why mbg uniquely and expertly formulated our vitamin D3 potency+ with three built-in, high-quality organic oils .* With this absorption support, you can get the most out of your vitamin D, regardless of when you take it .*
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Will Vitamin D Really Prevent Falls Or Fractures
Good question. Some studies have suggested that vitamin D reduces the chance of these serious health events, but these results have been questioned by later studies.
The US Preventive Services Task Force used to recommend Vitamin D to help reduce fall risk. But in 2018, they changed their recommendation.
My current take is that vitamin D might help with falls and fracture risk, especially for certain older adults. Since it has a low chance of harm and possible helps some people a least a little, I recommend it.
However, I usually tell people to not have overly optimistic expectations of vitamin Ds effects. In most older adults, problems such as pain, fatigue, and/or falls are due to multiple underlying causes, so theres often no easy fix available.
Is 4000 Iu Of Vitamin D
As many as 77 percent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient, according to a 2009 report in the “Archives of Internal Medicine.” With the number of deficiencies rising and research showing a connection between vitamin D and many health conditions such as autoimmune disease, cancers and obesity, many people are turning to vitamin supplements. Your recommended vitamin D intake may be less than 4,000 IU. Consult your doctor to determine your personal vitamin D requirements.
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Muscle Problems That Are Thought To Be Caused By Statins
Its possible that muscle aches and pains that are often thought to be caused by statins are actually caused by a lack of vitamin D. Too little vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and tenderness in the bones these muscle problems seem very similar to the ones linked to statins.
Because a lack of vitamin D is so common, its likely that many people who are taking statins dont have enough vitamin D.
Your doctor can check if you have enough vitamin D in your blood using a simple blood test.
How Much You Need
The NAM developed the recommended daily allowance, or RDA, based on the needs of the general population. This is the amount it has determined will prevent deficiencies and the negative health effects caused by getting too little vitamin D in 97.5 percent of people.
The RDA for vitamin D for men and women, ages 19 to 70, is 600 IU daily. If you take 7,143 IU each day, that’s nearly 12 times or 1,200 percent of the RDA.
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How Vitamin D Works
Vitamin D helps control how much calcium and phosphate you absorb from food.
Calcium is essential for bone health. Phosphate is needed for healthy bones, teeth, muscles, nerves, and basic bodily functions.
Vitamin D comes in two forms:
- Vitamin D2 is naturally found in some plants.
- Vitamin D3 is naturally found in animals and is produced by the skin when its exposed to sunlight.
You can meet your vitamin D needs with either form. But healthcare providers generally suggest D3 supplements. That’s because it:
- Raises your overall vitamin D level more than D2
- Lasts longer in the body than D2
Tolerable Upper Intake Level
The tolerable upper intake level, or UL, is the âmaximum amount of a nutrient that is safeâ for the general population to get each day on a regular basis. Above this amount, the health risks increase the greater the excess intake, the greater the health risks, according to the National Institutes of Health .
The National Academy of Medicine has set the UL for vitamin D at 4,000 IU, or 100 mcg, per day for all adults. Taking 50,000 IU of vitamin D each week, divided among seven days, would give you 7,143 IU each day, which is nearly double the UL.
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Why We Need Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and phosphorus from your diet and use these minerals to keep your bones, teeth and muscles strong. This helps prevent falls as you get older.
Vitamin D may have other roles in the bodys immune system and heart health too.A lack of vitamin D can cause bone problems such as rickets in children and muscle weakness and painful or tender bones in adults.
Why We Need Calcium
Ninety-nine percent of the body’s calcium supply can be found in one’s teeth and bones. Calcium allows your blood to clot and your muscles to contract in addition to keeping your bones healthy.
Women 50 years old and younger need to consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Women 51 and up need to add another 200 milligrams to that.
Dairy products, including cheese, milk, and yogurt, have high levels of calcium.
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The Link Between Vitamin D & Sleep
Perhaps you’ve heard some of the buzz out there right now that suggests that supplementing with vitamin D before hitting the hay can affect your ability to snooze? Well, it’s not a super-clear story right now.
Research has shown that vitamin D is involved in the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate your circadian rhythm and sleep. As mbg’s director of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, explains, “The vitamin D and sleep relationship appears to be a bidirectional one. Suboptimal vitamin D status is linked to lower sleep quality and shorter sleep duration, and inadequate sleep is linked to a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. The science is young and emerging here.”
Holick concurs, “There is some evidence to suggest that vitamin D promotes sleep, but research is ongoing.”* Indeed, vitamin D deficiency has been linked with several sleep issuesbut the true relationship between supplements and sleep still requires some investigation to understand, he explains.*
Vitamin Combinations To Avoid
Vitamin C with vitamin B-12
Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant for immune system health. Vitamin B-12 helps maintain your nervous system and form red blood cells. Studies show that taking these two supplements at the same time may reduce the amount of vitamin B-12 that you receive. So, experts recommend taking these supplements at least two hours apart.
Vitamin A supplement with vitamin A-rich foods
Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, any excess is stored in the body. So, you don’t need to take vitamin A every single day. Too much vitamin A can lead to weaker bones and more bone fractures as you age. It can also be harmful to unborn babies.
If you are pregnant or take a vitamin A supplement, avoid eating liver or liver paté. These foods are so high in vitamin A that even if you do not take a vitamin A supplement, you should only eat them once a week to avoid consuming too much.
Folic acid and vitamin B12
While both of these B vitamins are important, taking too much folic acid or folate can actually hide the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency. So, speak to your doctor to verify your vitamin levels before adding these supplements to your regimen.
It is well documented that vitamin E supplementation can lead to increased bleeding in some people. Some doctors prescribe a vitamin K supplement to help with blood clotting. Taking vitamin E at the same time can counteract the effects of vitamin K.
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Too Much Of A Good Thing
According to Dr. Nissen, vitamin D does play an integral part in the regulation of blood pressure, but its a complicated process. And taking too much vitamin D can lead to excess calcium or hypercalcemia.
Vitamin D enables the uptake of calcium, he says. In theory, too-high levels potentially can result in calcium deposits ending up on blood vessel walls, in heart valves and even in the liver and kidneys. So our advice is not to start vitamin D as a means to lower blood pressure.
Whats The Best Way To Remember To Take My Daily Dose Of Vitamin D
Consistency is key! Taking supplements at a specific time every day helps with compliance, so for best results, consider your vitamin D supplement an integral part of your health and wellness regimen ââ like drinking water, brushing your teeth or having your morning coffee. You could even put your supplement next to the coffee mugs to jog your memory in the mornings.
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Will Vitamin D Prevent Dementia Cancer And/or Premature Death
Several studies have identified an association between vitamin D deficiency and diagnoses such as Alzheimers disease and cancer. In other words, people with these conditions tend to have low vitamin D blood levels.
But an association isnt the same thing as causation, so its not yet known whether vitamin D deficiency causes these diseases. Its also not yet known whether taking vitamin D supplements will reduce ones chance of developing these diseases.
To date, most randomized studies of vitamin D to improve health outcomes have been negative.
Although its possible that low vitamin D levels might be a factor in developing certain diseases, its probably a small effect. Cancer and Alzheimers, after all, generally seem to be the result of lots of little factors genetics, epigenetics, stress, immune function, nutrition, inflammation, toxins interacting over time.
In 2010, the Institute of Medicine concluded: This thorough review found that information about the health benefits of vitamin D supplementation beyond bone healthbenefits often reported in the mediawere from studies that provided often mixed and inconclusive results and could not be considered reliable.
Vitamin D Toxicity: How Does It Happen
Vitamin D toxicity implies that vitamin D levels in the body are so high that they cause harm.
Its also termed hypervitaminosis D.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. In contrast to water-soluble vitamins, the body has no easy way of getting rid of fat-soluble vitamins.
For this reason, excessive amounts may build up inside the body.
The exact mechanism behind vitamin D toxicity is complicated and isnt fully understood at this point.
However, we know that the active form of vitamin D functions in a similar way as a steroid hormone.
It travels inside cells, telling them to turn genes on or off.
Usually, most of the bodys vitamin D is in storage, bound to either vitamin D receptors or carrier proteins. Very little free vitamin D is available (
- Sufficient: 2030 ng/mL, or 5075 nmol/L
- Safe upper limit: 60 ng/mL, or 150 nmol/L
- Toxic: above 150 ng/mL, or 375 nmol/L
A daily vitamin D intake of 1,0004,000 IU should be enough to ensure optimal blood levels for most people.
Summary
Blood levels in the range of 2030 ng/mL are usually considered sufficient. The safe upper limit is considered to be about 60 ng/mL, but people with symptoms of toxicity usually have levels above 150 ng/mL.
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