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.
Why Should I Supplement With Vitamin D3
Customer: To me, there’s nothing better than being outside on a really nice day. Whether I’m working in my garden or taking a walk with my family, we all love the outdoors. But during my last checkup, the doctor noticed that I wasn’t getting enough vitamin D.
Michael A. Smith, MD: From your brain to your heart, your bones to your immune system, vitamin D affects nearly every cell in your body and is critical for optimal health. Even if you spend a lot of time outdoors, your body may not be producing enough of this important vitamin. In fact, studies show that people are really low in vitamin Dand that’s why doctors are recommending it to their patients more than ever.
Customer: So, my body needs more vitamin D, but there are all these different doses and options. How can I decide which is best for me?
Michael A. Smith, MD: Like all of our products, Life Extensions Vitamin D3 is made with the highest quality standards. We recommend taking 5,000 international units a day, but we offer doses ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 units depending on your vitamin D blood level. Be sure to check with your doctor to see which one is right for you. We also offer Vitamins D and K with Sea-Iodine for a complete vitamin D formulation.
Customer: Three weeks in, and vitamin D has really made an impact on my whole life. I have more energy and overall, I feel for lack of a better wordsunnier.
What Happens If I Take Too Much Vitamin D
Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body . This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.
If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10 micrograms a day will be enough for most people.
Do not take more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years.
Children aged 1 to 10 years should not have more than 50 micrograms a day. Infants under 12 months should not have more than 25 micrograms a day.
Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor.
If your doctor has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice.
You cannot overdose on vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. But always remember to cover up or protect your skin if you’re out in the sun for long periods to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.
Page last reviewed: 03 August 2020 Next review due: 03 August 2023
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What Is Iu Vs Mg
mg: milligram. One thousandth of one gram. IU: International Unit is a measure of biological activity and is different for each substance. RAE: Retinol Activity Equivalent. NE: Niacin Equivalent. Vitamin A in the diet can come in different forms: retinol, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin.
Converting To/from International Units
As Dr. William C. Shiel Jr. explains on MedicineNet, “The definition of an international unit is generally arbitrary, technical, and eminently forgettable.” And the specific definition varies between vitamins, hormones or whatever else is being measured.
But, every once in a while, you might find yourself in a position to convert between the IU measurement and milligrams, micrograms or grams. To make those calculations, you need to know which form of the vitamin you’re dealing with and the appropriate conversion factor. If you’re converting from IU to weight , you’ll divide by the conversion factor. If you’re converting from weight to IU, you’ll multiply by the conversion factor.
Converting Vitamin A From IU
For example, if you’re dealing with vitamin A as retinol, the appropriate conversion factor is 3.33. If you have 8,000 IU of vitamin A and want to know what that is in weight, you’d use a table or an online search to look up the appropriate conversion factor and the usual unit of weight for measuring vitamin A . Then you’d divide the quantity of IU by the conversion factor:
8,000 IU ÷ 3.33 IU/mcg = 2,402 mcg
So, 8,000 IU of vitamin A as retinol is equivalent to 2,402 mcg of retinol.
But don’t forget: Different forms of the same vitamin won’t have identical conversion factors. If you’re dealing with vitamin A as beta-carotene, the conversion factor is 1.66 IU/mcg. Once you do the math, this gives you:
8,000 IU ÷ 1.66 IU/mcg = 4,819 mcg
Converting Vitamin D to/From IU
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Two Types Of Vitamin D
There are two basic types of vitamin D used in supplements.
Vitamin D2 is the form of vitamin D synthesized by plants, not animals. Its generally obtained from irradiated mushrooms for use in supplements. Youll often find less expensive vitamin D supplements containing the D2 form.
Vitamin D3 is the form of the vitamin your body naturally produces when exposed to sunshine. Vitamin D3 is generally obtained from lambs wool for use in supplements. While studies have shown that both D2 and D3 can raise blood levels of vitamin D to healthy levels, they have also shown that D3 does a far better jobmaintaining those levels than D2. For this reason, most nutritionists and other health experts recommend taking a vitamin D supplement containing D3.
Your Value Is Between 20
Although official sources say that this value is acceptable, in the opinion of the Vitamin D Council this still constitutes a vitamin D deficiency. However, the risk of developing health problems is low. The parathyroid hormone levels may still be elevated, resulting in disruption in calcium uptake. There is less risk of fractures compared to lower vitamin D levels.
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:
30 ng/ml ..600 IU 40 ng/ml ..2000 IU 50 ng/ml ..3700 IU 60 ng/ml ..5800 IU 70 ng/ml ..8600 IU
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Recommended Iu Vitamin Intake
Although you can convert IU measurements to units of weight, in most cases you don’t need to do that conversion, which in turn would force you to be aware of which form of the vitamin you’re consuming. Remember, the “IU” unit was created specifically to make standardized dosage effects easier.
So for fat-soluble vitamins, certain hormones and some enzymes, the recommended daily dosage and commercially available supplements are all usually labeled with IU. The fat-soluble vitamins you’ll typically see labeled with IU, and their recommended daily intake for adults, is:
- Vitamin E: 22.4 IU
Other vitamins, such as vitamin C, are measured in milligrams, or mg, because they don’t require the additional standardization imposed by the IU unit. Vitamins that are usually present or consumed in very small quantities, such as vitamin B12, are measured in micrograms.
Read more:A List of Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Depression And Vitamin D Deficiency
For most people, low vitamin D levels tend to be more of a problem. Deficiency can have a number of health effects, including poor bone health, but it can also impact brain development and functioning. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with mental health conditions including seasonal affective disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
However, that does not mean that boosting vitamin D can always cure depression. One randomized controlled trial found insufficient evidence to support the use of vitamin D supplementation as a treatment for depression.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, whether or not it’s seasonal, talk to your doctor before you try to self-medicate with a supplement like vitamin D. Your doctor can assess your health and determine if vitamin D might help or if some other treatment would be more appropriate.
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My Recommended Daily Dose For Vitamin D In Older Adults
For most older adults, I recommend a supplement of vitamin D 1000 IU/day.
I do this because:
- The American Geriatrics Society recommends that clinicians tell older patients to take vitamin D 1000 IU/day, to help prevent fractures.
I also do this because:
- Many older adults have risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. These include having osteoporosis and spending limited time outdoors.
- The skin becomes less able to synthesize vitamin D as people get older.
- Vitamin D seems to be involved in muscle function. Some research has suggested it can help reduce falls, other research hasnt confirmed this finding. Either way, it seems sensible to avoid frank deficiency.
- In the vast majority of older people, taking vitamin D 1000 IU as a supplement every day has very low risk of harm.
- Research suggests that taking vitamin D 1000 IU/day will prevent low vitamin D levels in most older adults.
Other expert groups have provided similar vitamin D guidance. For instance, in 2010 the Institute of Medicine published a report with age-based Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamin D in normal healthy persons. For people aged 1-70, they recommended 600 IU/day. For people aged 71+, they recommended 800 IU/day.
Research suggests that low levels of vitamin D are common in older adults who dont take supplements, but are uncommon in those who do take supplemental vitamin D.
Vitamin D: The Healthy Aging Dose
Confused by all the back and forth in the media about vitamin D?
Dont be. Theres actually a pretty easy and straightforward approach that most older adults can take.
In this post, Ill explain what I recommend to most of my older patients, and why.
Ill also address the following frequently asked questions:
- Which type of Vitamin D should I take?
- Do I need to have my vitamin D blood level checked?
- What should ones vitamin D level be?
- Will vitamin D really prevent falls or fractures?
- Will vitamin D prevent dementia, cancer, and/or premature death?
- I am outside a lot. Do I need a vitamin D supplement?
- I heard that a higher level of vitamin D is better for you. How much is too much?
By the way, Im updating this post in part because I was disappointed by the recent NY Times article Why Are So Many People Popping Vitamin D?
Among other things, this article should have had a different headline. The key problem the article describes is that there are too many people being tested for vitamin D. The article does not make the case that too many people are taking vitamin D supplements.
In fact, vitamin D supplementation remains recommended by experts. And as Ill explain below, there are good reasons to believe that vitamin D supplementation is especially useful for older adults.
Now, I do agree with the article in that many people seem to have unrealistic expectations of what vitamin D can do for them.
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Is Taking Vitamin D3 2000 Iu Safe
Some people may need a higher dose, however, including those with a bone health disorder and those with a condition that interferes with the absorption of vitamin D or calcium, says Dr. Manson. Unless your doctor recommends it, avoid taking more than 4,000 IU per day, which is considered the safe upper limit.
Dosage Of Vitamin D3 1000 Iu Supplement
Mukta Agrawal
Dt. Mukta Agrawal is a qualified dietitian and has done her post-graduation in clinical nutrition and dietetics, she has done her specialization in diabetes and cardiac care and also she is a certified bariatric nutritionist. She is a lifestyle coach and diabetic educator. She has 12 plus years of experience in the field of health and fitness industry. Mukta is passionate about educating people regarding the truths and myths of health through the INLIFE Blog. Her belief in the fact that good health is for everyone is one of the highlights of her writing.
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Nature Made Vitamin D Tablets 1000 Iu
Say hello to an easy and effective Vitamin D supplement to support muscle, bone, teeth, and immune health. While sunshine is a great source of Vitamin D, many people arent making enough of this essential nutrient from the sun. Vitamin D can be found in food as well in two different forms , however, Vitamin D3 is more effective at raising and maintaining adequate levels of Vitamin D throughout the body. Vitamin D is a common nutrient shortfall. In fact, 95% of the US population does not get enough Vitamin D from food alone, making supplementation that much more important. Support your sunshine and Vitamin D dietary needs today, with Nature Mades Vitamin D 1000 IU tablets. NHANES 2005-2016 Nutrients 2020, 12, 1735. Based on a survey of pharmacists who recommend branded vitamin and supplements
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
TESTED TO BE TRUSTED
We require that all vitamins & supplements are third-party tested to help ensure they contain the listed dietary ingredients. To learn more, please visit cvs.com/tested-trusted.
What Does Iu Mean
IU stands for international unit. However, the definition specifically states that its a measurement of the biological effects that a biologically active substance will have on your body. In other words, IU is a way of quantifying how much a vitamin or mineral should have an effect on your body.
The IU measurement is an international standard that you can see all over the world. Because its based on other international medication standards, youll be able to find consistent information from country to country.
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Dosage Of Vitamin D Needed To Achieve 35 To 40 Ng/ml
Historically, 400 IU of vitamin D was recommended for better health because it closely approximated the amount of vitamin D in a teaspoonful of cod liver oil. However, 800 to 1,000 IU is the dose that may have a better chance of giving a patient a normal vitamin D level. In some countries, vitamin D is listed in micrograms, and the relationship is as follows:
-
2.5 mcg = 100 IU.
-
5 mcg = 200 IU.
-
15 mcg = 600 IU.
-
20 mcg = 800 IU.
It is much easier to access the patients need after a vitamin D blood test. Few individuals would allow their clinician to simply guess an individuals cholesterol level before placing him/her on some type of medication. Clinicians have access to an accurate lipid test that provides guidance. The same is true for vitamin D levels. Clinicians should not suggest high intakes of vitamin D before recommending the 25-OH vitamin D test.
Health care professionals need to keep in mind that in general, 100 IU of vitamin D per day can raise the vitamin D blood test only 1 ng/ml or just 2.5 nmol/L after 2 to 3 months. How much vitamin D is needed per day to obtain a normal vitamin D blood level? The following examples include:
People With Medical Conditions That Reduce Fat Absorption
Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, it relies on the guts ability to absorb fat from the diet.
Thus, people who have medical conditions that reduce fat absorption are prone to vitamin D deficiencies. These include inflammatory bowel disease , liver disease and also people who have had bariatric surgery (
Summary: Those who need the most vitamin D are older people, people with darker skin, those who live farther from the equator and people who cant absorb fat properly.
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Advice For Adults And Children Over 4 Years Old
During the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D.
But since it’s difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.
Between late March/early April to the end of September, most people can make all the vitamin D they need through sunlight on their skin and from a balanced diet.
You may choose not to take a vitamin D supplement during these months.
You Value Is Higher Than 150 Ng/ml
These values could harm your health. You should therefore take steps to reduce your 25D value to below 100 ng/ml. To achieve this, simply stop taking vitamin D dietary supplements and avoid sunbathing. After roughly 3 months, have your 25D levels retested. After your Vitamin D value is back in the normal range, adjust your vitamin D intake accordingly.
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How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much
Because vitamin D is fat soluble, there have been repeated warnings against overdosing. In 2002, the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Commission released its position the safety of vitamin D.
The report stated that a daily intake of 2,000 IU for adolescents, adults, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, and 1,000 IU for children may be taken for extended periods during the first 10 years of life with no risk of side effects and without medical supervision.
Most experts consider a daily intake of up to 5,000 IU of vitamin D to be safe for adults.
Since direct sunlight produces 10,000 IU of vitamin D in the human body, this may be the physiological upper limit.
Since vitamin D is potentially toxic, the state-approved limit is 50 mcg . However, this is a conservative limit and is likely 5 times too low.
Known cases of vitamin D toxicity with hypercalcemia in which the 25D concentration and vitamin D dose are known all point to an intake of 40,000 IU a day or more.
Excessive intake of vitamin D can only occur by taking dietary supplements. But one would have to take some 40,000 IU per day for several months to cause vitamin D overdose.
One-time massive-dose therapy involving high doses do not result in an overdose of vitamin D, even at doses in excess of 100,000 IU.
The symptoms of vitamin D intoxication include nausea, high calcium and phosphate levels in the blood, irregular heartbeat and kidney stones.
