What Is A Normal Dose Of Vitamin D

Usual Adult Dose For Dietary Supplement

Calcium – General Range: 1000 mg to 1300 mg dailyVitamin D – General Range: 200 international units to 800 international units dailyNote: While much larger vitamin D dosages have been recommended as a single agent, many calcium-vitamin D combination supplements will contain approximately 200 international units to 400 international units of vitamin D per dose.

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.

Do I Need To Have My Vitamin D Blood Level Checked

Probably not. The AGS consensus statement says that testing vitamin D levels should be unnecessary in most older adults, unless some particular symptom or disease warrants it.

The idea is that if people take a daily vitamin D supplement as recommended above, theyll be highly unlikely to have a vitamin D level that is too low or too high.

On the other hand, if you have been diagnosed with a serious vitamin D deficiency, your doctor will likely recommend a higher dose of vitamin D supplementation. In this case, most experts recommend a repeat vitamin D blood test after 3-4 months of treatment. For most people, the test would be for the 25D level. People with certain conditions may require a different type of test.

I do end up checking vitamin D levels sometimes in my practice, because many of my patients have severe osteoporosis, or sometimes an abnormal blood calcium level.

I find that when I check vitamin D in an older patient who is not taking a supplement, they virtually always have a low level. Probably there are some elderly farmers out there who get enough sun to maintain a good level without taking a supplement. But it seems fairly common for older adults who dont take a supplement to have low levels.

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Supplements : Vitamin D

Summary

Vitamin D is involved in many of your bodys functions. There are two forms in the diet, D2 and D3. It can also be produced in your skin when exposed to sunlight.

Vitamin D deficiency is a problem all over the world.

However, its pervasive in young women, infants, older adults, and people who have dark skin .

About 42% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient. However, this rate rises to 82% in Black people and 70% in Hispanics, which systemic problems likely play a role in .

If you have access to strong sun all year, then occasional sun exposure may be enough to fulfill your vitamin D requirements.

However, if you live far north or south of the equator, your vitamin D levels may fluctuate depending on the season. The levels may go down during the winter months due to a lack of sufficient sunlight .

In that case, you may need to rely on your diet for vitamin D as well as on vitamin D thats stored in body fat (

• intensify bone loss
• increase the risk of fractures

In children, a severe vitamin D deficiency can cause delays in growth and rickets, a disease where the bones become soft.

Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency is linked with several cancers, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems .

Summary

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent worldwide but occurs at higher rates in specific populations. A deficiency in vitamin D is linked to various health problems.

How much vitamin D you need depends on many factors. These include:

Your Value Is Between 100

These values are considered to be too high, but are not classified as harmful to health. Nevertheless, you should reduce your 25D value to below 100 ng/ml. To achieve this, simply stop taking vitamin D in dietary supplement form and do not sunbathe. After roughly 3 months, have your 25D level retested. After your Vitamin D value is back in the normal range, adjust your vitamin D intake accordingly.

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Q: Whats The Link Between Vitamin D And Heart Health

A: That isnt entirely clear. We know that low vitamin D levels are a risk factor for heart disease, but at this time, we do not know whether treating low vitamin D with supplements can prevent a heart attack. There are a number of large clinical trials studying this now. Part of the problem with finding the answer is accounting for the many factors involved in heart disease. For example, maybe people who develop heart disease are also getting less physical activity outdoors. It may not be low vitamin D levels causing the heart disease.

Will a Daily Vitamin Help Keep Your Heart Healthy?

Can Medications Cause A Vitamin D Deficiency

Yes. Vitamin D levels can be lowered by certain medications. These include:

• Cholesterol-lowering drugs .
• Seizure-control drugs .
• A tuberculosis drug .
• A weight-loss drug .

Always tell your doctor about the drugs you take and any vitamin D supplements or other supplements or herbs/alternative health products that you take.

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Pinpointing A Healthy Vitamin D Level Is Tricky

So, what is the current cutoff value at which people are considered “low,” and thus at risk for developing bone thinning and having fractures? Ah. This is where there is a lot of argument.

In 2010, the venerable Institute of Medicine issued a report based on lengthy examination of data by a group of experts. To sum up, they estimated that a vitamin D level of 20 ng/mL or higher was adequate for good bone health, and subsequently a level below 20 was considered a vitamin D deficiency.

In my practice, and in most, it is not uncommon to see a vitamin D level less than 20. When that happens, we tell the patient that they are deficient and recommend fairly aggressive replenishment, as well as ongoing supplementation. The majority of folks have a level between 20 and 40, in my experience, and this is corroborated by the IOMs findings in that 2010 report.

But in 2011, the respected Endocrine Society issued a report urging a much, much higher minimum blood level of vitamin D. At that time, their experts concluded: “Based on all the evidence, at a minimum, we recommend vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL, and because of the vagaries of some of the assays, to guarantee sufficiency, we recommend between 40 and 60 ng/mL for both children and adults.”

What Is The Recommended Dosage Of Vitamin D

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU per day for adults. However, many experts believe that this amount is too low and that most people need more.

The Vitamin D Council recommends taking 1,000-2,000 IU of vitamin D per day, and some experts believe that even higher amounts may be necessary.

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But How Much Vitamin D Do You Need To Take To Achieve These Levels

There is no simple answer, as it depends on many factors, including those we discussed earlier on in this article:

· Your age

· How much sun exposure you get

· Whether you have any health conditions that affect vitamin D absorption

If you’re not sure how much vitamin D you need, it’s best to speak to a doctor or nutritionist. They can help you determine the right dose for you based on your individual needs.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency

Severe lack of vitamin D causes rickets, which shows up in children as incorrect growth patterns, weakness in muscles, pain in bones and deformities in joints. This is very rare. However, children who are deficient in vitamin D can also have muscle weakness or sore and painful muscles.

Lack of vitamin D is not quite as obvious in adults. Signs and symptoms might include:

• Fatigue.

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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

Can We Get Enough Vitamin D From The Sun Alone

Although exposure to the sun is the most effective way to acquire adequate vitamin D, it comes with a cost. Furthermore, the quantity of sunlight required varies.

Individuals with darker skin, in particular those over the age of 60, produce less vitamin D in their skin.

Seasonality and geography are also important since vitamin D production varies with distance from the equator.

Vitamin D can also be formed in the skin through modest amounts of sun exposure, and it’s best to limit your time outdoors to 10 to 15 minutes, exposing your arms, legs, stomach, and back.

The Skin Cancer Organization says that you should only apply this product two to three times each week, followed by sunscreen. After then, your body will eliminate any extra vitamin D and you’ll be exposing yourself to sun damage with no added protection.

Keep in mind that the same thing that helps your body create vitamin D can also cause DNA damage, sunburn, and genetic mutations. This might lead to wrinkles appearing and raise your risk of skin cancer.

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So Who Should Be Screened For Vitamin D Deficiency

Dr. Finkelstein and his colleagues published a study of over 2,000 perimenopausal women who had been followed for almost 10 years, and they found that vitamin D levels less than 20 were associated with a slightly increased risk of nontraumatic fractures. They concluded that because few foods contain vitamin D, vitamin D supplementation is warranted in women at midlife with levels less than 20 ng/mL. “For perimenopausal women or other groups of people with higher fracture risk, certainly a level of 20 or above is ideal,” and he adds: “For the vast majority of healthy individuals, levels much lower, 15, maybe 10, are probably perfectly fine, and so I would say I agree with what the authors of the New England Journal perspective article are saying.”

All that said, most experts, including Dr. Finkelstein, agree we should be checking vitamin D levels in high-risk people those most at risk for a true deficiency. These include people with anorexia nervosa, people who have had gastric bypass surgeries, who suffer from other malabsorption syndromes like celiac sprue, or who have dark skin, or wear total skin covering . In addition, certain populations will require that vitamin D level of 20 ng/ml or higher. This can include perimenopausal women, people diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis or other skeletal disorders, as well as pregnant and lactating women. All of these groups should be screened and treated as appropriate.

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How Can I Help Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency

The goals of treating and preventing the lack of vitamin D of treatment and prevention are the sameto reach and keep an adequate level of vitamin D in the body. Your healthcare provider will let you know if you need to take or keep taking vitamin D supplements. If so, they will also let you know how much you should take. You might also want to consider:

Eating more foods that contain vitamin D: See the vitamin D food sources table included in this article. Keep in mind that foods alone usually don’t meet the daily recommended levels of vitamin D.

Getting some exposure to sunshinebut not too much: Exactly how much sun exposure is needed isnt clear. 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure two to three times a week to the face, arms, legs or back may be all that is needed to absorb a suitable amount of vitamin D. You might need more sun exposure if:

• You are older.
• You have a darker skin color.
• You live in northern climates.

The use of sunscreen, and standing behind a window, prevents vitamin D from being produced in the skin. However, you should remember that too much sunshine increases the risk of skin cancer and ages the skin. That is why taking an appropriately dosed D supplement is far safer than intentionally getting routine sun exposure.

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Should Adults Take Vitamin D3

The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

There are two main reasons why adults might take vitamin D supplements. The first is to prevent deficiency, and the second is for general health. Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a number of health problems, such as bone loss, osteoporosis, and muscle weakness. deficiency is relatively common, especially in older adults.

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU per day for adults between the ages of 19 and 70. However, many experts believe that this is too low and that adults should take more – anywhere from 1000 to 2000 IU per day.

So, if you’re deficient in vitamin D, you should take a supplement to bring your levels up to the recommended daily allowance. But what about taking vitamin D for general health?

There is some evidence that vitamin D can help reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. However, these studies are still preliminary, and more research is needed to confirm these findings.

So, if you’re not deficient in vitamin D, you might want to consider taking a supplement for general health purposes. But be sure to talk to your doctor first, as too much vitamin D can be harmful.

Different Disorders Require Different Circulating Levels Of 25d For Optimized Outcomes

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Recommended Vitamin D Dose For Women

It is well-known that Vitamin D is essential to your health and the normal functioning of your body. In recent years, it has been shown that in many places around the world, theres a growing Vitamin D deficiency in many people, leading experts to worry about the long-term health ramifications of this deficiency.

In women, a lack of vitamin D may lead to specific and grave problems. What is the recommended dose of vitamin D that women need to create or consume? What are the health issues related to this vitamin? This is what I want to discuss in this post.

So How Much Vitamin D Should You Take Daily

The amount of vitamin D you need depends on a few factors, including your age, health status, and whether youâre exposed to sunlight.

So whatâs the best way to get enough vitamin D?

There are a few ways. You can get vitamin D through sunlight exposure, food, and supplements.

Letâs take a closer look at each of these:

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How Much Vitamin D Should I Take If I’m Pregnant Or Breastfeeding

Pregnant and breastfeeding women need slightly more vitamin D than other adults, since they’re sharing it with their developing baby. The recommended dose is 400 IU per day.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and you think you may be deficient in vitamin D, speak to your doctor about whether you need to take a supplement.