Can You Get Too Much Vitamin D? Here are The Recommended Dose, and Side Effects – Vitamin D is essential for the health of the body. This nutrient plays several roles in keeping the body’s cells and functioning properly. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone produced from cholesterol when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Can you get too much vitamin D?
Vitamin D supplements can basically bring benefits when consumed as recommended. It’s just that vitamin D supplements should not be consumed in very high doses.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a variety of health problems, as well as reduced life expectancy. But, it is important to consume a reasonable amount of vitamin D.
Since vitamin D can be stored in the body for a long time, consuming large amounts at short notice can cause problems.
There is already evidence to suggest that excessive vitamin D intake can increase the risk of health problems. One is the risk of decreased renal function.
Getting too much vitamin D intake can cause calcium in the body to also become too much. The condition can also trigger the onset of kidney stones.
In addition, people with too high calcium levels also often complain of discomfort in the stomach or nausea. Some also become more thirsty.
Although rare, the vitamin D that accumulates can turn into toxins in the body. Here’s the side effects of too much vitamin D intake.
What is the recommended dose of vitamin D?
The recommended vitamin D dose based on the Nutrition Adequacy Rate of the Ministry of Health is 15 μg (micrograms) per day for children and older persons, both female and male. Meanwhile, the elderly need to meet the daily vitamin D needs of 20 μg.
To ensure its safety, you should not consume more than 100 μg of vitamin D or 4,000 international units per day.
Side effects of too much vitamin D intake
The condition of poisoning due to excess vitamin D is called hypervitaminosis D. Although the case is very rare, you are usually at risk of experiencing this due to taking large amounts of supplements. Thus, being under sun exposure for too long or consuming foods containing vitamin D is not the cause of the condition.
Hypercalcemia (high blood calcium levels)
Excess vitamin D in the body can cause hypercalcemia, a condition that occurs when calcium levels in your blood are above normal.
High levels of vitamin D can lead to various complications, such as loss of appetite, confusion and high blood pressure. The symptoms also range from chest pain, high blood pressure, irritability, to excessive restlessness.
Damage to the Kidneys
Excess vitamin D in the body, can cause damage to the kidneys. That’s because vitamin D levels increase calcium levels in the blood, which causes kidney damage.
A study shows that vitamin D poisoning can lead to acute kidney injury. Symptoms are fever, nausea and vomiting or severe abdominal pain.
Brittle Bones
Excessive intake of Vitamin D can cause damage to the bones. That’s because of higher vitamin D levels, leading to low levels of vitamin K2 in the blood. The main function of vitamin K2 is, to keep calcium in the bones and take excess vitamin D in the body.
Symptoms of brittle bones are bone pain, severe back or joint pain, increased risk of fractures and instability during activity.
Nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite
In addition to increasing calcium levels in the blood, consuming too much vitamin D can also lead to nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite.
Even so, these excess vitamin D symptoms can be a sign that vitamin D levels, especially vitamin D3 are very high in the body. This condition of nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite also does not always occur in everyone, but in some cases is felt as a result of high blood calcium levels.
Abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea
Vitamin D can cause complaints or problems in the gastrointestinal tract, such as abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea. The condition is also usually associated with food intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome.
This indigestion can also be a sign of increased calcium levels in the blood caused by vitamin D poisoning.
Although hypervitaminosis D is rare, you still need to be careful in taking this supplement. Consult a doctor before deciding to take it to find out the right dosage for your body.
Thank yu very much for reading Can You Get Too Much Vitamin D? Here are The Recommended Dose, and Side Effects, hopefully useful.
