The Number 1 Sign that You’ve Overdosed on Vitamin D

In this article, I’d like to discuss the #1 symptom of vitamin D overdose. These signs indicate that you are taking too much vitamin D.

Before we discuss these, it is essential to understand that the dangers of vitamin D deficiency outweigh the dangers of overdosing on vitamin D. And overdosing on vitamin D is also tricky. Read the article to learn why.

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Vitamin D toxicity

Vitamin D toxicity, also called hypervitaminosis D, is a rare but potentially severe condition that occurs when you have excessive amounts of vitamin D in your body.

Vitamin D toxicity is usually caused by large doses of vitamin D supplements — not by diet or sun exposure. That’s because your body regulates the amount of vitamin D produced by sun exposure; even fortified foods don’t contain large amounts of vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays a vital role in maintaining your overall health.

It’s necessary for the growth and development of your muscle cells, proper functioning of the innate and adaptive immune system, maintenance of the health of your skeletal system, and more (1, 2).

This is why insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels may increase your risk of disease and infection, bone demineralization, and many other adverse health outcomes (2, 3).

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread. Up to 40% of U.S. adults are considered to have insufficient levels (not enough) of vitamin D. In comparison, around 6% are considered deficient in vitamin D. Worldwide, vitamin D deficiency affects around 1 billion people (1, 2, 3).

Factors that increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency include (3, 4):

skin color
where you live
your ability to absorb vitamin D
sun exposure
medical conditions
body weight

Because vitamin D deficiency is common, many people use vitamin D supplements to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D supplements are considered very safe, and toxicity is uncommon. This is because a healthy person would need to take substantial doses of vitamin D over time to reach toxic or dangerous levels in the body (5).

However, vitamin D toxicity is more common in people with certain medical conditions. These include (5):

granulomatous disorders
congenital disorders
some lymphomas
dysregulated vitamin D metabolism

Although uncommon, vitamin D toxicity can occur, especially in cases of:

accidental overdose
prescription errors
misuse of high-dose vitamin D supplements

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The #1 sign of vitamin D overdose

The primary sign of vitamin D overdose is calcification, i.e., hypercalcemia or calcium buildup in your blood. Hypercalcemia can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination.

In addition, vitamin D toxicity might progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones.

Calcification is when calcium builds up in body tissue, causing the tissue to harden. This can be a normal or abnormal process. Ninety-nine percent of calcium entering the body is deposited in bones and teeth. The remaining calcium dissolves in the blood.

When a disorder affects the balance between calcium and certain chemicals in the body, calcium can be deposited in other body parts, such as the arteries, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Calcium deposits can cause problems with how these blood vessels and organs work.

Calcifications can usually be seen on x-rays. A typical example is calcium depositing in the arteries as part of atherosclerosis.

Calcifications are usually found via X-rays. X-ray tests use electromagnetic radiation to take pictures of your internal organs and usually cause no discomfort. Your doctor will likely detect any calcification issues right away with X-rays.

Your doctor may also order blood tests. For example, if you have kidney stones, these tests can determine your overall kidney function.

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Other signs of vitamin D overdose include:

· excessive urination

· excessive thirst

· symptoms in the nerves, such as tingling, pain, or numbness

· kidney stones

Most cases of vitamin D toxicity may occur due to excessive consumption of vitamin D2.

Vitamin D2 vs. Vitamin D3

The two forms of vitamin D differ depending on their food sources.

Vitamin D3 is only found in animal-sourced foods, whereas D2 mainly comes from plant and fortified foods.

Sources of Vitamin D3

· Oily fish and fish oil

· Liver

· Egg yolk

· Butter

· Dietary supplements

Sources of Vitamin D2

· Mushrooms (grown in UV light)

· Fortified foods

· Dietary supplements

Since vitamin D2 is cheaper to produce, it’s the most common form in fortified foods.

There are a few more things I’d like to point out about vitamin D2.

· It is not as effective as vitamin D3.

· It does not have the same level of bioavailability as vitamin D3.

· It is not as studied as vitamin D3.

· It doesn’t affect the immune system, as vitamin D3 can.

· It helps reverse rickets in infants.

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Takeaway

Vitamin D plays a vital role in your overall health. Even if you have a heavy diet, you may require some supplements to achieve optimal blood levels.

But on the other hand, one can also have too much of a good thing.

Ensure that you avoid excessive doses of vitamin D. For people with adequate levels of vitamin D, taking supplements in the range of 4,000 IU or fewer per day is safe.

Health professionals may prescribe supplements for deficient people. They will check your blood levels regularly to ensure your safety and reduce your dose when you reach optimal levels.

Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.