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The downside of Vitamin D supplements

Known as the ‘sunshine vitamin, Vitamin D makes a significant contribution to our general well-being. It helps to maintain healthy bones and teeth and in supporting immunity.

For some groups, Vitamin D deficiency can be a problem, and GPs may prescribe supplements to increase levels. These people tend to be in groups aged over 65, pregnant and breastfeeding women spend large amounts of time indoors, dark-skinned people, and children. Those living in geographies with weak sunshine may also find they have low levels of Vitamin D.

The benefits of having the right levels of Vitamin D have become well-known. And this has led to a tendency for the fit and well to start looking at supplements too.

However, overdosing with Vitamin D can be harmful.

New guidelines from the US Endrocine Society suggest that the people who may benefit from supplements are:

  • Children 1-8 years to prevent rickets and possibly lower the risk of respiratory tract infections
  • Pregnant women, to decrease the risk of maternal, foetal or neonatal complications
  • Adults over 75, to lower mortality risk
  • Adults with pre-diabetes, to reduce Type 2 diabetes risk

However, you can have too much of a good thing, especially if you don’t fall into any of these categories. Potential effects of taking ‘too much’ Vitamin D as a supplement could be:

  • Hypercalcemia: excess Vitamin D increases calcium absorption, leading to dangerously high blood calcium levels, which can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, and kidney stones.
  • Kidney damage: over time, high calcium levels can lead to calcium deposits in the kidneys, potentially causing permanent kidney damage.
  • Bone health issues: paradoxically, too much Vitamin D can weaken bones by increasing bone resorption.
  • Heart problems: elevated calcium can also lead to cardiovascular issues like calcification of arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms: symptoms like constipation, poor appetite, and frequent urination may occur.

In a well-publicised story from 2023, an 89-year-old died in the UK after being admitted to hospital with hypercalcemia, a condition where the blood is overloaded with calcium. The inquest concluded that he died from vitamin D toxicity, also known as hypervitaminosis D, as well as cardiac and kidney failure. The coroner ruled his death a ‘misadventure’ – accidental but also due to an action he deliberately took. The patient had been taking vitamin supplements for at least nine months before his death, and a test showed his vitamin D levels were at 380, the maximum level the lab could record.

For all these concerns though, specialists are still unsure about what the ideal level for Vitamin D is. As ever, we recommend talking about supplements with your healthcare provider before embarking on a course of supplements that you may not need and could even damage your health.

 

Image from Unsplash+

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