A guy grew so ill that doctors worried he had cancer, prompting doctors to warn about the hazards of vitamin D overdose.
After suffering from continuous vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach problems, the Kent middle-aged patient lost two stones in three months.
The onset of his symptoms occurred one month after he began taking 20 over-the-counter supplements each day, which corresponded to 80 times the prescribed vitamin D intake.
The unidentified patient was hospitalized and underwent a battery of tests to rule out malignant tumors.
His vitamin D level was seven times over normal, and he had an acute renal injury, according to blood testing.
He was hospitalized for over a week and administered medications and intravenous fluids to cleanse the supplements from his system.
The physicians who treated him cautioned that his situation “further demonstrates the possible toxicity of supplements that are generally regarded as harmless.”
Vitamin D, sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, regulates the quantity of calcium in the body, promoting healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
The NHS recommends that everyone take a daily vitamin D pill during the fall and winter.
However, excessive calcium intake might make the kidneys work harder to filter it out of the blood.
It is recommended that adults and children older than one receive no more than 600 IU of vitamin D each day.
The most recent example, described in the journal BMJ Case Reports, was a guy who was taking 83 times the recommended daily dose of vitamin D.
His general practitioner referred him to the hospital after he complained of repeated vomiting, nausea, stomach aches, and leg cramps for three months, during which time he lost 12kg (28lbs).
In addition to tinnitus, the patient suffered from a parched mouth and an insatiable thirst.
His private nutritionist had advised him to begin an intense vitamin supplement program, doctors claimed.
As soon as he began to feel ill, he stopped taking his daily vitamin cocktail, which also included omega-3, vitamin B2, B9, C, K2, and several other minerals and probiotic pills.
However, the symptoms did not go.
To rule out malignancies and bacterial infections as the source of his symptoms, he was brought to the hospital for CT and MRI scans.
The man was placed in the hospital after additional tests revealed abnormal calcium levels and kidney damage.
He stayed in the hospital for eight days and was given an intravenous drip to remove the supplements from his system.
Doctors also administered bisphosphonates, which are often used to strengthen bones, to further reduce the patient’s blood calcium levels.
His calcium level recovered to normal two months after hospital discharge, but his vitamin D levels remained excessively high.
The NHS doctors who treated him reached the following conclusion: ‘Due to its slow turnover (half-life of approximately two months), vitamin D toxicity symptoms can last for several weeks.
This case report emphasizes the possible toxicity of supplements that are generally regarded as safe unless they are consumed in dangerous quantities or unsafe combinations.
The most common cause of vitamin D toxicity is excessive vitamin D supplementation, not food or sun exposure.
Sun exposure regulates the amount of vitamin D produced by the body, and even fortified foods do not contain enough vitamin D to be toxic.
The main effect of vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia, a buildup of calcium in the blood that can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination.
Vitamin D intoxication may proceed to bone pain and kidney issues, such as calcium stone production in the kidneys.
Occasionally, high doses are used to treat medical conditions such as vitamin D deficiency, but only under the supervision of a physician for a predetermined period. A person’s blood levels should be checked while taking large amounts of vitamin D.
How can one obtain vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a type of vitamin that the human body obtains both through diet and sun exposure.
What is its purpose?
It helps balance calcium and phosphate levels in the body.
These nutrients are necessary for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
Bone abnormalities such as rickets in children and osteomalacia (a weakening of the bones) in adults can result from insufficient vitamin D.
How can I obtain enough vitamin D?
Between April and September, the majority of people in the United Kingdom will obtain enough vitamin D from sunlight if they spend time outdoors.
The body creates vitamin D spontaneously when exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D is also present in fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks.
Should I use a supplement?
The National Health Service recommends that individuals take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months when sunshine is weaker.
Other individuals may require vitamin D supplements year-round if they are housebound or have dark skin, which lowers the amount of sunlight their skin receives.
Children aged one to four should receive a daily dosage of 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.
What dosage should I take?
The NHS recommends 10g per day for most people.
What occurs if I consume too much?
Too much calcium over a long period can lead to a harmful buildup in the body, which can weaken bones and harm the heart and kidneys.
The NHS discourages individuals from exceeding 100 mg per day.
Children one to ten years old should not consume more than 50g per day, and infants younger than 12 months should not consume more than 25mg per day.
Vitamin D is commonly marketed in amounts known as IU. One microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 international units (IU).
