2024-02-09 07:13:27
Many people take vitamin D through supplements. That can be dangerous. What consequences can an overdose have and how should you react?
When the days become shorter and shorter in autumn and winter, many people turn to preparations that supply the body with additional vitamin D. If we don’t get enough sunlight, a deficiency of the vital vitamin occurs. However, taking additional vitamin D does not always make sense. There may be a risk of an overdose. But what exactly is that? And how dangerous can it be?
How much vitamin D is healthy?
An important function of vitamin D in the body is its involvement in bone metabolism, explains the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). But in order to fulfill these and many other tasks, the body must have enough vitamin D. Since the vitamin is produced in the body when the skin is in direct contact with sunlight, the RKI recommends exposing your face, hands and arms to the sun two to three times a week between March and October, uncovered and without sun protection, in order to ensure adequate care .
But what if there isn’t enough sunlight? Then the vitamin D can enter the body through food. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has published estimates for this intake: For children aged one and over and adults of all age groups, the estimated value is 20 micrograms of vitamin D per day, which corresponds to 800 international units. The RKI also recommends preparations with a daily dose of up to 20 micrograms.
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However, if you are exposed to the sun frequently, the desired supply can be achieved without taking a vitamin D preparation, according to the DGE.
Diagnosis: How is an excess of vitamin D determined?
As we all know, too much of a good thing can do harm. To find out whether this is the case with vitamin D, doctors usually diagnose vitamin D levels with a blood test. If the blood test shows a high calcium level and high doses of vitamin D are taken at the same time, this indicates an excess.
Too much vitamin D: when is it an overdose?
The dose makes the poison: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) therefore warns against overdosing on vitamin D. Overall, the following dose should not be exceeded:
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- Adults and children aged 11 and over should not consume more than 100 micrograms per day
- Children up to the age of 10 should consume a maximum of 50 micrograms of vitamin D daily
How does vitamin D poisoning occur?
Too much vitamin D leads to intoxication, also known as vitamin D poisoning. The RKI attributes this to the fact that vitamin D can be stored as a fat-soluble vitamin in fat and muscle tissue.
But the body’s own production of vitamin D and the natural diet are not enough to prevent such overdoses. In this country, only a few foods contain high amounts of vitamin D. These are possible due to excessive intake of dietary supplements, high-dose medication, high consumption of fortified foods – or a combination of all of these variants. Because vitamin D can be stored in the body, both acute and gradual overdoses are possible.
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However, a lack of vitamin D is significantly more common than an overdose: measured by their serum blood values, almost a third of adults in Germany are inadequately supplied with vitamin D. This is shown by a study by the RKI on vitamin D status in Germany from 2016. According to this, 38.4 percent of adults achieve an adequate supply.
Vitamin D: What are the consequences and symptoms of an overdose?
If too much vitamin D enters the body via preparations, there is a risk of hypercalcemia. These are increased calcium levels in the body. These can lead to, among other things, the following damage:
- nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach cramps
- Vomit
- Kidney damage
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- unconsciousness
The RKI expressly warns that the consequences can potentially lead to death.
How is a vitamin D overdose treated?
Depending on the severity of the vitamin D overdose, it is sufficient to stop taking the dietary supplement until the effects of the high calcium content in the blood are eliminated. If the excess is particularly severe, doctors administer medication to suppress the release of calcium from the bones.
Vitamin D: How to avoid an overdose?
The experts recommend only using vitamin D supplements if prescribed by a doctor. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) writes: “A vitamin D deficiency can only be diagnosed and treated by a doctor. Supplementation or medication with vitamin D preparations should be carried out under medical supervision.” The German Society for Nutrition recommends additional intake if an improvement in vitamin D status cannot be achieved either through self-synthesis or through diet. Otherwise, the most important thing is: enough sunlight is completely sufficient.
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