Can you intake too much vitamin d

In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe higher doses to treat a vitamin D deficiency, though these numbers provide a good guideline. Of course, talk with your healthcare provider to learn what amount of vitamin D intake they recommend for you.

Micrograms may be abbreviated as "mcg. However, labels often do list the percent Daily Value DV , which reflects the amount of vitamin D in a serving of that food as a percentage of IU. Finally, you can also get a sense of the vitamin D content of various kinds of food by visiting the National Institutes of Health's resource on vitamin D see Table 3.

If vitamin D toxicity occurs, your healthcare provider may suggest restricting your dietary calcium intake. Treatment may also include discontinuing the use of any vitamin D supplement—at least temporarily. In food, vitamin D can be found in beef liver, egg yolks, and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Supplements are very common, and both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 can be taken in supplement form.

Vitamin D3 is produced in response to sun exposure and is found in animal products, whereas vitamin D2 occurs in plants. Vitamin D3 has been found to increase blood levels significantly more than D2.

However, taking extremely high doses of vitamin D3 for long periods may lead to excessive buildup in your body. Because the vitamin is stored in body fat and released into the bloodstream slowly, the effects of toxicity may last for several months after you stop taking supplements 4. Achieving adequate levels of vitamin D in your blood may help boost your immunity and protect you from diseases like osteoporosis and cancer 5.

One recent study looked at data from more than 20, people over a year period. This was a whopping 47 times the generally recommended safe upper limit of 4, IU per day. The woman was admitted to the hospital after she experienced fatigue, forgetfulness, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, and other symptoms 9. Although only extremely large doses can cause toxicity so rapidly, even strong supporters of these supplements recommend an upper limit of 10, IU per day 3.

Toxicity symptoms have been reported at extremely high blood levels resulting from megadoses. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. In fact, this is one of its most important roles. However, if vitamin D intake is excessive, blood calcium may reach levels that can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms. Symptoms of hypercalcemia , or high blood calcium levels, include:. In one case study, an older man with dementia who received 50, IU of vitamin D daily for 6 months was repeatedly hospitalized with symptoms related to high calcium levels In another, two men took improperly labeled vitamin D supplements, leading to blood calcium levels of Summary Taking too much vitamin D may result in excessive absorption of calcium, which can cause several potentially dangerous symptoms.

Many side effects of too much vitamin D are related to excessive calcium in the blood. These include nausea , vomiting, and poor appetite. One study followed 10 people who had developed excessive calcium levels after they had taken high-dose vitamin D to correct deficiency.

The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors. But between October and early March we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight.

Read more about vitamin D and sunlight. In the UK, cows' milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it is not fortified, as it is in some other countries. Children from the age of 1 year and adults need 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Babies up to the age of 1 year need 8. A microgram is 1, times smaller than a milligram mg. So 10 micrograms of vitamin D is equal to IU. For most people, though, the answer will be to simply stop your supplements, which will allow your body to process the excess calcium and, over weeks or months , return to normal.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps your body absorb and regulate calcium. Therefore, it plays an essential role in helping you grow and maintain bone tissue throughout life.

Our bodies get vitamin D in two ways: through sun exposure and from certain foods. How much you need depends on your age, according to the National Institutes of Health. For example, adults require less than people over 70, who produce less vitamin D through their skin. The National Institutes of Health recommend that most adults need international units IU each day to cover their basic needs for bone health. However, for overall health, it's best to get somewhere between IU to 4, IU per day.

Fish is a great way to cover your bases , while vegans and vegetarians can look to almond milk and mushrooms. Three ounces of fatty fish, like salmon, or a cup of portobello mushrooms will take care of your daily vitamin D needs. Ross says that if you occasionally consume the maximum recommended amount — 4, IU — it won't hurt you. But if you are consistently reaching or exceeding this limit for months or years on-end, that's when it may lead to symptoms of toxicity.

Ross says that the vitamin D your skin produces through sun exposure is hard to quantify but in general, it's supplements — not sunlight — that tips the scales towards toxicity.

If you get a severe sunburn, for example, you should be more concerned about skin damage than vitamin D toxicity. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency is more of a concern than toxicity. This is especially true for children, who can develop rickets if they're vitamin D-deficient, leading to soft and poorly developed bones.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplements for infants who are breast-feeding, or not getting sufficient vitamin D through formula.