Ella Scott
A GP has made a serious case for watching your vitamin D intake, revealing that too much of the nutrient can be devastating for your health.
We can get vitamin D from a bunch of sources: sunlight, fortified foods, oily fish, and mushrooms which have been exposed to UV light.
Between late March and the end of September, most people can make all the vitamin D that they need through sunlight and from a balanced diet.
But through the rest of the year (early October to early March) some will choose to take a supplement, either in pill, powder, or liquid form.
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If you’re someone who religiously takes vitamin D then be warned: there really is too much of a good thing.
Dr Zoe Williams, NHS GP and media medic, recently appeared on ITV’s This Morning to speak about how the fat-soluble nutrient can build up in our systems.
“There's certain vitamins that we don't pee out if we take too much, they're stored in the fat, so vitamins A, D, E, and K,” she began, as per Women’s Health.
The NHS advises that you shouldn’t really consume more than 10 micrograms in a day, and if you take ten times that or more, then it can become toxic.
“You can get calcium deposits in your heart, your kidneys, your blood, and that can make you feel unwell,” Dr Williams reasoned.
This is known as hypercalcaemia, a serious metabolic condition that can cause symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and frequent urination.
The Mayo Clinic stated that it can eventually lead to bone pain and kidney troubles such as kidney stones.
Treatment for vitamin D toxicity includes stopping use of vitamin D supplements, as well as possible fluids given through a vein for hydration.
Medicines such as corticosteroids or bisphosphonates to lower calcium levels in your blood may also be administered, the Mayo Clinic wrote.
“I often say there are three categories,” Dr Williams continued. “People who need supplements, people who benefit from taking it as insurance and people who are taking it to harmful levels.”
If you’re an adult, your doctor may ask to test your vitamin D levels if you have pain in your bones, or muscle weakness, as per Bupa.
The healthcare group said that this could be a sign of bone disease, like osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
If your child has bone pain or problems with their growth, your doctor may ask to test their vitamin D. This could be a sign of rickets or softening of the bones, it added.
If you’re unsure whether you need to start taking Vitamin D supplements then speak to your healthcare provider. They can advise a dose for your specific needs.