Vitamin D Toxicity

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by shartsoe, May 11, 2014.

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  1. shartsoe

    shartsoe New Member

    I just heard from someone I hadn't spoken to in a long while. Apparently, her doctor had dx her as having low vitamin D levels and prescribed supplements. Not long after, she became violently ill. So ill, she had to be hospitalized and her doctors thought she was dying. It didn't occur to them to test for Vitamin D toxicity because she had been taking the supplements for such a short time. When the finally did, her levels weren't really that much higher than what might be considered a "high normal." They stopped the supplementation anyway and her health began to steadily improve. Now, I'm pretty sure this is an atypical response. Her reaction to Vitamin D and what constituted "toxicity" for her individual makeup appears to be different than the average person.

    I don't know what her levels were when she started. I don't know what her levels were when she became ill.

    All I'm saying is that apparently, it's possible to have a toxic reaction to supplementation even if you are not taking mega-doses of your supplement of choice. Be careful out there.

    In my own case, Vitamin D supplements made my heart palpitations much worse than normal, and I had to quit supplementing.
     
  2. Vicki615

    Vicki615 New Member

    wow that is scary. I take 3000 mg a day I have a small deficiency. Now I am worried about taking them. Do you know what dosage she was taking? That would help to know. I know some doctors have been prescribing extremely high doses.
     
  3. John of Ohio

    John of Ohio New Member

    This is not useful information. Missing are all the crucial data: what was the person's serum concentration of vitamin D before the event that putatively provoked the outcome; what was the dosage of vitamin D in IUs; what form of "vitamin D" was being taken (D2, D3, or other?), and what was the serum vitamin D concentration (in ng/ml) that putatively caused the episode?

    "High normal," depending on the physician's perspectives on the same could range from 15 to 30 or 40 ng/ml --- which would raise the question as to why these very normal ranges could provoke the person to become "violently ill."

    Inasmuch as literally millions are taking between 2000 and 5000 IU of vitamin D each day, and there have been no other known reports of such "violently ill" outcomes, all of this report is suspect --- not that it didn't happen; but that is was caused by the vitamin D.

    If it were the vitamin D that caused this, an afternoon at the beach in the summer time, where several thousand IU of vitamin D would have been synthesized in the exposed skine, would have been violently unhealthful for this person.

    A rather singular and unique case, of unknown complicating factors, I think.

    --John of Ohio
     
  4. Vicki615

    Vicki615 New Member

    * I meant I take 3000 IU a day not mg.
    Good points JOH
     
  5. shartsoe

    shartsoe New Member

    Well, I said she seemed to have an abnormal response and I'm not recommending amyone stop taking Vitamin D if your serum levels are low. I just think people should be careful.

    Vicki, I don't know what dosage she was taking. But I know that when I was prescribed prescription strength D, it was a very high-dose once a week pill. Perhaps that's what she was taking and what contributed to her illness. Maybe it wasn't the sustained blood serum levels at all but the concentrated dosing.

    All I'm saying to anyone, taking anything, is listen to your body. If you start feeling wonky, evaluate everything -- including your VMS. I'm sure you're fine, Vicki.
     
  6. nicmger

    nicmger New Member

    This does not surprise me at all. My mom had been told that she had calcium deficiency and was told to take a supplement; 6 months later or so she was critically ill in the hospital from levels too high. From what I gathered there is a "fine line" between the right amount and too much. Too much can kill you - even of the good stuff! Thanks for sharing it is a great reminder!
     

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