High-dose vitamin D sends man to hospital in UK

A British man’s vitamin D overdose is a wake-up call for people considering adding supplements to their lives, according to an article in BMJ Case Reports.

After consulting with a private dietitian, the man began taking more than 20 over-the-counter supplements per day, including 50,000 (52.97 mg) international units (IU) of Vitamin D Three times a day. This is a dose hundreds of times higher than standard dietary recommendations.

Within a month, the man began experiencing nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and frequent bouts of vomiting, as well as leg cramps and ringing in his ears.

The man, whose name has not been released, heard about Supplements on a radio show and called the program’s dietician afterward, said the doctor who treated the man.

Unlike water-soluble vitamins, which the body can easily eliminate, vitamin D and its “cousins” A, E, and K are stored in the liver and the body’s fat cells until they are needed. Consumption above the recommended daily dose can reach toxic levels.

The man stopped taking the supplement when his symptoms began, but his condition did not improve. When it was sent to hospitalAfter two months, he lost 12.7 kg and his kidneys were in trouble. Tests showed he had taken an excessive dose of vitamin D, a condition called hypervitaminosis D.

Recommended Daily Levels

The body needs vitamin D. Its main function is to help the body absorb calcium from the intestine – in fact, the body cannot absorb calcium unless vitamin D is present. The vitamin also plays a role in immune health, brain cell activity, and muscle function.

In the United States, 600 IU of vitamin D per day is recommended for adults age 69 or younger, according to the National Institutes of Health. For adults 70 years and older, the dose is increased to 20 mcg or 800 IU daily. The recommended amount for infants, children, and teens was recently doubled by the American Academy of Pediatrics to 10 mcg, or 400 IU per day.

A 2017 study found that 3% of Americans take more than the tolerable upper limit of 4,000 IU per day for adults, putting themselves at risk of toxicity. About 18% took more than 1,000 IU (1.05 mg) per day.

Excessive intake of vitamin D in the blood leads to hypercalcemia, which occurs when the level of calcium in the blood is higher than normal. The man was diagnosed in hospital in the UK with hypercalcemia, which can weaken his bones, create kidney stones and interfere with the functioning of the kidneys. heart he is from brain.

The man was hospitalized for eight days and treated with medication to lower calcium levels in the blood. A follow-up two months later found that the calcium levels in her blood had fallen to nearly normal. Doctors said that although the man’s vitamin D level had improved significantly, it was still high.

Signs of excess vitamin D can include drowsiness, mental confusion, lethargy, depression, and in more severe cases, it can lead to stupor and coma. The heart may be affected: blood pressure may rise and the heart may begin to beat irregularly. In severe cases, it can enter the kidneys failure. Hearing and vision can be affected.

Where do you get vitamin D?

The body produces enough vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. However, exposure to strong midday sunlight is not recommended due to the risk of skin cancer.

Vitamin D supplementation may not be necessary for many children and teens, as many foods such as milk, eggs, cereal, and orange juice are often fortified with vitamin D.

Breastfed babies should receive 400 IU of supplemental vitamin D daily, starting in the first few days of life and continuing until the baby is weaned with formula or fortified milk.

Experts caution that if vitamin D supplementation is being considered, daily levels of vitamin D obtained from food should be considered in the decision. In addition to fortified foods,Eggs, cheese, shiitake mushrooms, salmon, swordfish, tuna, rainbow trout, and beef liver all contain vitamin D, as does cod liver oil.

Experts say anyone concerned about their vitamin D levels should have it evaluated by a doctor.

This content was originally published on High-dose vitamin D sends man to hospital in UK On site CNN Brazil.