Too much vitamin D?

[MaryC1999]

Ok, I was wondering if anyone knows if you can take too much vitamin D, like if it's dangerous. I don't eat any dairy or eggs, nor do I eat many fortified soy products except one daily soy yogurt. I do use soy milk in cooking but I'm not sure if it's any meaningful amounts or with enough frequency to really matter. I take one multivitamin a day that has 100% of the RDA of vitamin D (400i.u.) and I also take a calcium supplement that has 100% of the RDA of vitamin D (400 i.u.). Unless it's really cold or rainy I'm outside for at least an hour a day with my kids, though mostly in the shade. I admit I'm not the best with suntan lotion. No scolding! I know, I know.
Ok so is taking 200% the RDA of vitamin D potentially dangerous? I had a very hard time just finding these supplements but I can try to find others I guess. I eat very little items that have calcium, as it is with the supplements I'm getting only about 70% of the RDA everyday. :( I don't really want to stop taking them but I can't find any definitive answers on where to draw the line regarding the toxicity of vitamin D. :-/
Mary

[Zasko]

From a book I have here, it warns vitamin D is the most likely of the vitamins to get in toxic levels. It'll raise the blood calcium concentration to an unhealthy level leaving calcium deposits in various parts of your body. This is most likely to create stones in your kidney where your body is trying to excrete this excess. Also your blood vessels may harden from all the calcium in your blood causing issues near arterties of the heart and lung.

400 IU = 10 micrograms. The upper limit is set at 50 micrograms, so it doesn't seem like you're going beyond it. 5 micrograms is the adequate intake for 19-50 year olds and it increases past that age to 15 micrograms for people over 70.

I personally get my vit D from the soley sun. For people living above Los Angeles I think it's recommended to get vit D supplements especially during the winter. Your body only makes vit D if it needs it from the sun. It's impossible to overdose naturally unless you have something seriously wrong. If you eat a balanced healthy diet like it seems you do, then you may not need as much sunscreen so don't fret about that. :)

[Indian Summer]

I think I've read somewhere that ODing on vitamin D will lead to some of the same sypthoms as those from too little vitamin D, i.e. bad bone health.

[Trueveggie14]

I have "The Doctor's Complete Guide to Vitamins and Minerals". Besides the good advice that Zasko has given, it also states that over-supplementation of vitamin D can lead to Iron deficiency.

Symptoms of toxicity: Irritability, weakness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, headache, loss of appetite.

Although some sources put 158,000 IU as the "toxic" dose, studies have shown that 10 times the RDA or 4000 IU of Vitamin D causes the symptoms specified.

About the sunscreen: I personally don't use it. I've read that the sunscreen itself can cause cancer. It's my choice not to use it. I can't tell others what to believe. Maybe search for something completely natural that acts as sunscreen instead of buying the ones in the store full of chemicals.

[MaryC1999]

Thanks!
I guess I'm still under the limit. I was worried because I know some vitamins are easy to overdo and they can wreak havoc on you. I can't find a multivitamin without D though (that I can take) and I guess they put D in with calcium suppliments because it aids in absorption. I endup with double then. I'm more worried about falling short with my calcium, inthe long run, but one thing at a time. lol
Re: the sunscreen. I'm good about it with my kids but I spend as little time outside as humanly possible so I'm not overly concerned with it. My GP is always scolding me.
Mary

[Lothar M Kirsch]

Thanks!
I guess I'm still under the limit. I was worried because I know some vitamins are easy to overdo and they can wreak havoc on you. I can't find a multivitamin without D though (that I can take) and I guess they put D in with calcium suppliments because it aids in absorption. I endup with double then. I'm more worried about falling short with my calcium, inthe long run, but one thing at a time. lol
Re: the sunscreen. I'm good about it with my kids but I spend as little time outside as humanly possible so I'm not overly concerned with it. My GP is always scolding me.
Mary
I guess they put D in with calcium suppliments because it aids in absorption yes.
As vitamin D is expensive, one can take 20.000 IU every three weeks, but you can quickly intoxicate yourself with these, if you don't know that they aren't meant to be taken every day.