Never Self-Prescribe Vitamin D Supplements: This Is How It Could Backfire

The discovery of vitamins was a major scientific achievement in human understanding of health and disease. In 1912, Polish biochemist Casimir Funk originally coined the term ‘vitamine’. The major period of discovery began in the early 19th century and ended in the mid-20th century. Through a slow, stepwise progress that included setbacks, contradictions, refutations, and some chicanery, epidemiologists, physicians, physiologists, and chemists made some stunning scientific breakthroughs in nutrition research, and greatly shortened the period of human suffering from vitamin deficiencies, states a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557876/">report </a>by the University of Pittsburgh Presbyterian Hospital.
In a span of just 100 years, mankind has been able to beat vitamin-deficiency diseases such as beri-beri, scurvy, rickets, etc. and also figured out the importance of each vitamin in metabolic activity.
In an era of over-the-counter dispensation of medicines, it has become quite easy to purchase vitamins from various outlets, not limited to chemists/medical units. Add to that the free advice one gets on social media and from sundry friends, and there is a likelihood of one overdosing on vitamins that the body already holds enough reserves of or successfully absorbs from the diet.
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Excessive Vitamin D, for example, can lead to hypervitaminosis D, a rare but potentially serious condition.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in some animal food products and is also synthesised in the human body via exposure to the sun. It helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep the bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Vitamin D is available as both a prescription and over-the-counter supplement. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to the development of rickets and osteopenia. It has now been proven that vitamin D also plays an important role in various metabolic processes, and its imbalance or deficiency is adversely linked to the triggering of autoimmune disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, dementia, infectious diseases, and musculoskeletal decline.
Vitamin D toxicity, meanwhile, is usually caused by large doses of supplements — not by diet or sun exposure. That’s because your body regulates the amount of vitamin D produced by sun exposure, and even fortified foods don’t contain large amounts of vitamin D.
The symptoms of vitamin D toxicity are mainly due to hypercalcemia. They include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Decrease in appetite</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Nausea and vomiting</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Constipation</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dehydration</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Increased thirst (polydipsia)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Frequent urination</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Confusion, lethargy and fatigue</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Muscle weakness and difficulty walking</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bone pain</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kidney stones</li>
</ul>
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<h3>What Causes Vitamin D Toxicity?</h3>
Hypervitaminosis D is rare and usually caused by excessive doses of vitamin D due to misuse of over-the-counter supplements or erroneous prescriptions.
The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is an imbalance in the regulation of bone metabolism that may lead to a build-up of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia).
Left unaddressed and untreated, Hypervitaminosis-D-triggered hypercalcemia may progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones.
<h3>What Are The Recommended Doses Of Vitamin D?</h3>
According to Cleveland Clinic, the healthy daily requirements for vitamin D include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">People ages 19 to 50: 600 IU/d</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">People ages 50 to 70: At least 600 IU/d</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">People older than 70: At least 800 IU/d</li>
</ul>
The maximum suggested daily requirement is 4,000 IU/d for healthy adults. 
<h3>About Vitamin D Deficiency</h3>
Speaking to ABP Live, Dr Dharmendra Kumar, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, said diet alone often does not meet daily requirements, and supplementation may be necessary if sunlight exposure is inadequate.
Discussing natural dietary sources of vitamin D, he mentioned fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna (~500-1,000 IU per serving), cod liver oil (~1,360 IU per tablespoon) and egg yolks (~40 IU per yolk).
Among fortified moods, he mentioned fortified milk (cow’s, soy, or almond ~100 IU per cup) and fortified cereals or orange juice (~40-100 IU per serving).
He listed the sunlight requirements thus:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Fair-skinned individuals: About 10-30 minutes of midday sun, 2-3 times a week, typically generates adequate Vitamin D.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Darker skin tones or older adults: May require longer exposure due to reduced Vitamin D synthesis.</li>
</ul>
According to the doctor, vitamin D deficiency symptoms include bone pain or tenderness, often in the lower back, pelvis, or legs, muscle weakness, cramps, or difficulty with physical activity, chronic fatigue, depression or feelings of sadness, impaired immunity, and delayed wound healing.
Dr Kumar said one should consider consulting a healthcare provider if they experience:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Persistent bone or muscle pain</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Recurrent infections or slow recovery from illnesses</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Noticeable fatigue or mood changes, especially during winter months</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Risk factors like limited sun exposure, darker skin, obesity, or gastrointestinal conditions affecting nutrient absorption (e.g., Crohn’s disease or celiac disease)</li>
</ul>
Blood tests measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels can confirm deficiency, he added.
Diet alone often does not meet daily requirements, and supplementation may be necessary if sunlight exposure is inadequate, he said.
<h3>How Is Hypervitaminosis Treated?</h3>
Treatment includes stopping vitamin D intake and restricting dietary calcium. Your doctor might also prescribe intravenous fluids and medications, such as corticosteroids or bisphosphonates, to lower the level of calcium in your blood. In rare cases, according to the Cleveland Clinic, due to significant kidney damage, one may need hemodialysis to get rid of excessive calcium.
The key is to talk to your doctor before taking vitamin and mineral supplements.
The writer is a senior independent journalist.

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Never Self-Prescribe Vitamin D Supplements: This Is How It Could Backfire

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