The symptoms of too much vitamin D

Vitamin D helps keep your bones healthy and supports your immune system. It is not without reason that vitamin D is one of the most popular vitamin supplements available. But is it possible to get too much vitamin D? And what are the symptoms of too much vitamin D? We will explain it to you in this article, so read on quickly.

The nutrition center recommends a daily intake of 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day. This is actually the minimum amount that your body really needs through your food. Because your body produces vitamin D largely in your skin, under the influence of sunlight. Still, that is far from enough for everyone.

Not everyone gets enough sun and the sun power in the Netherlands is not always equally strong. Elderly people and children also produce too little vitamin D in their skin. And in addition, people of color or people with covered skin produce too little vitamin D in their skin. A supplement, to supplement your diet, helps you to meet your vitamin D needs.

Want to read more about the risk groups that produce less vitamin D? Read more here and learn which dosage is appropriate in the article 'How much vitamin D per day? '.

It is not harmful to use more than 10 micrograms of vitamin D in a supplement. In Europe, the maximum dose for vitamin D3 supplements is set at 100 micrograms per day. In the Netherlands, the permitted amount is slightly lower: namely 75 micrograms per daily dose. A supplement of, for example, 25 micrograms is therefore a safe value between the amount you need at least and the amount you are allowed to take at most.

Never take more than the recommended amount in the instructions for use of your supplement.

A blood test can provide clarity about your vitamin D level. But what do these values ​​actually say and what value should you aim for?

According to general European guidelines, a blood level of 50-75 nmol/L is considered sufficient for most people. Anything below 50 is considered deficient.

According to the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners, the target value for vitamin D is 30 nmol/L for adults under 70 years of age. For the elderly, the target value is 50 nmol/L. There is some discussion as to whether these guidelines should not be adjusted upwards, towards the European values, given the importance of vitamin D for health ¹ .
Orthomolecular therapists, who use nutrients to pursue optimal health, often aim for even higher values.

Because your skin produces vitamin D under the influence of the sun, vitamin D is also called the sun vitamin. If you are in the sun for a long time and your body has produced enough vitamin D, your body will not continue to produce it endlessly. There is a natural mechanism to regulate the production of vitamin D, whereby the skin stops producing vitamin D as soon as the need is met. This helps to prevent an excess of vitamin D.

An excess of vitamin D in your body as a result of sun exposure is therefore not possible. It is also rare to get too much vitamin D from food alone. Natural food sources of vitamin D, such as fatty fish, meat and eggs, do not contain large amounts of vitamin D. The risk of getting too much vitamin D from food is therefore generally very low.

Too much vitamin D is rare. The greatest risk of too much vitamin D mainly comes from long-term intake of high doses of vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that you can store in your body. It is therefore important not to take more than is recommended in the instructions for use of your supplement.

An excess of vitamin D can practically only occur by taking too many, high-dose vitamin D supplements for a long time. Complaints that can arise from this are:

1. Fatigue and weakness;
2. Nausea, vomiting and decreased appetite;
3. Increased thirst and frequent urination;
4. Elevated calcium levels in the blood;
5. Bone pain and bone changes.

It is important to note that these symptoms vary in severity. Also, the presence of one or more of these symptoms does not automatically mean that you have a vitamin D excess. If you suspect that you are dealing with a vitamin D overdose, consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

It is always important to follow recommended dosages of vitamin D supplements and to seek advice from a health care professional when using high doses.