Our body needs vitamin D for health. A lack can have serious consequences for the bones and can disrupt the growth of infants and children. There is also a risk of reduced muscle strength and an increased susceptibility to infections, such as this Robert Koch Institute (RKI) informed.
Vitamin D is primarily absorbed about the sunlight, i.e. UVB radiation. Also certain foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D, such as fatty sea fish, certain offal, edible mushrooms or Eggs. Dietary supplements offer another option for intake – but in this case there is a risk also an overdose.
This text deals with vitamin D tablets that experts warn against. Because taking it can cause damage to your health.
Vitamin D: What does this mean?
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) writes that vitamin D belongs to the fat-soluble vitamins and promotes bone stability by regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism. In addition, it is involved in many metabolic processes in the body.
Because the main supply comes from the body’s own production through sunlight exposure, vitamin D is among the vitamins a special position. The reference value for an adequate intake is 20 micrograms per day – but this only applies if there is a lack of self-production.
Vitamin D: Which people are most likely to be deficient?
An increased risk of one Undersupply of vitamin D due to insufficient formation in the skin have loud DGE People of older age, people who spend little or no time outdoors when the sun is shining, or who only spend time outdoors with their bodies completely covered, and people with dark skin.
The risk groups are therefore mobility-impaired, chronically ill and elderly people in need of care in care facilities Infants in their first year of life. This will be the case Taking a vitamin D supplement recommended in the amount of the estimated value.
The RKI also names people who suffer from chronic gastrointestinal, liver or kidney diseases or who take medications that impair vitamin D metabolism. These include antiepileptic drugs or cytostatics.
Vitamin D: What is the danger of an overdose?
The RKI If too much vitamin D is consumed, this indicates poisoning or intoxication. This is possible due to an excessive intake of supplements, i.e. dietary supplements, high-dose medications or a high consumption of fortified foods. A combination of the variants can also lead to an overdose.
In these cases, there may be an increased level in the body Calcium levels arise – this is referred to as hypercalcemia. Possible consequences include nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, vomiting or, in severe cases, kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmias, loss of consciousness or even death. The overdose can also occur gradually because vitamin D can be stored in the body.
Vitamin D: Which tablets do experts warn about because of health risks?
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) emphasizes that high-dose dietary supplements with 100 micrograms or 4000 IU (international units) of vitamin D or more per daily dose are not necessary for adequate supply. Dr. Karen Ildico Hirsch-Ernst explains: “Anyone who takes such remedies over the long term risks health problems.”
The expert refers to recent experiments: “In some clinical studies, daily administration of 100 micrograms of vitamin D over a longer period of time compared to controls resulted in a greater decrease in bone density in older women, an increase in the risk of falls and a deterioration in heart function in people with heart disease observed.”
Therefore recommends this BfR People that Take in vitamin D through dietary supplements want to use those that have up to 20 micrograms of vitamin D per daily dose. This amount is harmless to health in the long term and is sufficient “to raise the serum concentration of the blood marker 25-hydroxyvitamin D to an appropriate 50 nanomoles per liter.”
Agents with particularly high doses of vitamin D, some of which are also a combination with other substances such as Vitamin K contain should – if at all – only be taken under medical supervision. To date, there has not been sufficient scientific research into the extent to which the interaction of the two vitamins affects health.
The BfR summarizes the findings as follows: “High-dose dietary supplements with vitamin D do not help healthy people, but can cause harm in individual cases.”