Adults who consume more than the tolerable upper intake level of 4000 IU -- or 100 mcg -- of vitamin D daily may be at risk of developing vitamin D toxicity, the Office of Dietary Supplements warns. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the adverse reactions that occur due to vitamin D toxicity, seek additional guidance from your primary medical provider.
Upset Stomach
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. If you take too much of this nutrient, your body may also absorb too much calcium -- a condition called hypercalcemia. Typically, the adverse reactions that arise due to vitamin D toxicity occur because you have too much calcium in your body. Consuming large amounts of vitamin D may inflame or irritate your digestive tract. Stomach irritation may cause adverse stomach-related reactions, including nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite. Constipation, or irregular, infrequent bowel movements, may also occur if your blood levels of vitamin D are too high. In conjunction, these vitamin D toxicity symptoms may contribute to sudden, unintended weight loss. Contact your doctor for further evaluation and care if you experience persistent stomach discomfort or chronic constipation.
Weakness
If your blood contains high levels of calcium due to vitamin D toxicity, you may experience adverse reactions that affect your muscles. Calcium helps control when your muscles contract and relax. When your body has too much calcium, your muscles have difficulty knowing when to contract or relax when they're physically engaged. Consequently, you may experience muscle weakness as an adverse reaction following a vitamin D overdose. Muscle weakness may be severe enough to limit your ability to move about normally without assistance. Seek care from your physician if you experience severe or sudden weakness, as this symptom of vitamin D toxicity may also be a sign of an alternate health condition such as multiple sclerosis.
Excessive Thirst or Urination
Elevated vitamin D levels may cause excessive urination in certain people. You may need to use the bathroom several times throughout the day or may awake throughout the night due to urgent urinary sensations. When you urinate more frequently, your body loses more fluid than usual. Your body stimulates your thirst response to help restore your normal fluid levels. Thus, if you've taken too much vitamin D, you may also experience excessive thirst in conjunction with increased urinary frequency.
Itchy Skin
You may develop intensely itchy skin as an adverse reaction to high blood levels of vitamin D. Your skin may appear unusually dry or irritated, which may cause you to scratch at the affected skin region. Persistent scratching may damage your skin and can increase your risk of developing a skin infection. If such symptoms become severe or persist, seek additional care from your doctor.
Severe Adverse Reactions
If left undetected or untreated, vitamin D toxicity may cause severe adverse reactions. You may develop kidney stones or experience bone loss. Persistently high vitamin D levels may also lead to calcification, or hardening, or your vital organs -- a potentially life-threatening adverse reaction.
Member Comments