Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs to help metabolize calcium and form healthy bones. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating the levels of calcium and phosphorus within your blood. Your body synthesizes vitamin D3 from sunlight and changes it into calcitrol, the hormonal form of vitamin D. Vitamin D3 supplements can help you meet your daily requirement, but excessive amounts can cause toxicity.
Sources
Sunlight is the natural source of vitamin D. Your skin absorbs UVB rays, which triggers the production of vitamin D3. Your liver and kidney then convert the D3 into calcitrol. Some foods, such as eggs, sardines, salmon and meat, contain small amounts of vitamin D3. The most likely source of a vitamin D3 overdose comes from vitamin supplements.
Recommended Amount
The daily recommended amount of vitamin D for most adults is 600 IU per day, although adults over the age of 70 require 800 IU per day. The upper limit for vitamin D is 4,000 IU per day, an amount equal to 100 mcg. While most people receive an adequate amount of vitamin D from the sun, certain individuals may require vitamin D3 supplements. People over the age of 50, as well as adults with darker skin tones, may experience a vitamin D3 deficiency, especially if they fail to consume foods that contain this vitamin. Certain health conditions, such as Crohn's disease, gluten intolerance and cystic fibrosis, may increase your risk of a deficiency.
Overdose Symptoms
You are unlikely to receive toxic levels of vitamin D from food sources or sunlight exposure. Taking more than the recommended safe level of vitamin D3 can cause side effects. An excessive intake can cause you to develop hypercalcemia, a condition that occurs when your blood contains too much calcium. Hypercalcemia can cause several uncomfortable symptoms, such as vomiting, anorexia, excess urination, fatigue and vertigo. Too much vitamin D3 may also impair your kidney function and cause calcium deposits to form in various organs throughout your body.
Precautions
The amounts of vitamin D in your body can vary depending on how much time you spend in the sunlight. Stop taking the supplement and contact your doctor if you experience symptoms of hypercalcemia. Since you may already have adequate levels of vitamin D in your body, it is important to talk to your doctor before taking vitamin D3 supplements. A blood test is necessary to determine a deficiency of this vitamin.
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