About two-thirds of Americans don’t get enough bone-strengthening vitamin D. This is especially true during the cold and dark winter months, when people don’t get the vitamin D provided by warm sunlight.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, a rare bone disease that causes bone pain and muscle weakness. But taking too much vitamin D can also be a big problem, causing similar symptoms and sometimes rare toxic blood disorders.
Hypercalcemia is caused by higher than normal levels of calcium, a bone-strengthening mineral, in the blood and can lead to kidney failure, abnormal heartbeats and even coma.
“Hypercalcemia can cause stomach upset, vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination,” explains the Mayo Clinic. “It can also lead to bone pain and kidney problems such as kidney stones.”
Fatigue, bone pain, nausea, constipation, depression, forgetfulness, decreased appetite, muscle aches and cramps, and more frequent thirst are common symptoms of hypercalcemia.
It was snowing and raining as people visited the dark and stormy Times Square in New York City in January 2024. Many people take vitamin D supplements during the cold and dark winter months, but taking too much can cause serious health problems (AFP via Getty Images)
Severe cases may require hospitalization, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Some doctors may prescribe steroids to lower calcium levels. Checking your blood calcium levels with a blood test can tell your doctor if you have hypercalcemia.
Mild readings of 10.5 to 11.9 milligrams of calcium per deciliter, while levels between 14 and 16 milligrams of calcium per deciliter indicate a medical emergency.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, hypercalcemia affects 1-2% of the general population, but it can affect anyone of any age.
Not all cases can be prevented, but people should avoid taking excessive amounts of calcium tablets. The Cleveland Clinic recommends that no one should consume more than 4,000 international units of vitamin D per day. This standardized unit of measurement is used for vitamins that are soluble in fat or oil, such as vitamins A and D.
Vitamin D pills sold online contain 1,000 to 5,000 international units and are not approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Most Americans don’t get enough bone-strengthening vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can also have dangerous health consequences, including bone disease (Getty Images/iStock)
Before the age of seventy, most people only need 600 IU per day to get adequate vitamin D.
Few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Salmon and other vitamin D-rich fish are the exception, with 3.5 ounces of wild-caught salmon providing 600 to 1,000 units of vitamin D, according to the Johns Hopkins University Medical Center. Egg yolks contain about 20 IU per 3.5 ounces, and shiitake mushrooms contain 100 IU.
Some milk, orange juice, yogurt, butter, cheese and breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin D. People should check their labels.
According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin D toxicity is unlikely to occur from eating foods that contain vitamin D.
“Experts also do not believe that sun exposure causes vitamin D toxicity. The skin produces vitamin D in response to sunlight. But the body controls the amount of vitamin D produced this way,” the clinic said.
