Vitamin D3

Sharlee

I have a bottle of Carlson Vit D3, 2000 iu per drop (for DS who has trouble swallowing pills and also remembering to take the drops because I'm sure the bottle is about one year old)) and the expiry date is Feb 2014.

I'm sure a year's supply would be ok.

Regards

Skymist

I keep my D3 in the fridge, along with my Vit E, another fat-soluble vitamin supplement, to prevent rancidity. I'm sure this would also help keep a years supply of D3 softgels viable!

S

hethmar

I just looked at some I got 6 months back and on the bottom they give a best buy date end of 2012?

Gloomendoom

An interesting thread. I've also had itchy shins and wondered what caused it.

Those people taking high dose supplements of vitamin D without medical supervision may want to consider the findings of the Institute of Medicine, an independent American health agency.

Overdosing on either nutrient can be dangerous, the researchers reported. Consuming high levels of vitamin D (at least 10,000 IUs daily) are known to cause kidney and tissue damage, they claim, and even taking 4,000 IUs daily could be risky. In terms of calcium, the IOM says that taking more than 2,000mg each day could lead to kidney stones, especially in post-menopausal women.

Source

Skymist

Gloomendoom, I think one has to include more "findings" than just the one you sited, which could cause people needless worry!!


Here is the Vitamin D Council's view on toxicity:-

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/what-is-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-toxicity/


There was a vitamin D toxicity scare in the late 1950s :-

http://www.publichealthreviews.eu/upload/pdf_files/7/15_Vitamin_D.pdf

and here is the Vitamin D Council's view of that same period:-

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-archive/2009/german-and-british-children-vitamin-d-and-long-ago/

Also, an 18 page book written for the layperson on vitamin D.

http://books.google.com/books?id=5H4zfBJNbyUC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false


I just think a bit more reading gives a much more balanced viewpoint!!

I'm post-menopausal, and have been taking 6000 IUs/day for a few years, along with the other supplements needed for strong bones, as I have a family history of osteoporosis. I consider this a preventative measure especially considering the climate, latitude (I'm in Scotland) and lack of sun that we have here in the UK.

S

Gloomendoom

Skymist wrote: »

Gloomendoom, I think one has to include more "findings" than just the one you sited, which could cause people needless worry!!

I just think a bit more reading gives a much more balanced viewpoint!!

I think my post did provide balance. I may have missed it but no other post in the thread mentioned that taking too much vitamin D might actually harmful or what the safe limit is currently regarded to be.

However, I take your point, at least three references would have been better.

United States Office of Dietary Supplements

Long-term intakes above the UL increase the risk of adverse health effects. Most reports suggest a toxicity threshold for vitamin D of 10,000 to 40,000 IU/day and serum 25(OH)D levels of 500–600 nmol/L (200–240 ng/mL). While symptoms of toxicity are unlikely at daily intakes below 10,000 IU/day, the FNB pointed to emerging science from national survey data, observational studies, and clinical trials suggesting that even lower vitamin D intakes and serum 25(OH)D levels might have adverse health effects over time.

Source

Oman Medical Journal

The highest chronic daily oral intake of vitamin D that will pose no risk of adverse effects for most healthy adults has not been elucidated. The Food and Nutritional Board, USA evaluated the potential for high intakes of vitamin D to produce adverse effects and set a safe Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of 50 µg (2000 IU) for vitamin D3. Subsequently, the European Commission Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) also identified a vitamin D3 UL of 50 µg as a safe upper limit.

Source

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The adverse effects of high vitamin D intakes - hypercalciuria and hypercalcemia - do not occur at these new recommended intake levels. In fact, it is worth noting that the recommended intakes for all age groups are still well below the lowest observed adverse effect level of 50 µg/day (2000 IU).

Source

hethmar

Just to update, the 360 soft gels came in a couple of days - from Yorkshire!

Crocswearer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18844846

Abstract
The functional status indicator for vitamin D, for both safety and efficacy, is serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Efficacy for several health endpoints requires levels of 80 nmol/L or higher. Toxicity occurs at levels of 500 nmol/L or higher. The input needed for efficacy, in addition to typical food and cutaneous inputs, will usually be 1000-2000 IU/day of supplemental cholecalciferol. Toxicity is associated only with excessive supplemental intake (usually well above 20,000 IU/day).

hethmar

Dr Horlick, the D3 expert has an interesting You Tube of a lecture he gave on D3. In it he recounts a lawyer who had taken his advice on the amount of D3 to use for a couple of decades and found he had D3 poisoning and was going to sue. When they tested the D3 he had been using, it was found that due to a processing mistake by the canadian suppliers, the lawyer had actually been taking 1million units a day.

charlies-aunt

Crocswearer wrote: »

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18844846

Abstract
The functional status indicator for vitamin D, for both safety and efficacy, is serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Efficacy for several health endpoints requires levels of 80 nmol/L or higher. Toxicity occurs at levels of 500 nmol/L or higher. The input needed for efficacy, in addition to typical food and cutaneous inputs, will usually be 1000-2000 IU/day of supplemental cholecalciferol. Toxicity is associated only with excessive supplemental intake (usually well above 20,000 IU/day).

I am taking 50,000 IU/day for six days :eek: ( as prescribed by a consultant - I hasten to add!) as taking Adcal has actually lowered my D3 levels significantly. Advised to not take OTC vitamin supplements with this and to knock off taking my daily half aspirin as it can decrease Vit D.