Too Much Vitamin D3?

[Samaniego]

I took 4000 IU every morning for a long time. About three months ago my neighborhood store stopped carrying 4000. So I bought 400 IU.

After about three months I started being very sleepy in the afternoons. I tried to think of the cause. Finally I thought about the vitamin. Then I found another store with 4000 IU. After three days my energy returned.

Do you think it is the vitamin D3?

Can you take too much? My wife worries but I think body will pass any not needed.

My doctor never tested me. I see him again in October. Should I ask for test.

[McSleepy]

Vitamin D3 is toxic in high doses, so - yes, it can be bad. You should do some research, or, better yet, talk to a doctor now. And yes, again - testing will tell you exactly how much you'll need.
McSleepy

[Nick Danger]

See this Mayo Clinic link: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-livin ... q-20058108

4,000 units is well above the 600 recommendation, but far below the 50,000 units that were found to be toxic over a period of several months. Liver or kidney conditions can cause problems at lower levels - talk to your doctor.

BTW, as you probably know, there is a difference between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. Indications are that D3 is more effective and less toxic.

[49er]

I took 4000 IU every morning for a long time. About three months ago my neighborhood store stopped carrying 4000. So I bought 400 IU.

After about three months I started being very sleepy in the afternoons. I tried to think of the cause. Finally I thought about the vitamin. Then I found another store with 4000 IU. After three days my energy returned.

Do you think it is the vitamin D3?

Can you take too much? My wife worries but I think body will pass any not needed.

My doctor never tested me. I see him again in October. Should I ask for test.

Definitely ask for the test.

As an FYI, when I took 5000IU, I developed a mysterious jaw pain that disappeared when I dropped it down to 3000IU. Interestingly, my vitamin D test came back as being at 60 which is quite sufficient although not excessive since 80 is the upper limit.

It is definitely not harmless as my experience proved.

[Janknitz]

It's highly unlikely that's a toxic dose, but you can either ask your doctor for a test or you can have one run yourself (insurance doesn't cover it without your doctor's order) from one of the online labs. Kaiser is chintzy with the lab tests they will run, so I do spend money on my own tests.

For example, I take 3000 mg Vitamin D a day. Kaiser recommends 2000 /day but my D levels were 30 and I'd like to see them around 50. They will no longer test me, because "as long as your levels are 30, you don't need further testing"

So I get my own tests. It irks me because we pay a FORTUNE to insure our family, but my health is more important to me than it is to them.

[palerider]

Vitamin D3 is toxic in high doses, so - yes, it can be bad. You should do some research, or, better yet, talk to a doctor now. And yes, again - testing will tell you exactly how much you'll need.
McSleepy

and yet, my friend with CHF is on 50,000iu prescription Vit D from his doctor, because his levels are too low.

[palerider]

It irks me because we pay a FORTUNE to insure our family, but my health is more important to me than it is to them.

it's in your insurance companies best (financial) interest not to pay *anything*, the only reason they do pay anything is that if you DIE, then your part of their revenue stream cuts off.

[McSleepy]

and yet, my friend with CHF is on 50,000iu prescription Vit D from his doctor, because his levels are too low.

..and I have a friend who jumps off buildings; that doesn't mean you can do that safely, too.
Seriously, what matters is how much your body synthesizes of it and how well it reacts to external supply, so what matters is not how much you take but what level is maintained in your blood; hence, testing is the only way to find out whether you have too little, too much or just right.
McSleepy

[bwexler]

I have been taking 14,000 IU per day.
I have been getting tested about twice a year. My target based on my research is 75. I have been able to move my test score from the low 40s to the low 60s.
I personally have no concern for overdosing, but I do test regularly to know where I am. My insurance has paid and not complained once.
I will not use Kaiser.

[woodworkerjunkie]

I've been taking 2-5000 IU a day for about 8 months, cause mine was down in the teens when I started. Like the others stated, you can over do on D3 along with a few other vitamins. Always research any new supplement or vitamin before you start taking them. Use the internet, that's what it's there for.

[palerider]

and yet, my friend with CHF is on 50,000iu prescription Vit D from his doctor, because his levels are too low.

..and I have a friend who jumps off buildings; that doesn't mean you can do that safely, too.
Seriously, what matters is how much your body synthesizes of it and how well it reacts to external supply, so what matters is not how much you take but what level is maintained in your blood; hence, testing is the only way to find out whether you have too little, too much or just right.
McSleepy

I'm simply refuting your blase' oversimplification of the situation.

WATER is toxic in large doses... so?

[Samaniego]

I am more confused now. For certain when I have the company annual physical in October will ask the doctor about test.

In the meantime, I feel so much better when taking 4000 IU will continue to do so. I dontnot believe it will jump from building.

[49er]

I am more confused now. For certain when I have the company annual physical in October will ask the doctor about test.

In the meantime, I feel so much better when taking 4000 IU will continue to do so. I dontnot believe it will jump from building.

Samaniego,

If 4000IU is working for you, by all means continue taking it. The only point that I and other posters were trying to make is that it isn't harmless and you can overdose on it as my example with jaw pain proves.

49er

[palerider]

it's in your insurance companies best (financial) interest not to pay *anything*

It's quite the opposite.

I have done work for insurance companies several times over the years and I assure you they want to pay for more things. This is how the industry has grown so large and charges higher and higher premiums.

All of the companies have some sort of high-powered "New Product Development" group that is looking to add coverage to their policies so they can raise premiums and thereby increase their revenue and market share.

you're funny!

thank you for this surreal view of reality, mr insurance reperesentative.

I'll take the evidence of their aggressive denial of claims efforts over your assurance... tyvm.

[McSleepy]

I'm simply refuting your blase' oversimplification of the situation.

WATER is toxic in large doses... so?

You're not refuting anything, my statement is true. Vitamin D poisoning, while uncommon, is very real and happens regularly to people. The OP asked and I answered the question correctly.
And, yes, people die from ingesting excessive amounts of water. I remember a radio station in Michigan had a contest where a mother drank two gallons of water to win some prize for her son (concert tickets, I think) and ended up dying. You don't think she wished she knew this could happen?
McSleepy