Vitamin D, which is fat-soluble and stored in the liver, is very important for the health of the body. Vitamin D, which plays an important role especially in bone health, also has some situations where it acts as a hormone. For this reason, vitamin D is an indispensable vitamin for our health. Due to today's living conditions, many people experience vitamin D deficiency, while vitamin D excess has become a common condition, especially in childhood. Excessive vitamin D intake can lead to poisoning and can cause heart and kidney problems in advanced stages. Taking vitamin supplements without a vitamin D test is one of the biggest reasons for this problem. Vitamin D poisoning is common in babies, and if not diagnosed early, it can lead to fatal results. In cases of high vitamin D, symptoms such as nausea, constipation, vomiting and loss of consciousness are commonly seen in the person. In addition, excessive vitamin D intake can cause disorders that restrict daily life, such as joint calcification, high blood pressure and increased calcium levels in the blood (1, 2). In this article, we will try to answer the questions, "What are the symptoms of excess vitamin D, what is vitamin D poisoning and does vitamin D make you gain weight?" Enjoy reading.
Symptoms of Excess Vitamin D
Excess vitamin D, like deficiency vitamin D, can negatively affect a person's life. This disorder, especially seen in childhood, can lead to consequences that can affect a person's future life. The most common symptoms of excess vitamin D are as follows:
- Bone Pain: When vitamin D is taken in excess, the calcium level in the blood increases. Increased calcium levels in the blood also have very negative consequences for the bones. Because the body may not have the minerals to bind the extra calcium to the bones. If the person does not take early precautions, advanced bone pain and bone sensitivity may occur.
- Dehydration: Excessive vitamin D intake can restrict other functions of the kidney. This can cause the person to produce excessive urine. Excessive urine production causes the person to experience high levels of water loss. For this reason, dehydration is a common symptom among the symptoms of vitamin D excess.
- Vomiting and Nausea: Vomiting and nausea are quite common in individuals who take excessive vitamin D. This may be due to vitamin D poisoning.
- High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure can be a result of both vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D excess. For this reason, the importance of vitamin D testing is great. High blood pressure can be prevented with treatment after measuring vitamin D values.
- Fatigue: Another symptom caused by excessive vitamin D intake is fatigue. This discomfort may increase if dehydration is excessive and vomiting becomes frequent (2, 3).
Is Excessive Vitamin D Use Harmful?
Taking vitamin D supplements without getting tested can lead to poisoning. In addition, it can cause a person to experience disorders in organs such as the kidneys, liver and heart. In particular, the side effects of vitamin D drops limit the person's life. For this reason, it is not recommended to use any supplements without a doctor's advice.
Thanks to the vitamin D test, you can start a diet and minimize the harms of vitamin D. Otherwise, your risk of experiencing disorders that may lead to bad results will increase (2, 3, 4).
Does Excessive Vitamin D Cause Weight Gain?
Vitamin D works to prevent fat accumulation in the abdomen and surrounding areas by increasing the effectiveness of calcium. For this reason, when not taken in sufficient amounts, the effectiveness of calcium decreases and weight gain may occur. On the other hand, excessive vitamin D intake can cause a person to lose weight. The increase in the effectiveness of calcium can cause a person to burn more fat and cause unwanted weight loss.
Another reason for weight loss in cases of excessive vitamin D intake is that the person frequently vomits and experiences dehydration. Since excessive water and food loss will leave the body defenseless, it will be easier for the person to catch diseases. For this reason, it is best to take as much vitamin D as the body needs, and vitamin D taken as needed prevents the person from gaining and losing unhealthy weight (5, 6).
Vitamin D Side Effects
Excess vitamin D side effects are a condition seen in many individuals. In particular, unconscious use of vitamin D supplements is the main cause of this problem. The most common side effect is poisoning. Excess vitamin D is most easily detected in this way, and side effects can be minimized with early precautions (2, 3, 4).
What is Vitamin D Poisoning?
Vitamin D poisoning is a problem caused by a person taking more vitamin D than they need. This condition can often manifest itself with dizziness and nausea. If it progresses, the person may experience vomiting and organ damage. This disorder, which can cause great damage, especially in the kidneys and liver, can make the person's future life difficult (3)
How to Understand Vitamin D Poisoning?
Vitamin D poisoning can cause problems such as vomiting, nausea and dizziness. In addition, vitamin D testing is very important for early diagnosis. Regular vitamin D tests prevent the person from being poisoned and ensure that they meet their daily needs.
In cases where the test is not performed, any of the symptoms we mentioned above may indicate that you are experiencing vitamin D poisoning. If you have any of the symptoms, we recommend that you seek medical support (7, 8).
Vitamin D Poisoning Symptoms
Vitamin D poisoning symptoms may vary depending on the person's endurance. Although it has symptoms that can affect everyone badly, it can sometimes cause death.
The most common symptoms of nausea, dizziness and vomiting are the most harmless symptoms of vitamin D poisoning. As these symptoms progress, the person may experience dehydration and other symptoms such as muscle and bone pain may increase in frequency (7,8).
Vitamin D Poisoning Treatment
Although vitamin D poisoning is an easily treatable condition when diagnosed early, in some cases the poisoning can be fatal. The most common treatment for vitamin D poisoning is to stop taking the vitamin supplement. After the dehydration is regulated, a diuretic is added to the person and the excess calcium is removed.
Although precautions are taken, it may take a long time for the person to remove the excess vitamin D. For this reason, the treatment continues under the supervision of a doctor and this process can take up to 1 month. The patient is kept under observation and vitamin D tests are performed until other problems such as loss of bone strength caused by the poisoning are overcome (7).
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