Mayo Clinic recommends that adults consume at least the recommended daily dose of 600 IU. However, taking 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily in a supplement is usually safe, helps people achieve an adequate level of vitamin D in their blood, and may have additional health benefits. If you're taking a vitamin D supplement, you probably don't need more than 600 to 800 IU per day, which is enough for most people. However, some people may need a higher dose, including those with a bone health disorder and those with a condition that interferes with the absorption of vitamin D or calcium, says Dr.
Unless your doctor recommends it, avoid taking more than 4000 IU per day, which is considered the safe upper limit. If possible, it's better to get vitamin D from food sources than from supplements (see Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D. The FDA has made it easier for you to know how much you're eating, thanks to new nutrition labels that indicate the vitamin D content of foods). A good recommendation is to take 2000 IU a day for adults.
Foods don't usually contain large amounts of vitamin D, so you're unlikely to get too much of it in your diet. African Americans have, on average, about half the amount of vitamin D in their blood than white Americans. If you have symptoms of depression, whether seasonal or not, talk to your doctor before trying to self-medicate with a supplement such as vitamin D. However, starting in 2000, research on the role of vitamin D in other health conditions began to expand rapidly.
As a result, the main sign of vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia, or high levels of calcium in the blood (4,. And since too much vitamin D can lead to too much calcium, it can also lead to kidney stones and abnormal heart rhythms. Therefore, the amount of vitamin D you get from food depends on the food you eat and the amount of milk you drink. Vitamin D helps the intestine absorb all the calcium it needs, so its lack causes problems similar to those of a calcium deficiency.
Although some studies have found an association between low blood levels of vitamin D and several diseases, it hasn't been conclusively proven that a vitamin D deficiency actually causes disease, says Dr. While vitamin D deficiency is a very common problem, it's also possible, but rare, to have too much vitamin D. If you have a well-balanced diet, which regularly includes good sources of vitamin D, you may not need any supplements. Taking too much vitamin D can cause too much calcium in your blood, known as hypercalcemia.
People with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, and others may have trouble absorbing vitamin D, which can lead to deficiencies. In recent years, research has linked low blood levels of this vitamin to an increased risk of all kinds of diseases, from heart disease, diabetes and cancer to mood disorders and dementia. The study found that people who took a vitamin D supplement did not reduce rates of heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
