How Common Are Side Effects
A 2018 study found there has been an increase in the incidence of vitamin D toxicity due to more people supplementing vitamin D without a doctors supervision. However, symptomatic vitamin D toxicity remains rare.
High vitamin D levels typically result from consuming excessive amounts of high dose dietary supplements. A person cannot get too much vitamin D from the sun.
The 2018 study also found that certain high dose vitamin D formulations were common in people with elevated vitamin D levels.
The body stores vitamin D in fat tissues, and it can take weeks or months for the effects of vitamin D toxicity to fully wear off.
Dietary vitamin D supplements are useful when it is not possible to otherwise meet the recommended vitamin D requirements. However, vitamin D supplements are not suitable for everyone.
People with the are at a higher risk of vitamin D toxicity and should consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplements:
- granulomatous disorders, such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis
interact with some medications.
For example, high dose vitamin D supplements can reduce the efficacy of cholesterol-lowering statins such as atorvastatin. A doctor will assess a persons health status before prescribing statins. It is essential to follow medical guidance when taking any medications.
Other medications can affect a persons vitamin D levels.
Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include:
- unexplained exhaustion
Vitamin D3 Side Effects
Note: This document contains side effect information about cholecalciferol. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Vitamin D3.
Applies to cholecalciferol: oral capsule, oral liquid, oral tablet, oral tablet chewable, oral tablet disintegrating, oral wafer, sublingual liquid.
Toxicity And Side Effect Management
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, hence, toxicity is possible, although rarely noted. Hypervitaminosis D results from excess oral intake and not due to excessive sunlight exposure. Toxicity has been reported at a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of more than 88 ng/mL. Acute intoxication can lead to acute hypercalcemia that can cause confusion, anorexia, vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, and muscle weakness. Chronic intoxication can lead to nephrocalcinosis and bone pain.
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Before Taking This Medicine
You should not use cholecalciferol if you have had an allergic reaction to vitamin D, or if you have:
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high levels of vitamin D in your body
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high levels of calcium in your blood or
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any condition that makes it hard for your body to absorb nutrients from food .
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
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kidney disease or
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an electrolyte imbalance.
Certain forms of cholecalciferol may contain ingredients you should know about, such as peanut or soybean oil, sugar, aspartame , or certain food dyes. Ask a doctor before using cholecalciferol if you have allergies, diabetes, or phenylketonuria .
Too much vitamin D could harm an unborn baby or a nursing baby. Ask a doctor before using cholecalciferol if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy or while you are nursing.
Do not give cholecalciferol to a child without medical advice. Your child’s dose will depend on age, weight, diet, and other factors.
What Are The Side Effects Of Vitamin D3
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking cholecalciferol and call your doctor at once if you have:
- chest pain, feeling short of breath
- growth problems or
- early signs of vitamin D overdose–weakness, metallic taste in your mouth, weight loss, muscle or bone pain, constipation, nausea, and vomiting.
Less serious side effects may be more likely, and you may have none at all.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Can Vitamin D3 And K2 Side Effects
Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, unusual weight loss, mental/mood changes, signs of kidney problems , bone/muscle pain, headache, increased thirst, increased urination, weakness, tiredness, fast
Can vitamin K2 cause heart problems?
Side effects and potential risks of vitamin K2 Taking increased doses of vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin and make your blood more likely to clot, which can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolism.
How Should I Take Cholecalciferol
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all the guides or instruction sheets. Use only the recommended dose of cholecalciferol.
It may be best to take cholecalciferol after a meal, but you may take it with or without food.
Measure liquid cholecalciferol carefully. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device .
The chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.
To take a disintegrating tablet, place it on your tongue and do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.
The cholecalciferol wafer is usually taken only once per week or once per month. Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions very carefully. The wafer must be chewed before you swallow it.
While using cholecalciferol, you will need frequent blood tests. You may also need x-rays.
Your doctor will determine how long to treat you with cholecalciferol.
Cholecalciferol may be only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes dietary changes and taking calcium and vitamin supplements. Follow your doctor’s instructions very closely.
Learn about the foods you should eat to make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Your cholecalciferol dose may need to be adjusted as you make changes to your diet.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, light, and heat.
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Preventing High Blood Pressure With Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that regulates several of the bodys metabolic actions. Vitamin D is produced in the deep layers of the skin using energy from sunlight. Because the body can make vitamin D, it is not considered to be an essential nutrient, though a significant portion of the vitamin D needed by the human body does come from the diet.
Vitamin D, working with parathyroid hormone, is primarily responsible for regulating the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Vitamin D also encourages the formation of bone tissue and is known to stimulate the production of cells in the immune system.
A growing body of research suggests that vitamin D may also play a role in blood pressure regulation and heart health. It is known, for example, that cases of high blood pressure increase during the winter and in places that are further from the equator — both are situations where a decrease in available sunlight leads to lower vitamin D production.
Elevated Blood Calcium Levels
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. In fact, this is one of its most important roles.
However, if your vitamin D intake is excessive, your blood calcium may reach levels that can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms.
The symptoms of vitamin D toxicity are primarily related to hypercalcemia, which means excessively high blood calcium levels (
Hypercalcemia typically develops after people take megadoses of vitamin D for a prolonged period of time.
For example, a 2015 case study reported that an older man with dementia who received 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily for 6 months was repeatedly hospitalized with symptoms related to high calcium levels .
In the 2020 case report mentioned earlier, the woman who took an average of 130,000 IU of vitamin D per day for 20 months was also hospitalized for symptoms related to hypercalcemia .
These included nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, and kidney injury. Her blood calcium levels were 3.23 mmol/L (
However, not all people with hypercalcemia experience the exact same symptoms.
One woman experienced nausea and weight loss after taking a supplement that was later found to contain 78 times more vitamin D than stated on the label .
Importantly, these symptoms occurred in response to extremely high doses of vitamin D3, which led to calcium levels greater than 12 mg/dL.
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Vitamin D Supplement Safety
Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, but many people may not get enough due to a variety of factors. Because of this, people often turn to vitamin D supplements. Unfortunately, it isnt uncommon for people to overdo it.
A 2017 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that between 1999 and 2014, there was an increase in the number of American adults taking daily vitamin D supplements of 1,000 IU or more. Of these, 18% exceeded 1000 IU each day and 3% took more than 4,000 IU per day, which may place them at a higher risk of experiencing some adverse effects related to excessive vitamin D.
In most cases, you can get all of the vitamin D you need naturally without supplementation through sun exposure and diet. A 15-minute walk outside each day with your extremities exposed can boost vitamin D production. .
Eating foods that are naturally high in vitamin D or are fortified with the nutrient can help. Foods you can eat to boost your vitamin D levels include:
- Fortified milk, yogurt, or juice
- Fatter fish such as tuna or salmon
If you do decide to take a vitamin D supplement to correct a deficiency or because you are unable to get an adequate amount through sunlight and diet, always follow your doctor’s guidelines and do not take more than recommended amounts.
Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hypertension Current Evidence From Clinical Studies And Potential Mechanisms
M. Iftekhar Ullah
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency is widely prevalent across all ages, races, geographical regions, and socioeconomic strata. In addition to its important role in skeletal development and calcium homeostasis, several recent studies suggest its association with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, certain types of malignancy, and immunologic dysfunction. Here, we review the current evidence regarding an association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertension in clinical and epidemiological studies. We also look into plausible biological explanations for such an association with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and insulin resistance playing potential roles. Taken together, it appears that more studies in more homogeneous study populations are needed before a firm conclusion can be reached as to whether vitamin D deficiency causes or aggravates hypertension and whether vitamin D supplementation is safe and exerts cardioprotective effects. The potential problems with bias and confounding factors present in previous epidemiological studies may be overcome or minimized by well designed randomized controlled trials in the future.
1. Introduction
2. Biological Roles of Vitamin D in Humans
3. Observations of Racial and Geographical Factors Influencing Vitamin D Nutritional Status
4. Epidemiological Evidence of the Relationship between Vitamin D and Hypertension
5. Clinical Studies Showing Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Pressure
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Other Natural Ways To Help Lower Blood Pressure
Besides vitamin D3 supplementation, there are other natural ways to decrease high blood pressure. The following are a few other natural remedies that help lower hypertension:
- Homeopathic remedies: Homeopathy is a perfect complement for those trying to lower blood pressure. Remedies often recommended as part of a hypertension treatment plan include aurum, argentum nitricum, belladonna, glonoinum, lachesis, natrum muriaticum, nux vomica, crataegus, strontium carbonicum, veratrum viride, and viscum album.
- Aged garlic extract:Aged garlic extract has been found to have similar effectiveness to the standard blood pressure drugs for hypertension, according to a study published in the journal Integrated Blood Pressure Control in January. The active ingredient in garlic, allicin, is responsible for lowering high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
- Taurine: Human and animal studies have found that the amino acid taurine can regulate blood pressure, and act like an anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant. As a result, taurine can also help protect against coronary heart disease. Itâs recommended to take up to six grams of taurine between meals to help reduce hypertension.
Side Effects And Warning For Vitamin D
- A frequent need to urinate
- Muscle problems
You cannot get too much vitamin D from sunlight, and it would be very hard to get too much from food.
Generally, too much vitamin D is a result of taking supplements in too high a dose.
People with the following conditions should be careful when considering taking vitamin D supplements:
- High blood calcium or phosphorus levels
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Consequences Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to an array of health concerns, including delayed growth and rickets in kids, osteomalacia in adults and adolescents, and osteoporosis in adults.
Causes for vitamin D deficiency are many, including diseases or conditions that limit fat absorption and the breakdown of vitamin D in the gut.
Common causes of vitamin D deficiency include:
People who are older, are housebound, or have dark skin are also more vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency.
The Effect Of High Dose Cholecalciferol On Arterial Stiffness And Peripheral And Central Blood Pressure In Healthy Humans: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Affiliation Department of Cardiology, Nephrology and Endocrinology, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Cardiology, Nephrology and Endocrinology, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Medicine, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Medicine, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Medicine, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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Affiliation Department of Medicine, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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Health Benefits Of Vitamin D3
Vitamin D deficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide. Both vitamin D2 and D3 can be used to treat this, with vitamin D3 generally being the preferred choice.
Beyond its use in treating vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D3 may offer health benefits to certain people without such deficiency.
What Happens If I Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of vitamin D can cause serious or life-threatening side effects.
Overdose symptoms may include nausea, loss of appetite, thirst, urinating more or less than usual, body aches, stiffness, confusion, or irregular heartbeats.
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Vitamin D For Prevention
Vitamin D supplements may be prescribed to prevent or protect against certain conditions in the following ways:
- To protect against osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia, and other bone disorder
- To reduce the risk of injury for people who are a fall risk
- To prevent parathyroid problems
- To relieve symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
- To prevent hypertension and high blood pressure
- To lower the risk of diabetes
- To boost your immune system
- To lower the risk of heart disease
- To prevent weight gain and obesity
- To lower the risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Types of supplements. Vitamin D comes in many multivitamins and on its own as an individual supplement. It comes in a variety of forms like soft gels, capsules, and liquids. It also comes in strengths from 50 to 1,000 IU and higher doses when prescribed by your doctor. Using the proper dosage is important to prevent vitamin D toxicity.
Other Side Effects Of Vitamin D3
All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
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Depression And Vitamin D Deficiency
For most people, low vitamin D levels tend to be more of a problem. Deficiency can have a number of health effects, including poor bone health, but it can also impact brain development and functioning. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with mental health conditions, including seasonal affective disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
However, that does not mean that boosting vitamin D can always cure depression. One randomized controlled trial found insufficient evidence to support the use of vitamin D supplementation as a treatment for depression.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, whether or not it’s seasonal, talk to your doctor before you try to self-medicate with a supplement like vitamin D. Your doctor can assess your health and determine if vitamin D might help or if some other treatment would be more appropriate.
Does Vitamin K2 Affect Blood Pressure
This relaxes the blood vessels and lowers the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems.
Can you take vitamin D3 and K2 at the same time?
While the D3 and K2 combination itself is the primary factor in the bio-efficiency of the pairing, a wide range of dose formats are available. In fact, any existing product that includes vitamin D3 can be made better by including K2, regardless of dose format.
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Too Much Of A Good Thing
According to Dr. Nissen, vitamin D does play an integral part in the regulation of blood pressure, but its a complicated process. And taking too much vitamin D can lead to excess calcium or hypercalcemia.
Vitamin D enables the uptake of calcium, he says. In theory, too-high levels potentially can result in calcium deposits ending up on blood vessel walls, in heart valves and even in the liver and kidneys. So our advice is not to start vitamin D as a means to lower blood pressure.