look news india
Urban lifestyle, working in front of screens in closed offices for hours, distance from sunlight and constant body aches – nowadays almost every second person feels that there is a deficiency of Vitamin D in his body. If there is a slight strain in the waist, pain in the calves or feeling lethargy after waking up in the morning, then instead of going to the doctor or getting a blood test (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Test), people buy 60,000 IU (International Units) Vitamin D3 capsules directly from the medical store and start taking it themselves. After getting relief for a few days or as soon as the medicine expires, it is stopped suddenly without any medical guidance. According to medical experts and endocrinologists, considering Vitamin D as a normal vitamin can pose a serious threat to your liver, kidneys and heart. Vitamin D is actually not just a vitamin, but works like a powerful ‘steroid hormone’ in the body, the consequences of imbalance of which are extremely fatal.
Trap of fat-soluble vitamins: Excess vitamin D does not come out of the body.
Generally people think that even if a vitamin is consumed in excess, it will be excreted from the body through urine, as is the case with Vitamin C or Vitamin B-complex. In medical science, vitamins are divided into two categories – water-soluble and fat-soluble.
Vitamin D, vitamins A, E and K are ‘fat-soluble’. What this simply means is that when you take more vitamin D supplements than required, the excess vitamin is not flushed out of the body, but instead gets stored in your liver, fatty tissues and muscles. When this accumulation exceeds a safe limit, it is medically called ‘Hypervitaminosis D’ or ‘Vitamin D toxicity’.
Arbitrary overdose of Vitamin D: Big risk of hypercalcemia and kidney failure
The main biological function of Vitamin D is to absorb calcium and phosphorus from our intestines and transport them into the blood and send them to the bones.
When the level of Vitamin D in the body increases excessively, the intestines start absorbing calcium indiscriminately from food. Due to this, the level of calcium in the blood goes much above the normal limit, which is called ‘Hypercalcemia’. This excessive calcium dissolved in the blood starts getting deposited in the form of stones (calcification) in various soft organs of the body:
-
Kidney stones and renal failure: There is a huge pressure on the kidneys to filter out excess calcium. Large stones of calcium oxalate and phosphate start forming inside the kidneys. In severe cases, it can lead to nephrocalcinosis and permanent kidney damage.
-
Arrhythmia: Excessive amounts of calcium in the blood disrupts the electrical impulses of the heart, which can cause the heartbeat to become abnormally fast or irregular.
-
Hardening of blood vessels: Due to accumulation of calcium in the inner walls of the arteries, the arteries become stiff (Arterial Stiffness), which increases the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular stroke.
Starting the pill suddenly and stopping it midway: Double attack on bones and metabolism
The second biggest mistake with Vitamin D is that people take the pill whenever they want without any prescribed course and then leave it for several months.
When you take high-dose vitamin D (such as 60K IU), the body’s parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium regulation systems suddenly change. Stopping the medicine suddenly without maintenance dose causes Vitamin D levels to drop rapidly again. Due to this ‘Yo-Yo Effect’ (Yo-Yo Fluctuation), de-mineralization starts in the bones. Bones become weaker and brittle than before (Osteomalacia/Osteoporosis) and joint pain doubles and returns. The body’s metabolism doesn’t understand how to maintain calcium balance, resulting in muscle cramps and severe stabbing pain in the bones.
The fatal misconception of 60,000 IU: eat daily or once a week?
In many cases in India, it has been seen that patients from medical stores or unknowingly take 60,000 IU capsules every day for 10-15 days thinking it to be a daily antibiotic or paracetamol.
The dose of 60,000 IU is a ‘super-loading’ dose, given only to patients whose vitamin D levels have fallen below 10-12 ng/mL. This dose is usually taken only once a week. Onceis given for 6 to 8 weeks. The patient is then shifted to a daily maintenance dose (1,000 to 2,000 IU daily). If a person starts taking 60K IU capsules daily, within just 15 to 20 days his blood vitamin D levels can reach toxic levels (more than 150 ng/mL), which can lead to ICU admission.
Symptoms that indicate that the body has been poisoned by Vitamin D
If you are taking vitamin D tablets on your own and experience the following symptoms, stop the medicine immediately and contact your doctor:
-
Sudden severe loss of appetite, persistent feeling of vomiting (nausea) and heaviness in the stomach.
-
Excessive thirst and frequent urination during the day and night.
-
Heaviness in the head, constant dizziness, confusion and extreme restlessness.
-
Strange weakness in muscles, due to which there is difficulty in getting up from a chair or climbing stairs.
-
Severe stomach cramps and prolonged severe constipation.
Correct and safe medical protocol for taking vitamin D supplements
Mandatory blood test before taking the medicine: Never start taking ’25-Hydroxy Vitamin D’ supplement without getting a blood test done. In the blood report, a level of 30 to 50 ng/mL is considered normal, 20 to 30 ng/mL is considered inadequate, below 20 is considered severe deficiency and a level above 100 ng/mL is considered dangerous.
Follow the dosage and duration prescribed by the doctor: If your doctor has prescribed one tablet every Sunday for 8 weeks, complete the course exactly after 8 weeks. Do not eat in your mind continuously for 4 months.
Role of Vitamin K2 and Magnesium: Whenever Vitamin D is taken for a long period of time, the body also needs ‘Vitamin K2’ and Magnesium. Vitamin K2 ensures that calcium absorbed into the blood reaches the bones and teeth instead of getting deposited in the veins or kidneys.
Give priority to sunlight and natural diet: Get 20 to 25 minutes of direct sunlight (without sunscreen) between 8:00 am to 10:30 am instead of complete dependence on pills. Include desi cow’s milk, curd, cheese, mushrooms and egg yolk in your diet.
Re-test 3 months after completion of the course: Get a repeat blood test done about 8 to 12 weeks after the completion of the vitamin D course to ensure that the levels have returned to normal limits and there is no toxicity in the body.