What is vitamin D toxicity, and should I worry about it since I take supplements?
Vitamin D toxicity, also called hypervitaminosis D, is a potentially serious but treatable medical condition that occurs when you get too much vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity usually results from taking an excessive amount of vitamin D supplements — not from your diet or too much sun exposure. That’s because your body produces only a limited amount of vitamin D from sun exposure, and even fortified foods don’t contain large amounts of vitamin D. Although vitamin D toxicity is rare even among people who take supplements, you may be at greater risk if you have health problems, such as liver or kidney conditions, or if you take thiazide-type diuretics. The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), causing symptoms such as: • Nausea • Vomiting • Poor appetite • Constipation • Weakness • Confusion • Heart rhythm abnormalities • Kidney stones Treatment of vitamin D toxicity may include: • Stopping vitamin D supplements • Restricting calcium i
