Doctors warn of a “medically unjustified trend Vitamin D and corresponding hypervitaminosis”. Current cause: A man in Great Britain poisoned himself with the preparation and had to be treated in hospital. The treating physicians report in the specialist journal BMJ Case Reports from the case. Several media are now quoting from the analysis.
Accordingly, the man followed the advice of a nutritionist and took more than 20 over-the-counter dietary supplements one, including 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D three times a day. The result: weeks of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and leg cramps.
According to the report, the man lost more than twelve kilograms of body weight and was constantly thirsty. Although he stopped taking all supplements following four weeks because of the symptoms, he continued to feel poorly. His family doctor then sent him to the hospital.
Diagnose: Hypervitaminose D
The diagnosis for the middle-aged man: hypervitaminosis D, i.e. poisoning from taking too much vitamin D. According to the experts, the vitamin D value was regarding seven times higher than normal. The patient’s calcium and magnesium values were also significantly increased.
That Robert Koch Institute (RKI) clarifies: “Excessive intake of vitamin D causes increased calcium levels (hypercalcaemia) in the body, which can lead to acute nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, vomiting or, in severe cases, to kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmias, unconsciousness and death.” And warns: “Since vitamin D can be stored in the body, both acute and gradual overdoses are possible.” According to case study co-author Dr. Alamin Alkundi, nutritionist not mandatory to register. Her title is not protected either.
