What are the side effects of Vitamin D?
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 7, 2024.
Vitamin D has very few side effects when taken at dosages recommended for your age. Side effects are more likely if you take too much vitamin D in the form of supplements, which would then increase your absorption of calcium. These side effects may include:
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Bone pain
- Confusion or disorientation
- Constipation
- High blood calcium levels
- Kidney stones
- Muscle weakness or fatigue
- Nausea
- Poor appetite
- Stomach pain.
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for good bone health. It helps with the absorption of calcium and the regulation of other minerals in the body. Without it, bones will become fragile, misshapen and soft, known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with some cancers, heart disease, depression, and weight gain.
We make vitamin D in our skin when it is exposed to sunlight; however, people who are institutionalized or immobile, spend most of their time indoors, with dark skin, or cover their skin for religious reasons are at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
For more information about vitamin D see here
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Evidence strongly suggests that magnesium and vitamin D should be taken together for optimal health benefits. Magnesium is essential for vitamin D metabolism, and taking vitamin D without adequate magnesium can potentially worsen deficiency.
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Vitamin D vs D2 vs D3: What's the difference between them?
The two forms of vitamin D found in foods and dietary supplements include ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). While both forms of vitamin D raise vitamin D levels in your blood, vitamin D3 might increase it more and for a longer period of time compared to D2. Continue reading
Does taking vitamin D help with psoriasis?
Experts cannot say if oral vitamin D helps improve psoriasis symptoms, because overall, trial results have been mixed. While some open-label studies show a moderate to marked improvement (with some reports of remission), most double-blinded RCTs have shown only slight or no improvement. Supplementation could be considered on a case-by-case basis. Continue reading
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