Yes, You Can Take Too Much Vitamin D — Here's What You Should Know Before Supplementing
26 Shares
Vitamin D has become the darling of the supplement world, and for good reason. Roughly one billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency, which has been linked with an increased risk of osteoporosis, depression, and infection. It only makes sense then that more people are reaching for supplements — but as it turns out, that's not always a good thing.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that people under 70 get 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day. Yet, an Amazon search will turn up vitamin D supplements with doses as high as 10,000 IU per serving — well above the recommended intake. And, while you may have heard that it's OK to mega-dose with certain vitamins, because the body will simply get rid of the excess, this rule doesn't apply to vitamin D. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning it's absorbed in the same way that the body absorbs dietary fat. If you take more than you need, it gets stored away, specifically in areas like the liver and fat tissue.