Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and the cholesterol in our body is synthesized into this vitamin on exposure to sun. This vitamin is also called sunshine vitamin due to this reason. Certain food items like cod liver oil, fortified breakfast cereal, fortified milk, fish, mushrooms and eggs also contain this vitamin.
Usually there is very less chance of accumulating this vitamin in excess, in fact your body can easily regulate and balance the vitamin D produced due to natural food items and sunshine; However, supplements can cause vitamin overdose which leads to vitamin toxicity. This condition is also known as hypervitaminosis D. In this feature we will cover various symptoms of this overdose.
Vitamin D Overdose Symptoms
Bone Calcification
Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption in the body. If there is a deficiency of this vitamin then calcium intake gets simply flushed out of the system. In the same way excessive levels of vitamin D can cause calcification which means calcium deposits and build up on the bones.This puts pressure on the bones making them vulnerable to fractures and brittle over a period of time. Pain around the bones and muscles may indicate the bone calcification.
Dehydration
Excessive vitamin D is known to cause acute dehydration. Apart from loose motions which may be very watery to vomiting ma.y be experienced by the person suffering from excessive vitamin D levels in the body. The main cause behind dehydration is increased levels of calcium in the body.Your body tries to regulate the calcium levels in the body with the help of hormones. It basically gets rid of calcium in form of excretions. Excessive flushing in turn causes dehydration.
Matters Of Heart
Many studies have conclusively shown that elevated levels of vitamin D affect the thyroid function adversely. It makes the thyroid sluggish which in turn is responsible for healthy cardiac activity. The hypothyroidism can negatively affect the heart beat and its functions.This leads to irregularity on the heart beat, also known as Arrhythmia. In fact hypothyroidism has also been associated with high cholesterol and atrial fibrillation, both of which can create lot of complications in the cardiac function.
Increased Urination
As mentioned earlier, our body has a hormonal mechanism which regulates and balances the calcium levels in the body. Whenever the calcium levels rise, these hormones flush it with the water retained in the body, in form of excretions. This increases the frequency of urination. You may also notice a different odor and darker color of the urine which may indicate higher calcium levels as a consequence of higher levels of vitamin D in the body.
Weakness
Excessive and persistent weakness is another important symptom of vitamin D overdose. You may feel lethargic throughout the day in spite of reasonable rest and relaxation. This weakness may be coupled with poor appetite which would directly lead to weight loss. Confusion and lack of focus is also experienced.All in all you may experience listlessness and feel disillusioned without any apparent cause. Nausea is also another common symptom reflected in the patients suffering from excessive dosage of vitamin D.
