I May Have Vitamin D Toxicity, But I Feel Better

Having taken megadoses of vitamin D for the past few weeks (think 10,000 to 50,000 IU per day), I now have some symptoms of vitamin D toxicity: muscle weakness, a little fatigue, and constipation. (I wondered last night why I found it so difficult to shovel a few inches of wet snow.) Overall, I feel pretty good, certainly better than when I was sick with a sinus infection and way better than when I was suffering from side effects and an allergic reaction to Benzonatate. A few people have remarked that I sound better and the pink is back in my cheeks. Without a test, it's not possible to know for certain that these symptoms are caused by too much vitamin D, but I'm going to stop taking it for now. The vitamin is stored in the fat, so it's going to be in my system for awhile, fighting any microbes left in my sinuses. Researcher Michael Holick says in The Vitamin D Solution,

Most humans obtain from sun exposure their vitamin D requirements between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. and mainly in the late spring, summer, and early fall. Because vitamin D is fat soluble, it's stored in body fat and released throughout the winter months, allowing you to be vitamin D sufficient throughout the year.

So it looks like I'm set for vitamin D for awhile.

(Why was a taking so much vitamin D? It's my SWAMP treatment for a sinus infection. See this, this and this.)

Comments

Tim Lundeen said…

Unlikely that you were at toxic levels of vit d. Could be magnesium deficiency. Also, you should always take k2 with vit d, to prevent calcification of soft tissues. Also, Vit a works synergystically with d and increases bone remodeling rates. See the book k2 and the calcium paradox.

November 25, 2012

Tim Lundeen said…

I don't know if the comment I tried to post made it, but please check out the book k2 and the calcium paradox. You need to take vit k2. Along with vit d. Also, your symptoms were unlikely to be vit d overdose, more likely magnesium deficiency

November 25, 2012

Lori Miller said…

Hi Tim, way back when I wrote this post, I was taking magnesium at the time in my usual dose. The only thing that changed was that took a boatload of vitamin D.

I've read Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox, thanks.

November 25, 2012

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I May Have Vitamin D Toxicity, But I Feel Better