He put the “D” in “OD.”
A UK man had to be hospitalized after suffering from a vitamin D overdose — which saw him vomit for months, among other severe symptoms. The man’s condition comes amid a global spike in overexposure to the sun-simulating vitamin supplement.
“He is very eager for his story to be known to alert others,” said UK endocrinologist Alamin Alkundi, who authored the unorthodox anti-drug PSA published in BMJ case reports, per CNN.
Per the case study, the unnamed middle-aged patient had been referred to the hospital after experiencing a litany of alarming symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dry mouth, ringing in the ears and even leg cramps, all of which persisted for months, Gizmodo reported. In addition, the embattled man had also lost 28 pounds and even sustained damage to his kidneys.
After initial tests ruled out infection, it was found that the man’s body had accumulated toxic levels of vitamin D — a condition known as hypervitaminosis D.
The man had reportedly started taking more than 20 over-the-counter supplements after meeting with a private nutritionist, per the study. This veritable pharmacy included 150,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day — over 200 times the recommended amount in the US. The National Institutes of Health recommends 600 IU of vitamin D a day for adults up to 69 years old and 800 for adults age 70 and up. Meanwhile, the CDC notes there are “disagreements” about dosage but recommends 200 IU up to age 50, 400 IU for those 51 to 70 and 600 IU for people older than 70.
Alkundi attributed this gross oversight to the fact that “registration by regulator is not compulsory for nutritionists in the UK and their title is not protected, so anybody can practice as a nutritionist.”
Vitamin D, which is found naturally in food and sunlight, helps the body absorb calcium, thereby fortifying the bones and teeth. It also boosts immune health, brain activity and muscular function. However, too much vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia — an overabundance of calcium in the bloodstream — which can weaken your bones, cause kidney stones, and hinder heart and brain function, as was the case with the patient, per CNN.
While he ceased taking the supplements after his symptoms appeared, they persisted.
The man was subsequently administered intravenous fluids and hospitalized for eight days, Gizmodo reported. A follow-up appointment two months later revealed that his calcium levels had dropped to normal levels, but not his amounts of vitamin D. That’s because, unlike other vitamins, D is stored in the liver and fat cells and does not leave the system quickly.
“We have had contact with him and he reported (he feels) much better, but still not back to his normal self,” said Alkundi, who oversaw the treatment.
Overdosing on such a seemingly innocuous substance might seem like a freak occurrence. However, study authors warn that “globally, there is a growing trend of hypervitaminosis D, a clinical condition characterized by elevated serum vitamin D3 levels.”
A 2016 study of US poison control data uncovered over 25,000 reports associated with vitamin D between 2000 and 2014, with an uptick in overdoses over time.
Scientists are now using the man’s ordeal as a cautionary tale to warn others about the perils of overdoing it on vitamin D.
“This case report further highlights the potential toxicity of supplements that are largely considered safe until taken in unsafe amounts or in unsafe combinations,” the study authors wrote.