Calcium Metabolism and Osteoporosis Program, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Background: Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent in youth worldwide, but the safety of vitamin D at doses exceeding 200 IU/day is unknown in this age group. We assessed the safety of high doses of vitamin D3 administered to apparently healthy school children.
Methods: short term safety: 25 subjects randomly received placebo or vitamin D3 at doses of 14,000 IU/wk for 8 weeks. Long term safety: 340 subjects randomly received placebo, vitamin D3 as 1400 IU or 14,000 IU/week for one year. Biochemical variables were monitored at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks, and 8 weeks off therapy in the short term study and at 0, 6 and 12 months in the long term study.
Results: In both the short term and long term studies, mean serum calcium and 1,25-OHD levels did not change in any group. In the short term study, mean 25-OHD concentrations increased from 44 (+/- 11) ng/ml to 54 (+/- 19) ng/ml in the treated groups (P=0.033). In the long term study, mean 25-OHD levels increased from 15+/-8 to 19+/-7 ng/ml (p<0.0001) in subjects receiving 1400 IU/wk; and from 15+/-7 to 36+/-22ng/ml in the group receiving 14,000 IU/wk (p<0.0001). No subject developed vitamin D intoxication.
Conclusion: Vitamin D3 at doses equivalent to 2,000 IU/day for one year is safe in adolescents and results in desirable vitamin D levels.
Do you think his doctor would be willing to (blood) test his vitamin D level? It's not a very expensive test.
The Life Extension Foundation offers a really affordable test for vitamin D (under $50). I'm not sure if their services would extend "over the pond" but, if not, there probably are some other resources closer to home that may be worth investigating.
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Sensible idea Harry. I don't think we are allowed to send blood through the mail, overseas. I think there are some companies here that might do it. I will search. Thanks.
15 to 20 minutes in the sun on a nice summer day will give you the equivilent of 20,000 I.U. of vitamin D, so it just seems logical that 5000 to 10000 I.U. per day would be safe.
* Most people are lacking vitamin D, especially during the winter/spring.
Personally, I've been taking at least 8000 I.U. per day for nearly a year, and have experienced no bad side effects/problems of any kind.
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PBD, can you tell me what product you take and have you had your blood tested for D levels? My doctor wants me to take D3 from a fish oil source and I am having a hard time getting my blood levels up.
Wondering how it goes for people who don't take fish oil sources.
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Vitamin D Safety in Children
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