Vitamin D is not toxic as once was thought. Vitamin D is a non-negotiable cellular necessity. Hypercalcemia or high blood calcium levels is the hazard criterion for vitamin D toxicity. It however is not found to happen with supplemental doses of vitamin D.
The fear of vitamin D toxicity may be keeping us away from a healthy immunity. Vitamin D in adequate levels is the best physiological barrier to protect us from the present and future infections too. Fear of toxicity is unmerited and unwarranted. With supplemental doses @ 10000 IU/day for adults, a safe physiological dose, one can keep the immune system strong. The desired minimum vitamin D blood levels of 40 – 60 ng/ml cannot be met with lower doses.
With pharmacological or higher doses of vitamin D, the treating doctors monitor parameters like PTH and corrected/ionised calcium, urinary calcium, so that the patient does not land up with any adverse effects of hypercalcemia.
“There is enough evidence that vitamin D toxicity is one of the rarest medical conditions….” Dr. Michael Holick.
