Vitamin D supplements are recommended when the person is deficient in this vitamin, being more common in colder countries where the skin is not exposed to the sun. In addition, children, the elderly and people with darker skin are also more likely to have vitamin deficiency.
The benefits of vitamin D are related to healthy bones and teeth, increased strength and muscle balance, and lower risk of diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer.
- Vitamin D supplements can be found in pharmacies.
- Supermarkets.
- Health food stores and online.
- In adult capsules or drops for children.
- And the dosage depends on the person’s age.
Vitamin D supplementation is indicated by your doctor to treat certain conditions that may be related to small amounts of vitamin D circulating in your blood, such as:
It is important that before you start taking vitamin D supplements, a blood test is done to know the levels of this vitamin in your blood, so your doctor can tell you about the recommended daily dose, for example. Understand how the vitamin D test is done.
The recommended dosage of the supplement depends on the age of the person, the purpose of the supplement and the vitamin D levels identified during the exam, which can range from 1000 IU to 50,000 IU.
The following table shows the recommended dose for the treatment and prevention of certain diseases:
It is important to note that the recommended dose should be indicated by the responsible healthcare professional and it is therefore important to consult your doctor or nutritionist before consuming the supplement. Learn more about vitamin D and its functions.
The ingested vitamin D is stored in the body and therefore doses greater than 4000 IU of this supplement without medical advice can cause hypervitaminosis, which can cause nausea, vomiting, increased urination, muscle weakness and constipation.
In addition, doses higher than those recommended by your doctor may promote calcium deposition in your heart, kidneys and brain, which can have serious consequences.
Vitamin D supplementation should not be used by children, pregnant or nursing women, people with atherosclerosis, histoplasmosis, hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis, hypercalcemia, tuberculosis and people with renal impairment without medical advice.
Watch the video below and also find out which foods are rich in vitamin D: