Vitamin D: can you get too much?
A new study in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that too much vitamin D can actually be harmful! With all the craze over Vitamin D benefits people have been taking more and more supplements of the vitamin and not knowing that too much of it can actually be bad for them.
The study, which had over 15,000 subjects, looked at the relationship between vitamin D and blood levels of an inflammatory mediator C Reactive Protein (CRP.) Higher levels of CRP is associated with inflammatory response and higher risk for heart disease. Basically, you want low levels of CRP.
The study found that subjects with low levels of vitamin D benefited from the supplements, and higher vitamin D was associated with lower CRP, which is good, at blood levels up to 21 ng/ml.
When blood levels of vitamin D were higher than 21 ng/ml additional vitamin D was actually associated with an increase of CRP.
Basically, mega doses of vitamin D should be avoided unless you have checked your blood level and are deficient in the vitamin, because taking too much vitamin D when your blood level is adequate can lead to an increase of CRP which increases inflammation in the body and risk of heart disease. A multi-vitamin which has 100% of the RDA for vitamin D should be fine if you are taking that, just avoid taking doses that are like 2000% the RDA if you do not have a deficiency.
Getting your vitamins from food is always better! So try getting your vitamin D from foods and the sun:
The study, which had over 15,000 subjects, looked at the relationship between vitamin D and blood levels of an inflammatory mediator C Reactive Protein (CRP.) Higher levels of CRP is associated with inflammatory response and higher risk for heart disease. Basically, you want low levels of CRP.
The study found that subjects with low levels of vitamin D benefited from the supplements, and higher vitamin D was associated with lower CRP, which is good, at blood levels up to 21 ng/ml.
When blood levels of vitamin D were higher than 21 ng/ml additional vitamin D was actually associated with an increase of CRP.
Basically, mega doses of vitamin D should be avoided unless you have checked your blood level and are deficient in the vitamin, because taking too much vitamin D when your blood level is adequate can lead to an increase of CRP which increases inflammation in the body and risk of heart disease. A multi-vitamin which has 100% of the RDA for vitamin D should be fine if you are taking that, just avoid taking doses that are like 2000% the RDA if you do not have a deficiency.
Getting your vitamins from food is always better! So try getting your vitamin D from foods and the sun:
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