Vitamin D supplementation: upper limit for safety revisited?

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2021 Jan;33(1):19-24. doi: 10.1007/s40520-020-01678-x. Epub 2020 Aug 28.

Abstract

Vitamin D overdosing includes hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, and mineral deposits in soft tissues. A safety upper limit of 4000 IU/day, which is consistently accepted, has been challenged, since the risk of adverse events in other systems than calcium-phosphate homeostasis may depend not only on the dose, but on the outcome, the treatment regimen, and possibly the age, sex and vitamin D status. The therapeutic window of vitamin D supplementation may be narrower than hitherto recognized. The prevention and/or correction of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency with 800-1000 IU/daily of vitamin D or 10 µg/day of calcifediol are safe. Because of their potential harm, larger doses given on the long term or in intermittent regimens should not be selected.

Keywords: Bone health; Falls; Fracture; Osteoporosis; Sarcopenia.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Calcifediol
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Humans
  • Vitamin D / adverse effects
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / complications
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / drug therapy
  • Vitamins

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D
  • Calcifediol