Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. Getting too much vitamin D (known as vitamin D toxicity) can be harmful. Check with your health care provider about how much you need to take, how often you need to take it, and how long you need to take it. If you have vitamin D deficiency, the treatment is with supplements. There are also vitamin D supplements, both in pills and a liquid for babies. Foods that often have added vitamin D include: You can check the food labels to find out whether a food has vitamin D. You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.There are a few foods that naturally have some vitamin D: They need to do more research before they can understand the effects of vitamin D on these conditions. Researchers are studying vitamin D for its possible connections to several medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Osteomalacia causes weak bones, bone pain, and muscle weakness. In adults, severe vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia. African American infants and children are at higher risk of getting rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend. Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). What problems does vitamin D deficiency cause? There is a blood test which can measure how much vitamin D is in your body. Talk with your health care provider if you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. People who take medicines that affect vitamin D metabolism, such as cholestyramine (a cholesterol drug), anti-seizure drugs, glucocorticoids, antifungal drugs, and HIV/AIDS medicines.People with some lymphomas, a type of cancer.People with sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, or other granulomatous disease (disease with granulomas, collections of cells caused by chronic inflammation).People with hyperparathyroidism (too much of a hormone that controls the body's calcium level).People with chronic kidney or liver disease.People who have had gastric bypass surgery.People who have obesity, because their body fat binds to some vitamin D and prevents it from getting into the blood.People with disorders such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease who don't handle fat properly, because vitamin D needs fat to be absorbed.People with dark skin, which has less ability to produce vitamin D from the sun.
Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of vitamin D.Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency: You take medicines that interfere with your body's ability to convert or absorb vitamin D.Your liver or kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form in the body.You don't get enough exposure to sunlight.You don't absorb enough vitamin D from food (a malabsorption problem).You don't get enough vitamin D in your diet.You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons: Check with your health care provider about how much you need. People at high risk of vitamin D deficiency may need more. Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 600 IU.The recommended amounts, in international units (IU), are: The amount of vitamin D you need each day depends on your age. But too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer, so many people try to get their vitamin D from other sources. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight. You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Why do I need vitamin D and how do I get it? Vitamin D deficiency means that you are not getting enough vitamin D to stay healthy.