Do you need to take vitamin d supplements every day?

The human body does need vitamin D. Because vitamin D functions to absorb calcium and phosphorus in the bones, strengthen relationships between cells, and boost the immune system. Apart from sunlight and food, you can also get vitamin D in supplement form. However, should you take additional vitamin D supplements? Find out in the following reviews.

What is a vitamin D supplement?

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin. Yes, you can get this one vitamin for free just by routine sunbathing in the morning. In addition, vitamin D can also be obtained from foods rich in vitamin D and supplements.

Vitamin D supplements are available in a variety of doses, from 2,000 to 10,000 IU per day, 50,000 IU per week, or sometimes even more. A study shows that taking vitamin D supplements can help reduce pain and depressive symptoms in women with type 2 diabetes. Not only that, additional vitamin D intake has been shown to prevent cognitive impairment in people with Parkinson's disease and strengthen muscles in pregnant women.

Do you need to take vitamin D supplements every day?

Just like any other vitamin, excess vitamin D intake can cause health problems. This also applies if you take vitamin D supplements without doctor's recommendation.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. This means that any excess vitamin D will be stored in the body, not thrown away. Now, when you take vitamin D supplements every day even though you don't need them, vitamin D in the body will accumulate.

Reporting from Reader's Digest, according to Madeline Basler MS, RDN, CDN from Real You Nutrition, people who overdose on vitamin D supplements will experience symptoms such as:

nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. In fact, many supplements contain vitamin D3 that is up to 22 percent higher than the amount listed on the label. This is why the supply of vitamin D in the body is becoming increasingly excessive.

Let's look at one of the functions of vitamin D, which is to help absorb calcium in the bones. If the body has excess intake of vitamin D, it will automatically absorb excess calcium. Furthermore, this condition can trigger kidney stones and indigestion. In severe cases, the body can get vitamin D poisoning when you consume 50,000 IU of vitamin D every day.

Therefore, you basically don't need to take vitamin D supplements every day if your body is in good health and you don't have any medical problems. Because, only certain people who are recommended by a doctor can take vitamin D supplements as needed.

Vitamin D supplements are only recommended for certain people

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people aged 70 years and over tend to experience a decrease in their ability to produce vitamin D by up to 75 percent. This is why the elderly are allowed to take vitamin D supplements.

In addition, people who are obese tend to need more vitamin D. This is because the fat cells that accumulate in their bodies tend to absorb more vitamin D so that the supply of vitamin D in the body is insufficient.

The following are groups of people who need vitamin D supplements, including:

Postmenopausal women
Men and women who need long-term steroids
Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers
People with chronic kidney disease
People with parathyroid disease

Some foods such as fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, cheese, and mushrooms contain vitamin D, although in very small amounts. However, you don't really need to worry about vitamin D deficiency. The reason is that the consumption of vitamin D-rich foods will still meet your daily vitamin D needs, especially if you balance them with sunbathing in the morning sun.

So, you don't need to worry about vitamin D deficiency if you don't take vitamin D supplements, as long as you are not among the people who need additional supplements. However, to be sure again, check with your doctor to find out how much vitamin D is in the body and whether you need vitamin D supplements.