Too much calcium in the urine is typically the first toxicity. A China Wholesale Coconut Oil Powder Suppliers study reported in the British Medical Journal in 1994 looked at 1400 elderly patients. Decreased absorption is another common cause of vitamin D deficiency. Among hospitalized patients under 65 years of age, the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency was 42%.Unfortunately, fortified foods do not always contain the amount of vitamin D listed on the label.. Severely deficient patients (who have less than 8 ng/ml) may require 50,000 units twice a week.
Toxic effects are uncommon, and are typically seen only in patients taking high daily doses (more than 40,000IU) for weeks to months with serum vitamin D levels of more than 100 ng/ml.Studies have shown that vitamin D and calcium supplementation increase bone mineral density and reduce fracture rates in elderly patients. Few natural foods contain vitamin D. This often manifests itself as kidney stones.Studies in the elderly and in nursing home residents report a prevalence which ranges from 25% to 54%.Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common. A recent survey of medical in patients in Boston reported a prevalence of vitamin D deficiency of 57%. Studies have found that up to 70% of milk samples do not contain the 400 IU per quart noted on the label.Five to ten minutes of exposure to sunlight on the face, hands, and arms, two to three days a week is required to synthesize sufficient amounts of vitamin D. Age, race, season, and latitude are important is disease prevalence.
The major dietary source of vitamin D is fortified foods which include milk, cereal, margarine, and some brands of orange juice and yogurt.Although there are many risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, the two most common are decreased skin synthesis, which declines with age, and inadequate dietary or supplemental intake. These were all ambulatory women. Women treated with 800 International Units (IU) of vitamin D and 1200 mgs of calcium per day had 23% fewer hip fractures compared to women treated with placebo.Treatment requires high doses of vitamin D until total body stores have been replenished. Patients with mild to moderate deficiency can be replenished with 50,000 IU of vitamin D once a week for six to eight weeks.The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in internal medicine residents (doctors intraining) increased from 25% in the fall, to 50% in the spring and winter.Once vitamin D levels have been replenished the patient can switch to maintenance therapy which is typically 1,000 IU per day