The case study, published in the British Medical Journal, led an NHS doctor to warn those taking supplements. The man started taking the vitamins after visiting a private nutritionist and was taking 20 different supplements a day. The report says the man’s kidneys “stopped working” and he subsequently spent eight days in hospital. The daily recommended dose is 600 mg, but the report says the man was taking 50,000 mg. The man was on disability after visiting a private nutritionist (iStock) The health service also says that taking more than 100 mcg of vitamin D a day could be “harmful”. He added: “Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken bones and damage the kidneys and heart.” The man’s admission to hospital came four months after he started taking the supplements, which included omega 3, magnesium and vitamin C. During this time she lost nearly two stone but suffered from leg cramps, stomach pain, vomiting, nausea and tinnitus. Doctors who examined his case said there was “too much calcium” in his blood. Too much calcium in your blood can lead to a coma. NHS doctor Dr Alamin Alkundi, who examined the man’s case, said cases of “hypervitaminosis D” were increasing around the world. He added: “This case report further highlights the potential toxicity of supplements that are considered largely safe until they are taken in unsafe amounts or in unsafe combinations.” The man’s vitamin D levels will still be abnormally high two months after leaving hospital, as the supplement can take “several weeks” to leave the body. When taken correctly vitamin D can “help regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body”, says the NHS. He adds that it’s important to get daily vitamin D during the fall and winter, since that’s when there’s less sunlight, which is a natural source of vitamin D.
