As the NHS encourages Brits to take vitamin D during winter months, a health expert has issued a warning about four signs could indicate you may be taking too much of the supplement
A health specialist has warned Brits should stop taking their vitamin D tablets if they start to notice these particular adverse effects.
The warning comes despite the NHS urging millions of Brits to take the tablet in the colder months due to lack of sunlight. Tobias Mapulanga, a biomedical scientist and co-founder of Repose Healthcare, has sounded the alarm over numerous signs people should watch for.
Mapulanga warned: “As the NHS encourages vitamin D in winter, many people are reaching for bottles in the darker months and accidentally overshooting, then blaming the fallout on seasonal bugs; when constant thirst and needing the loo more often, queasiness, tummy pain or constipation, headaches or brain fog, and new aches or cramps appear soon after increasing your intake or adding sprays or gummies, that points to a supplement backfiring.
“The stakes are clear: the right amount supports you, but doubling up can turn a well-meant routine into feeling worse rather than better.”
Studies showed that 42% of UK adults surveyed had popped vitamin D supplements in the past year. However Which? uncovered supplements – vitamin D included – are being sold with doses reaching 12.5 times beyond the recommended safety threshold posing a serious health risk, reports the Mirror.
Experts have recommended you should ditch your vitamin D tablets immediately if you spot these red flags:
1. Excessive thirst and frequent trips to the toilet
If you find yourself suddenly battling constant thirst and making more trips to the loo after starting vitamin D tablets, it’s a red flag that you may be taking too much. Cut back to a single 10 microgram dose and bin any extra supplements when these signs appear.
Excessive vitamin D can wreak havoc with your body’s fluid and salt balance, leaving you gasping for water and dashing to the bathroom non-stop. Check labels on food and drink products carefully and ditch multivitamins, sprays, gummies and scrap drinks or cereals packed with extra D.
Keep a water bottle close at hand and sip regularly while your system gets back on track. Stay well under the 100 microgram safety limit while symptoms persist, leave one product by the kettle and hide the rest out of sight.
2. You experience nausea, persistent burping or an upset stomach
If you’re start to feel nausea, suffering burping or a dodgy stomach after using vitamin D – it’s your body’s way of saying something’s not right. Try taking your supplement with a proper meal and switch from sprays or gummies to a simple D3 tablet if troubles persist.
Food works as a protective barrier for the supplement in your gut and cuts down on irritation, while sprays and gummies often pack sweeteners or flavourings which can upset some people’s stomachs. Go for a basic cholecalciferol tablet with minimal extras, slash the dose back to 10 micrograms and keep away from energy drinks while your stomach is on the mend.
3. Your bones and muscles are playing up.
If you start noticing bone discomfort or regular muscle spasms after starting your vitamin D tablets, take it as a red flag. Cut back on your dose and prioritise staying hydrated while munching on mineral-packed food.
Too much vitamin D can mess about with the minerals your muscles rely on, while being parched makes cramping more likely.
Down a big glass of water with your meals and work in yoghurt, vegetable, beans and bananas during the day. Light stretching and a quick stroll can help ease any stiffness. Go back to a single 10 microgram dose and ditch any extra supplements while the symptoms calm down.
4. You can’t think straight
Brain fog and banging headaches are dead giveaways you’re overdoing it with vitamin D. If you’re suffering from a pounding headache after popping your tablets swap out any multivitamin or heavy-duty supplement for a basic 10 microgram D3 tablet. High doses can bump up calcium levels, while the extras in multivitamins can muddle your thinking. Pick a product that’s got nothing but cholecalciferol and simple fillers.
Take it with grub at the same time each day to keep things consistent and be kinder to your gut. Leave those combined A+D products on the shelf and stick with one straightforward D3 tablet.
To stay healthy opt for a compact tablet to ensure consistency becomes second nature. Monitor how many products you’re consuming which contain vitamin D, as it’s completely feasible to exceed safe levels without awareness.
Examine all sources and choose just one daily product to avoid duplication from tablets, multivitamins, sprays, gummies and other foods. Lay out everything containing vitamin D and examine each label meticulously.