Too Much Calcium/Vit. D?

[swmom]

Does anyone know what happens when there is too much calcium or vitamin D in the body? Or does the body eliminate what it can't use of either of these?

[catatonic]

Vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body. Because it is a fat-soluble vitamin, your body does not find it easy to get rid of excess amounts. (With water soluble vitamins such as the B's or C, you simply pee it out.) Vitamin D's Upper Tolerable Limit is 2,000IU per day for children and adults (from all sources, food and supplements), and if you take too much of it you may develope elevated calcium and phosphorous levels. If you're big on dairy (esp milk) track how much you consume each day because it may surprise you. One glass of milk, for example, typically contains about 100IU of Vitamin D. A 3 1/2 ounce portion of most fish provides more than 300IU. and an egg about 25IU. Some of the symptoms of Vitamin D toxicity would include headache and nausea, excessive thirst and urination, and finally there is a possibility of soft tissue calcification (e.g. kidney stones).

Excessive calcium usually isn't a problem unless you take supplements in excess of 2,500mg per day. Too much can cause constipation and it will interfere with the absorption of iron and magnesium. Worst case scenario, you may develop kidney stones.

Calcium is actually very easy to get from your diet. One cup of skim milk, for example, contains 300mg calcium. One cup of low fat yogurt with fruit contains almost 450mg., an ounce of cheddar cheese 200mg.

So, in practical terms, what you will typically see in someone who takes high level supplements or is a total dairy lover is development of kidney stones over time and symptoms of magnesium deficiency, possibly anemia. If you have problems with these things, you may want to look at your consumption of calcium and D.