This medication has been batch-certified by Valisure.
what is this medicine?
vitamin d is necessary for building and maintaining healthy bones. That's because calcium, the primary component of bone, can only be absorbed by your body when vitamin d is present. Your body makes vitamin d when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol).
vitamin d isn't found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.
the amount of vitamin d your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin d production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important, also can decrease vitamin d production.
many older adults don't get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin d, so taking a multivitamin with vitamin d will likely help improve bone health. The recommended daily amount of vitamin d is 400 international units (iu) for children up to age 12 months, 600 iu for ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 iu for people over 70 years.
evidence
research on vitamin d use for specific conditions shows:
cancer research suggests that vitamin d, especially when taken with calcium, might help prevent certain cancers.
cognitive health. Early research suggests that vitamin d might play a role in cognitive health. In one small study of adults age 60 years and older being treated for dementia, researchers found that taking a vitamin d supplement helped improve cognitive function.
inherited disorders. Vitamin d supplements can be used to help treat inherited disorders resulting from an inability to absorb or process vitamin d,
such as familial hypophosphatemia.
multiple sclerosis. Research suggests that long-term vitamin d supplementation reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.
osteomalacia. Vitamin d supplements are used to treat adults with severe vitamin d deficiency, resulting in loss of bone mineral content,
bone pain, muscle weakness and soft bones (osteomalacia).
osteoporosis. Studies suggest that people who get enough vitamin d and calcium in their diets can slow bone mineral loss, help prevent osteoporosis and reduce bone fractures.
psoriasis. Applying vitamin d or a topical preparation that contains a vitamin d compound called calcipotriene to the skin can treat plaque-type psoriasis in some people.
rickets. This rare condition develops in children with vitamin d deficiency. Supplementing with vitamin d can prevent and treat the problem.
without vitamin d your bones can become soft, thin and brittle. Insufficient vitamin d is also connected to osteoporosis and some types of cancer. If you don't get enough vitamin d
through sunlight or dietary sources, you might need vitamin d supplements.
safety and side effects
taken in appropriate doses, vitamin d is generally considered safe.
however, taking too much vitamin d can be harmful. Children age 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and breast-feeding women who take more than 4,000 iu a day of vitamin d might experience:
-nausea
-vomiting
-poor appetite
-constipation
-weakness
-weight loss
-confusion
-disorientation
-heart rhythm problems
-kidney damage
interactions
possible interactions include:
-aluminum. Taking vitamin d and aluminum-containing phosphate binders long term might cause harmful levels of aluminum in people with kidney failure.
-anticonvulsants. The anticonvulsants phenobarbital and phenytoin (dilantin, phenytek) increase the breakdown of vitamin d and reduce calcium absorption.
-atorvastatin (lipitor). Taking vitamin d might affect the way your body processes this cholesterol drug.
-calcipotriene (dovonex). Don't take vitamin d with this psoriasis drug. The combination might increase the risk of too much calcium in the blood
(hypercalcemia).
-cholestyramine (prevalite). Taking this weight-loss drug can reduce your absorption of vitamin d.
-cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates. Use vitamin d cautiously if you're taking drugs processed by these enzymes.
-digoxin (lanoxin). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin d with this heart medication. High doses of vitamin d can cause hypercalcemia, which increases the risk of fatal heart problems with digoxin.
-diltiazem (cardizem, tiazac). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin d with this blood pressure drug. High doses of vitamin d can cause hypercalcemia, which might reduce the drug's effectiveness.
-orlistat (xenical, alli). Taking this weight-loss drug can reduce your absorption of vitamin d.
-thiazide diuretics. These blood pressure drugs might decrease urinary calcium excretion. This could lead to hypercalcemia if you are taking vitamin d.
-steroids. Taking steroid mediations such as prednisone can reduce calcium absorption and impair your body's processing of vitamin d.
-stimulant laxatives. Long-term use of high doses of stimulant laxatives can reduce vitamin d and calcium absorption.
-verapamil (verelan, calan). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin d with this blood pressure drug. High doses of vitamin d can cause hypercalcemia, which might reduce the drug's effectiveness.
what side effects may i notice from receiving this medicine?
side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional
as soon as possible:
-allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives,
swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
-breathing problems
-diarrhea with
headache or nausea
-flushing or redness of skin
-pain in lower back, side, or stomach
side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to
your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
-bad taste in the mouth
-stomach upset.
this list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for
medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to fda at
1-800-fda-1088.
