[newsbinator]

I still can't figure out the safe + effective dosage of Vitamin D.

I was taking 1,000mg a day and that didn't seem to move the needle on my Vitamin D blood work.

In recent weeks I've been taking 4,000mg/day (with K2), which is 4x what I've had pharmacists recommend.

I plan to keep that up for a couple more weeks while I'm under quarantine (recently flew from a high-risk country to a less high-risk country). After that I'll level off to 2,000mg a day.

But I'm shooting in the dark. I have no idea if 2,000mg/day or 4,000mg/day is too much or not enough.

[BurningFrog]

Quick Google results:

- Mayo Clinic says "Taking 60,000 international units (IU) a day of vitamin D for several months has been shown to cause toxicity."

- news-medical.net says "To prevent toxicity, tolerable upper intake levels have been fixed for vitamin D as..." 4000 for adults.

- healthline.com says "A daily vitamin D intake of 1000–4000 IU (25–100 micrograms) should be enough to ensure optimal blood levels for most people."

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-h...

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Vitamin-D-Overdose.aspx

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-vitamin-d-is-t...

[tekgnos]

Studies of pale skinned Norwegiens who go in the sun during summer show they make 10,000-20,000IU equivalent a day. Results will vary depending on skin tone and the position of the sun (lower in the sky means no vitamin D as the right wavelengths of light are not hitting your skin)

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-from-sun#time...

[James_Henry]

The safest way is to take an occasional test for your vitamin d levels. There are tests that you can take at home that aren't too expensive!

[secabeen]

Yep. I work inside a lot, so I started taking 5000IU of D a day. After two weeks, I had my levels tested and it showed a level of 37. When fall comes around, and I'm outside even less, I'll probably up the dosage for a week or two, then test again. Target is between 50 and 70, so I definitely need more.

[BurningFrog]

Thanks. I didn't know.

Amazon has a few options in the $50-90 range.

You prick your finger, draw a "small amount" of blood, and send it to a lab.

[secabeen]

The order it yourself lab companies compete on the Vitamin D test, you can usually get one for $40.