Question Why do vegan D3 supplements contain such high doses?

[Brian W]

From October onwards, I want to start supplementing vitamin D. All the research I have done shows that most adults need between 10 and 15 micrograms daily - at my age 15 is recommended. The trouble is, all the vegan D3 supplements I have found contain 75 micrograms which is way too high. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and excess is stored and can build up to dangerous levels. I'm beginning to think I may have to compromise my vegan ethics and take regular D3 supplements made from sheep wool. Why do vegan D3 supplements contain such high levels?

 

[silva]

Wow. I do not find that to be true at all!
FIrst I have to say in the US the ranges for D are quite different from where you are.

Since being found at 11 I was put on the mega doses, then told to supplement 2000 daily. I sayed with lanolin based D3 thinking I would switch after being sure I could raise it on the usual pills. I had been supplementing D2 along with plenty of sun when found so low at the end of summer.
One year later I was tested again--only up to 30 which is the very low end of normal. Now 2000 daily is quite high, but my doctor just said to up it to 5000. Knowing that D2 did not help, and lanolin based D3 was the researched standard, I've been very hesitant to try vegan D3. Here all I find is lower dosages which much much higher prices. Since I'm technically in the normal range from my last test my insurance won't cover testing

 

[Brian W]

Wow. I do not find that to be true at all!
FIrst I have to say in the US the ranges for D are quite different from where you are.

Since being found at 11 I was put on the mega doses, then told to supplement 2000 daily. I sayed with lanolin based D3 thinking I would switch after being sure I could raise it on the usual pills. I had been supplementing D2 along with plenty of sun when found so low at the end of summer.
One year later I was tested again--only up to 30 which is the very low end of normal. Now 2000 daily is quite high, but my doctor just said to up it to 5000. Knowing that D2 did not help, and lanolin based D3 was the researched standard, I've been very hesitant to try vegan D3. Here all I find is lower dosages which much much higher prices. Since I'm technically in the normal range from my last test my insurance won't cover testing

2000 sounds like International Units (IU) rather than micrograms. In the case of vitamin D, 1 IU=0.025 mcg so the usual recommended dose of 600IU=15mcg. Your 2000 dose would then be 50mcg which is the upper dose commonly prescribed. 5000IU would be toxic to most of us as the upper tolerable limit is around 100mcg but of course we are all different and your doctor has good reason to give you such a dose.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I was taking high levels of vitamin D for a while as my levels were very low. I think the result was 10.

I was buying some more tablets and the pharmacist said that I shouldn't take vitamin D at such high levels long term as it can cause calcium to build up in the body. I only take a vitamin D tablet once a week now. I get tested for various things every six months now and my levels are normal.

Just checked - it went up from 10 to 70 in a year. Anything above 50 is normal.