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AI-Generated response:

How much Vitamin D should adults take daily?

Answer generated on June 4, 2024

The AI-generated responses are for illustration purposes only and should not be used for medical purposes.

Adults aged 18 to 70 years should take 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO, and adults older than 70 years should take 20 mcg/day (800 International Units/day) PO.[1-3]

  • The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is based on maintaining bone health and normal calcium metabolism.

  • Adults over 70 years have a higher RDA due to increased risk of osteoporosis and bone health deterioration.

  • Routine supplementation in healthy adults not at high risk for vitamin D deficiency or osteoporosis is generally not recommended unless dietary intake is insufficient.

  • Vitamin D can be obtained through diet, supplements, and adequate exposure to sunlight, although intentional sun exposure is not universally recommended due to the risk of skin cancer.

  • High doses of vitamin D can lead to toxicity; symptoms include hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, and in severe cases, kidney stones and renal failure.

Additional info

The dosages provided are aligned with the guidelines from various health organizations to prevent vitamin D deficiency while avoiding the risks associated with excessive vitamin D intake. It's important to note that while routine supplementation for community-dwelling adults is not universally recommended, specific populations such as older adults or those with minimal sun exposure might require supplementation to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. The Endocrine Society suggests that to achieve blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D above 30 ng/mL, at least 1500 to 2000 units/day may be necessary, particularly in older adults or those at higher risk for falls and fractures.[1] Monitoring vitamin D levels in patients at risk of deficiency, especially those with conditions like osteoporosis, is crucial to ensure that supplementation is both adequate and safe.

References

Reference 1

1.

Elsevier ClinicalKey Clinical Overview

Screening and Prevention Routine vitamin D supplementation in healthy adults is not recommended Supplementation has not been shown to reduce incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or death in community-dwelling adults and does not reduce fracture rates in individuals who are not at high risk for fracture Specifically, US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against daily supplementation with 400 units or less of vitamin D₃ and 1000 mg or less of calcium for primary prevention of fractures in community-dwelling postmenopausal patients Evidence was insufficient to determine benefits and harms of higher doses and supplementation in males and premenopausal patients Most people can maintain adequate vitamin D levels through safe sunlight exposure and diet In the United States and Canada, milk is fortified with vitamin D, as are some bread products, orange juices, cereals, yogurts, and cheeses Cod liver oil, salmon, and sardines are rich in vitamin D Intentional sun exposure is not universally recommended owing to risk of UV radiation–induced skin cancers Vitamin D dietary reference intakes to maintain adequate levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D: Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) Oral capsule; Adult 18 to 70 years: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO. Recommended daily allowance during pregnancy and lactation is the same Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) Oral capsule; Adults older than 70 years: 20 mcg/day (800 International Units/day) PO. Royal Osteoporosis Society recommends a daily supplement containing 400 units of vitamin D for people aged 65 years and older and those who have minimal exposure to the sun Endocrine Society recommends 800 units of vitamin D per day for prevention of falls and fractures in patients aged 70 years and older; however, to raise blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D above their 30 nanograms/mL target may require at least 1500 to 2000 units/day

Reference 2

2.

Elsevier ClinicalKey Drug Monograph

Content last updated: May 5, 2024.

Indications And Dosage Oral dosage Adults older than 70 years: 20 mcg/day (800 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. Adult 18 to 70 years: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. Adolescents: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is recommended if the adolescent is not obtaining at least 10 mcg (400 International Units) through dietary sources. All dietary sources of Thera-D 2000 (e.g., fortified milk, eggs, other food) may be included in determining the daily intake. Children: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is recommended if the child is consuming less than 1 L/day of Thera-D 2000-fortified milk. Infants: 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is the recommended Adequate Intake based on dietary intake of breast milk, formula, or other food sources. No RDA has been established. Infants that are exclusively breast-fed without Thera-D 2000 supplements are at increased risk for deficiency. Because most exclusively formula-fed infants ingest nearly 1 L/day of formula after the first month of life, they will achieve a Thera-D 2000 intake of 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day). Infants who receive a mixture of human milk and formula should get a Thera-D 2000 supplement of 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) to ensure the AI value. As infants are weaned from human milk and/or formula, intake of Thera-D 2000-fortified milk should be encouraged to provide at least 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) of Thera-D 2000.

Indications And Dosage Oral dosage Adults older than 70 years: 20 mcg/day (800 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. Adult 18 to 70 years: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. Adolescents: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is recommended if the adolescent is not obtaining at least 10 mcg (400 International Units) through dietary sources. All dietary sources of vitamin D (e.g., fortified milk, eggs, other food) may be included in determining the daily intake. Children: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO is the RDA. 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is recommended if the child is consuming less than 1 L/day of vitamin D-fortified milk. Infants: 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) PO is the recommended Adequate Intake based on dietary intake of breast milk, formula, or other food sources. No RDA has been established. Infants that are exclusively breast-fed without vitamin D supplements are at increased risk for deficiency. Because most exclusively formula-fed infants ingest nearly 1 L/day of formula after the first month of life, they will achieve a vitamin D intake of 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day). Infants who receive a mixture of human milk and formula should get a vitamin D supplement of 10 mcg/day (400 International Units/day) to ensure the AI value.

Reference 3

3.

Elsevier ClinicalKey Clinical Overview

Treatment Vitamin D Daily Vitamin D recommendations based off age Vitamin D Oral capsule; Adults and Geriatrics 18 to 70 years: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO. Vitamin D Oral capsule; Adults and Geriatrics 18 to 70 years: 15 mcg/day (600 International Units/day) PO. Vitamin D Oral capsule; Geriatrics older than 70 years: 20 mcg/day (800 International Units/day). Vitamin D deficiency Vitamin D Oral capsule; Adults: 1,250 mcg (50,000 International Units) PO once weekly or 150 to 250 mcg (6,000 to 10,000 International Units) PO once daily for at least 8 weeks to achieve a serum vitamin D concentration more than 30 ng/mL, followed by maintenance dose of 37.5 to 50 mcg (1,500 to 2,000 International Units) PO once daily. Alternative regimens (with varying durations) include 1,250 mcg (50,000 International Units) PO twice weekly, 1,250 mcg (50,000 International Units) three times weekly, 1,250 mcg (50,000 International Units) PO every 2 weeks, and 2,500 mcg (100,000 International Units) PO once weekly. Individualize dose based on serum vitamin D concentrations.

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