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Risks of the 'Sunshine pill' - a case of hypervitaminosis D
Sebastien Ellis1, Georgios Tsiopanis2, Tanuj Lad3
1University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK sebastien.ellis@uhs.nhs.uk.
Clinical Medicine (London, England)
|August 4, 2018
Abstract:
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for calcium homeostasis and bone health. Vitamin D toxicity or hypervitaminosis D is extremely rare. We describe the case of a 73-year-old man who presented with life-threatening hypervitaminosis D and hypercalcaemia resulting from self-medicated doses of vitamin D supplements. This case, alongside other global case reports, highlights the potential dangers of unlicensed vitamin D replacement. We discuss the evidence for vitamin D replacement and remind readers of the current guidance on daily intake and supplementation.