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The double-edged sword of vitamin D in Ireland: the need for public health awareness about too much as well as too little

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Abstract

Introduction

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 on dietary references intakes for calcium and vitamin D specified that a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) level below 30 nmol/L indicated risk of deficiency and that a level above 125 nmol/L indicated risk of harm.

Methods

We noted a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D (23.9 %) and a substantive prevalence of hypervitaminosis D (4.8 %) in a retrospective audit of clinical samples (n = 10,181) obtained over 10 months in 2013.

Conclusion

Hypovitaminosis D should be corrected by low dose supplementation (5 µg or 200 IU daily) with some at-risk groups needing higher doses (10 µg or 400 IU daily) based on 25OHD levels. Whereas, those taking high-dose vitamin D supplements based on mistaken beliefs about recently authorised claims of benefit for muscle function and misleading unauthorised claims need to be alerted to the potential harms of excessive supplementation.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Kilbane has nothing to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolism Laboratory, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland

    M. T. Kilbane, M. O’Keane, M. Morrin & M. J. McKenna

  2. Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Dublin 1, Ireland

    M. Flynn

  3. School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland

    M. J. McKenna

Authors
  1. M. T. Kilbane
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  2. M. O’Keane
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  3. M. Morrin
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  4. M. Flynn
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  5. M. J. McKenna
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Correspondence to M. T. Kilbane.

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Kilbane, M.T., O’Keane, M., Morrin, M. et al. The double-edged sword of vitamin D in Ireland: the need for public health awareness about too much as well as too little. Ir J Med Sci 183, 485–487 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-014-1147-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-014-1147-7

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