Vitamin D: criteria for safety and efficacy.
The functional status indicator for vitamin D, for both safety and efficacy, is serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Efficacy for several health endpoints requires levels of 80 nmol/L or higher. Toxicity occurs at levels of 500 nmol/L or higher. The input needed for efficacy, in addition to typical food and cutaneous inputs, will usually be 1000-2000 IU/day of supplemental cholecalciferol. Toxicity is associated only with excessive supplemental intake (usually well above 20,000 IU/day).
Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68131, USA. rheaney@creighton.edu
Robert P
RP
Heaney
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D014116:Toxicology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D