Uncontrolled intake of vitamin D can not only fail to benefit but also harm the body. Immunologist Svetlana Chulkova has named the top 5 main mistakes when taking the "sunshine" vitamin, reports the website infohub.kz.
"Few people know that taking vitamin D can do harm rather than good. Often, taking vitamins is perceived as something casual that doesn't require monitoring. However, you need to know that vitamin D is, after all, a steroid hormone. The correctness of its intake greatly affects the result. And the result can be different," the doctor noted.
According to her, a person may take vitamin D, but it may not be absorbed, or the intake may negatively affect the absorption and distribution of calcium in the body.
Mistake 1. Lack of monitoring vitamin D levels in the blood, according to the immunologist, is a serious shortcoming, because to determine whether it can and should be taken, you need to know its concentration in the blood. This will allow you to choose the dosage for therapeutic or preventive purposes. Therefore, only after a special laboratory analysis can you take vitamin D.
Mistake 2. If you don't know which form of vitamin D you are taking, that is also a big minus. "There are two forms of vitamin D. Cholecalciferol is the inactive form, which is exactly what is needed to correct its deficiency. The cholecalciferol drug is safe — the probability of overdose is low. But there is another, active form of vitamin D — calcitriol. It can only be taken under medical supervision," she explains.
Mistake 3. It is said that if you take vitamin D without vitamin K2, the risk of calcium deposition on artery walls may increase, which could lead to an increased risk of cardiac complications. However, according to the doctor, the evidence base in this matter is weak. But the risk of thrombosis when taking K2 may increase. Therefore, she does not recommend taking the two vitamins together.
Mistake 4. Taking vitamin D without food is also a mistake. This is because it is absorbed worse. "Taking vitamin D should be associated with food intake. You must remember that this vitamin is fat-soluble, so your plate must contain fats," explains Chulkova.
Mistake 5. Taking vitamin D without magnesium is also not recommended. This is because the tandem of these vitamins is the key to successful absorption of vitamin D. "How does magnesium affect the work of vitamin D? Under the influence of magnesium, vitamin D is converted into active calciferol. It turns out to be a mutually beneficial process. Disruption of this process can lead to weakening of bones, muscles, cardiovascular and nervous systems," she emphasized.
Earlier, "Kursiv" wrote that vitamin D is not only a vitamin for bones. It participates in the functioning of the immune system, affects calcium metabolism, muscle condition, and even mood.