Early signs of vitamin D poisoning after 7-year-old boy overdoses

A mother is spreading awareness of the key signs of a vitamin D overdose.

It’s easy to assume that when it comes to supplements, more can only mean better, but that isn’t always the case.

Exceeding the daily recommended dose of Vitamin D can do more harm than good, but you may be unaware of the signs that something is wrong.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is essential for maintaining strong bones and ensuring your immune system is healthy by helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorus.

It is often called the ‘sunshine vitamin’ and is usually associated with sunshine because our bodies produce it when our skin is exposed to UVB rays.

You may not be aware of the risks of taking too much vitamin D (Getty Stock image)

You can also find vitamin D in fatty fish, fortified food and of course supplements. These can all be a huge help for those who may need extra help ensuring they’re consuming the supplement, such as during the winter.

Speaking to the BBC, mom Carys Hobbs-Sargeant said her son Roo was accidentally poisoned with an overdose of vitamin D that had been prescribed for growing pains in his legs. He was prescribed the dose for 12 weeks.

The seven-year-old was given a bottle of vitamin D3 drops, which were seven times more concentrated than they should have been, from one of two bad batches distributed in the UK.

As a result, Roo developed an acute kidney injury. When he became ill suddenly last year, doctors feared he might have had a brain tumor.

His symptoms included losing weight and drinking a lot of water.

"He became hypercalcaemic, and they were very concerned that his calcium was so high in his blood," his mum Carys told the BBC.

"They were looking at whether it was a brain tumour, and we were sort of gearing up for him to have an MRI of his brain."

Vitamin D toxicity is the medical condition that can arise if you take too much vitamin D, from a supplement or a prescription. Cleveland Clinic says the main complication of this is severe hypercalcemia, which can lead to symptoms like vomiting, increased thirst, or frequent urination.

These are the early warning signs of vitamin D poisoning (Getty Stock image)

It is considered rare, with around 4,500 cases per year in the U.S.

Symptoms may include a decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting, constipation, dehydration, increased thirst, urinating frequently, confusion, lethargy and fatigue, muscle weakness and difficulty walking, bone pain, or kidney stones.

Treatment for vitamin D toxicity focuses primarily on reducing elevated calcium levels in the bloodstream, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Healthcare providers typically begin by instructing patients to stop taking all vitamin D and calcium supplements. To address dehydration, patients may be given intravenous (IV) fluids. In more severe cases, doctors may administer medications such as corticosteroids and bisphosphonates to help block bone resorption and lower calcium levels.

In a separate case described in the journal BMJ Case Reports, a man was admitted to hospital because of his excessive vitamin D intake.