Is it safe to take Vitamin D 50,000 IU instead of 1,000 IU?

From the Guidelines

Taking Vitamin D 50,000 IU instead of 1,000 IU is not safe for regular use without medical supervision. The recommended daily allowance for most adults is only 600-800 IU, with a safe upper limit of 4,000 IU per day for long-term use 1. While 50,000 IU doses exist, they are prescription-strength and typically prescribed by doctors for severe vitamin D deficiency, usually taken once weekly for 8-12 weeks, not daily. According to a study published in 2017, treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves 50,000 IU vitamin D2 or D3 1 time/wk for 8 wk, followed by maintenance therapy of 1500–2000 IU/d to achieve normal concentrations 1. Taking such high doses without medical need can lead to vitamin D toxicity (hypervitaminosis D), causing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, weakness, kidney problems, and dangerous calcium buildup in your blood. If you're concerned about vitamin D levels, it's best to have your blood levels checked by a healthcare provider who can recommend an appropriate dosage. Most people who need supplementation do well with 1,000-2,000 IU daily, which effectively maintains healthy levels without risking toxicity.

Some key points to consider:

• Vitamin D toxicity is uncommon but may occur with daily doses of more than 50,000 IU per day that produce 25(OH) D levels larger than 150 ng/mL 1
• Current expert opinion on supplementation for adults older than age 50 is 1200 mg of calcium and 800 to 1000 IU of vitamin D daily 1
• The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends at least 3,000 IU of vitamin D daily, titrated to >30 ng/ml 1
• It's essential to follow the recommended daily allowance and consult with a healthcare provider before taking high doses of vitamin D.

In summary, high doses of vitamin D should be taken under medical supervision, and it's crucial to follow the recommended daily allowance to avoid toxicity and ensure safe and effective supplementation.

From the Research

Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation

• The safety of taking Vitamin D 50,000 IU instead of 1,000 IU has been studied in several research papers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• A study published in 2019 found that long-term supplementation with vitamin D3 in doses ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 IU/day appears to be safe, with no cases of vitamin D3-induced hypercalcemia or adverse events attributable to vitamin D3 supplementation 2.
• Another study published in 2017 reported that prolonged daily dosing of vitamin D3 with doses of 10,000 to 60,000 IU was safely tolerated, with no development of hypercalcemia or adverse events 3.
• However, a study published in 2017 also noted that self-administration of vitamin D supplements in the general public may be associated with high 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and that many people were taking more than the recommended daily dose without medical supervision 4.
• A review published in 2024 argued that a daily dose of 2,000 IU (50 µg) of vitamin D may be sufficient to prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency, and that there are no significant safety concerns with supplementing this dose for several years 5.
• A randomized controlled trial published in 2021 found that bimonthly vitamin D3 supplementation with 50,000 IU was an efficient regimen for maintaining a normal level of 25(OH)D 6.

Key Findings

• High-dose vitamin D supplementation (up to 50,000 IU/day) appears to be safe, with no reported cases of hypercalcemia or adverse events 2, 3.
• Self-administration of vitamin D supplements without medical supervision may lead to high 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations 4.
• A daily dose of 2,000 IU (50 µg) of vitamin D may be sufficient to prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency, with no significant safety concerns 5.
• Bimonthly vitamin D3 supplementation with 50,000 IU may be an efficient regimen for maintaining a normal level of 25(OH)D 6.