ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Tons of Americans are taking Vitamin D pills, but studies suggest they're useless

Starting about ten years ago, patients all over the US started getting sent home with Vitamin D pills. But they might be doing more harm than good.

pills drugs pill medication vitamins

That's the upshot of an article by reporter Gina Kolata published Monday in the New York Times looking at the state of research around Vitamin D.

First, the basic facts:

  • The vitamin industry in general is
  • Vitamin D refers to a group of nutrients that help you absorb calcium, as well as other minerals necessary for a healthy body.
  • Your body produces Vitamin D naturally. (Just add sun.) A bit of sunlight on your skin gets your chemical factories churning out the nutrient. You can also get it from some foods, like fish and fortified milk.
  • Lacking Vitamin D is bad for your joints and bones, and there's

However, there's reason to think too many people are being diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency.

ADVERTISEMENT

Starting about ten years ago, researchers began to worry that many people, especially in colder climates where winter forces humans indoors, may be lacking Vitamin D. Doctors and medical journals in the US started pushing to screen for deficiencies and increase the Vitamin D intake of the general population. Medicare beneficiaries received 83 times more blood tests for Vitamin D in 2010 than in 2000.

But "deficiency" is a fuzzy term. Many labs will apply it to someone with 20 to 30 nanograms per milliliter in their bloodstream, which is likely a perfectly healthy level. As a result, thousands of patients may be going home with Vitamin D supplements they don't need. And recent studies have shown little in the way of medical benefits (though there is debate on that subject).

There are real consequences to over-consuming Vitamin D, though. Vitamin D toxicity can cause calcium to build up in your bloodstream, leading to fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.

For now, some researchers are urging doctors to cool it on testing every patient for Vitamin D, and only prescribe supplements in cases where they're really necessary.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT