Calcium Levels and Vitamin D

by Priya Nath Mehta
(Mussoorie, Himalayas, India)

I am most grateful for your studied and detailed response to my query on hypercalcemia and Vitamin D. For the first time I have fully understood the situation which has been very clearly elucidated by you. Thank you so much for your painstaking effort.

There is one thing that is bothering me. I started taking Vitamin D without getting the Calcium levels checked. AS you have pointed out that if the calcium levels are high one must not take Vit D at all.

I have taken 60,000 IU per week of Vitamin D for over three months, making my Vitamin D blood levels come to 103 ng/ml. And I have been feeling better than ever before.More energy than before, greater mental alacrity, better climbing of stairs, good apetite, no constipation.

I have no idea what the Vit D levels were prior to taking Vit D but I know they must have been very low because I am a bookworm author who rarely steps out of the house in the sunshine.

I had been taking plenty of milk for years prior to starting Vit D. But I still got osteopenia, because as you pointed out the calcium must have just been washed out of the system without Vit D.

Now I am taking 30,000 IU per week. I have still been feeling quite well, fit and fine.

Since I don't have any facilities for Calcium testing here, can I conclude FROM SYMPTOMS ALONE that I don't have hypercalcemia? Is there any way of telling whether one has hypercalcemia from the symptoms alone?

Would I have felt so well on high doses of Vit D for over three months if I had high calcium levels to start with?

Would that mean that I am "safe" - vis a vis hypercalcemia?

My past VIT D intake was 60,000 IU per week, which was about 8500 IU per day for three months, which brought up my Vit D levels to 103.

My present intake ia 30,000 IU per week since one month, which is about 4500 IU per week.

So in both cases the intake of Vit D was less than the upper limit of 10,000 IU you point out as the safe limit.

Should I have any worries about hypercalcemia in the absence of blood testing facilities for calcium where I live? Is that any reason why I should stop the Vitamin D for fear of hypercalcemia at this point? Can I assume that my calcium levels must be OK for me to be feeling so well?

I thank you once again in anticipation, as I have great confidence in your fantastic knowledge and also your great ability to explain complex medical issues to the layman in such simple terms.

Yours,
Priya