I took oil-based vitamin D3 supplements of 1000 to 2000 units a day for three months on the advice of my doctor. My levels never got much higher than their starting place of 25, but I developed upper abdominal bloating and discomfort, burning and tightness around my ribcage, and constipation that was only relieved by laxatives. My doctor didn't think it was the result of the vitamin D, but now that I've been off the supplements for three weeks, I am completely back to normal. I wouldn't be convinced of the correlation myself, except that last week I ran into an old friend who has been going to gastrenterologists with exactly the same symptoms, and the doctors can find no cause. She has been taking 1500 units of D3 a day, and is going to stop the supplements to see if her symptoms improve.
Has anyone else experienced this?
i've been taking 2000 iu's a day..i've been dx with a vit d deficency..also recently i've been dx with neuropathy in my feet..the doc seems to think the deficency has something to do with the neuropathy..i also have fibromyalgia..i guess there are studies that show a direct link between chronic pain and a vit d deficency. anyway , i recently noticed that i've been constipated as well..i stopped taking the suppliment in within two days things seem to be back to normal..i've been reading about the vit d toxity ..thank goodness i have an appt next week with my doc anyway at which i will discuss this with him..i definately think there is a direct correclation!!
It sure seems unlikely that the vitamin D is causing constipation. But if you are vitamin D deficient, it is not smart to stop the Vitamin D- and actually 2000 IU's is a MINISCULE dose that is a MAINTENANCE DOSE FOR TODDLERS according to most Vitamin D Researchers. If you have not had your Vitamin D Levels checked, I encourage you to do so as having a level between 40 to 80 can prevent up to 75% of breast and colon cancer, prevents heart disease, and YES, relieves the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.
It's probably MORE likely that you are constipated because of Magnesium Deficiency. And as it takes magnesium to convert Vitamin D into the active form, you may just be using up more magnesium than usual and causing constipation.
Don't stop the D, just take a magnesium supplement (anything but magnsium oxide) and increase the magnesium slowly until you have between 1 to 3 soft bowel movements a day. If you get loose stools, then just decrease the dosage a little, but don't STOP taking the magnesium.
Kerri Knox, RN
Functional Medicine Practitioner
http://www.easy-immune-health.com
Best to take vitamin D alone than with other vitamin supplements. I've read online that it can cause other side effects aside from constipation if not taken alone. I learned spinach and bran can interfere with calcium absorption so it's not advisable to have these foods if you're taking calcium tablets.
Kerri,
I disagree on this one. The two doctors who, over time, ordered vitamin D prescriptions for me accompanied it with the warning "Beware of constipation. If it is severe, discontinue."
Kath
I am Lizzee and took Kerri's response to my doctor two months ago. She agreed with the magnesium suggestion and suggested I give it a try. I took 200 mgs of magnesium a day along 1000 units of D3 and the constipation hasn't been a problem. Plus, last week's blood test shows my D level is up by 10 points!
Totally great to know! Thanks, Lizzie (and Kerri) ~:-)
I am new to the site and if you don't mind I'd like to jump in with both feet. I live in the northern half of the U.S. where we get very little sunshine in the winter. And the sun we DO get does nothing for the making of Vitamin D. Because it is essential to get Vitamin D, I take 3000mg daily in the winter, 2000mg in the fall and spring and 1000mg in the summer.
I have also been taking 250mg of magnesium three times a day for 10 years. I had read Dr.Teitelbaum's book, From Fatigued to Fantastic, the first edition, 11 years ago when I first acquired Fibromyalgia, and began taking this dosage of magnesium at that time. I only began taking Vitamin D about two years ago when I was researching my book, Managing Fibromyalgia- Getting to know your Aggravators, and realized I needed "D" desperately, especially here in northern Indiana!
I don't really know if my lack of reaction was because I was already taking the magnesium, or because I was so low on Vitamin D in the first place. But I do know that the combination of the two worked quite well without any problems.
Of course, I am also taking Omega 3 and a Multi-Vitamin along with a couple of immune boosters, and antioxidants so they may also be factors as well.
Be well, and keep smiling...it's important! Pati*