4,000 IU of Vitamin D may seem like a high dose, but recent researches have shown that this dosage can be helpful in preventing several diseases. According to some experts, even pregnant women should take higher daily doses of vitamin D. Now, let us see if 4,000 International Units of vitamin D daily is really that beneficial. Let us first say something about vitamin D and vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D is naturally produced in the skin of humans and animals. This happens during the sun exposure. White skin needs to be exposed to ultraviolet rays for at least fifteen minutes, several times a week, whereas darker skin has to be exposed for at least half an hour (darker skin has more melanin, which acts as a sun block). Wearing sunscreen is recommended if the sun is too strong, but if you use it all the time, your skin won’t be able to produce enough vitamin D. Spending some time in the morning sun, several times a week, will be enough for your skin to produce vitamin D in sufficient amounts. However, problems usually arise when winter comes. People who live in cold climates have this problem all the time, because they can’t get enough sun. Vitamin D deficiency is more common than most of us think. The problem is that the symptoms occur very late, and even then, they are very non-specific, and all that makes vitamin D deficiency very hard to diagnose, especially in the beginning.
Even people who don’t live in cold climates have this problem, but very few of them are aware of it. More than 70 % of Americans are deficient in vitamin D.
Daily Recommendations
400 International Units daily is still considered enough. However, some experts think this dosage can’t really help you keep your vitamin D levels normal. For people whose vitamin D levels are normal, daily recommendations range between 400 and 1000 International Units daily. However, some experts believe you should take more.
4,000 International Units of Vitamin D
4,000 IU of vitamin D daily is the safe upper limit. Doctors say this is the dose you can use without having any problems or side effects.
Recent researches have shown that 4,000 International Units of Vitamin D daily is actually needed to reduce the risk of diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer, type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Patients who are genetically predisposed to these problems should consult their doctors about using vitamin D supplements in order to prevent these conditions.
Some studies have shown that even pregnant women should take doses between 2,000 and 4,000 International Units daily. No side effects have been reported. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy is believed to have a positive effect on overall health of both mother and the baby, and it also reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm labor and various infections.
Although vitamin D supplements are believed to be perfectly harmless, you should never take any of these without talking to your doctor.