As the concentration of the blood form of vitamin D3 rises at some point again around blood concentrations of 300 ng/ml or higher, the blood calcium levels will start to rise. Prior to this point as the amount of calcium in the blood rises the hormonal system, reduces then stops the production of the active form of vitamin D3. Again, this occurs in the kidneys where the active form is produced.
Of course, everyone reacts differently to raised blood levels of vitamin D3. I measured the calcium blood levels of the thousands of patients I treated with optimal dosing. That is to obtain a blood level of vitamin D3 (the blood form-calcifediol) of 100-140 ng/ml levels, yet I never encountered a patient with a high blood calcium level. Never!
It is not like I didn’t check because I did. In fact, I checked the blood calcium levels every time I checked the patient’s vitamin D levels and with every blood test regardless if I was checking for vitamin D levels. This brings me to one point that I believe is important, but I had not gone into enough detail before.
That is how beyond essentially the cursory effects of vitamin D and vitamin K2 does the body handle calcium in the blood. I had not before as, though I Love chemistry and physiology, not everyone else does and it can get really dry for those who don’t. I believe now I must explain this as there is too much misunderstanding out there. I understand as even the experts seem to be confused.
As this is still being studied not only how vitamin D3 mainly the active form interacts in this process but all the other component. The body must maintain a calcium blood level in a narrow range for muscles to work and cellular processes to function correctly. The muscle for example i.e. the cardiac muscle for one need adequate calcium to contract.
No contractions no blood movement, you see the picture. Calcium metabolism is also closely tied to phosphorus metabolism but to try to keep this from becoming a text book I will focus on calcium. The body measures calcium levels and apparently not phosphorus blood levels.
We have three main areas in the body where we eliminate or add calcium to the blood stream. These three critical areas are the small intestine (the duodenum), the kidneys and the skeletal bone. From there it passes throughout the body in the blood stream with cells absorbing or excreting it as needed.
In each of these three areas there are specialized cells that react to the active form of vitamin D and at as mentioned above extremely high levels of the blood form of vitamin D. A note to clarify. It takes extremely high doses like in the high hundreds of thousands of units a day of vitamin D3 for extended periods of time like a month to months to cause hypercalcemia in some.
Note I did not say all. No, I don’t know this for sure but based on my research for my book it is clear in Kashmir area of Asia they frequently prescribe such, what we would call extremely high doses of vitamin D3 with few cases of hypercalcemia.
NO, I am not recommending you try this. I did and though it took several years, and I was able to reverse the effects, unless under the care of a physician and for a reason, I see no reason to try that.
Vitamin K2 the MK-7 at high doses may and does appear to protect you from this but more on that latter. That vitamin K2 among many other factor’s effects calcium metabolism in the body is an example of why it is difficult to explain how vitamin D effects calcium’s metabolism.
*The information posted above is for educational purposes only. Always check with your doctor before initiating any changes in your medical treatment. If you do not, then The Two-Minute Health Fact, Dr. Judson Somerville, nor The Optimal Dose is responsible!
1 Comment
Joyce Tessman · March 7, 2019 at 7:15 pm
I believe I read that we need to get enough magnesium while taking high doses of D3. Could you tell me how much you recommend taking and what kind you recommend taking? Thank you!