Whenever I hear someone complain of kidney stones, I URGE them to get their vitamin D levels tested! I suffered kidney stones for years (including one stint in the hospital where I couldn’t pass two stones on my own) before a doctor FINALLY tested my vitamin D levels to find I had a severe deficiency. They’re finding that WAY more people have vitamin D deficiency than previously thought. So I think people should get it tested if they have any symptoms. I’m rather angry my UROLOGIST never thought to do that . He was going to put me on medication. Vitamin D is imperative for proper calcium absorption and among other things, vitamin D deficiency can lead to bone density loss (osteroperosis) and hyperparathyroidism (another problem I suffered).
Once foods were fortified with vitamin d and rickets appeared
to have been conquered, many health care professionals thought the major
health problems resulting from vitamin D deficiency had been resolved. However,
rickets can be considered the tip of the vitamin D–deficiency iceberg. In fact,
vitamin D deficiency remains common in children and adults. In utero and during
childhood, vitamin D deficiency can cause growth retardation and skeletal deformities
and may increase the risk of hip fracture later in life. Vitamin D deficiency in adults
can precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia and osteoporosis, cause osteomalacia and
muscle weakness, and increase the risk of fracture.Source: http://www.uvadvantage.org/portals/0/pdf/NEJournalofMedicine.pdf
I think it’s incredibly frustrating when doctors don’t do basic bloodwork on people. Vitamin D is a SIMPLE BLOOD TEST… yes, my endrocrinologist also made me do a 24 urine test to see how much calcium was lost in my urine (rather than absorbed), but now they just run a simple blood test to check my vitamin D levels.
Also – I say BAH to just fortifying foods and talking about sunlight. Granted, I don’t spend time in the sun because I BURN (I do not tan) and since cancer runs in my family I am NOT Risking skin cancer.
My soy milk is fortified with vitamin D – 30% RDA in 8 ozs I believe, so drinking my soy milk ALONE I probably get enough vitamin D. (As my friends will attest, I put a LOT of milk in my coffee.) I also eat eggs and fortified cereal. I took a multi-vitamin for years that had more vitamin D. I WAS STILL WAY DEFICIENT IN VITAMIN D.
First of all, once you’re deficient you have to MAKE UP for the deficiency – so I was taking 50,000 IU once weekly for eight weeks. For comparison, RDA is 200 IU per day for women in my age group. At present, I am STILL drinking soy milk, eating eggs, and eating fortified cereals. I also have to take 1,000 IU supplemented each day.
IMO, one of my issues is that vitamin D is a FAT-soluble vitamin. My body, IMO, has a fat malabsorption issue as evidenced in that I have IBS (digestive issues) that seems triggered by fat in my diet.
People with fat malabsorption
As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D requires some dietary fat in the gut for absorption. Individuals who have a reduced ability to absorb dietary fat might require vitamin D supplements [46]. Fat malabsorption is associated with a variety of medical conditions including pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, surgical removal of part of the stomach or intestines, and some forms of liver disease [15].
However, I also feel you should not just TAKE vitamin D thinking maybe that will help, as vitamin D can be OVERDOSED.
Vitamin D toxicity can cause nonspecific symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss [74]. More seriously, it can also raise blood levels of calcium, causing mental status changes such as confusion and heart rhythm abnormalities [8]. The use of supplements of both calcium (1,000 mg/day) and vitamin D (400 IU/day) by postmenopausal women was associated with a 17% increase in the risk of kidney stones over 7 years in the Women’s Health Initiative [75]. Deposition of calcium and phosphate in the kidneys and other soft tissues can also be caused by excessive vitamin D levels [5]. A serum 25(OH)D concentration consistently >200 ng/mL (>500 nmol/L) is considered to be potentially toxic [15]. In an animal model, concentrations ≤400 ng/mL (≤1,000 nmol/L) were not associated with harm [16].
Life of the Lintee Bean 
Great article. You make me more aware of my health and diet needs.
Steven T.
My granddaughter has Vitamin D deficiency rickets and I have been told that this is primarily a genetic problem and less to do with lifestyle or diet. True or false?
Hi John,
I feel both genetics and lifestyle play a part.
Genetics in, for example, darker-skinned people are more likely to develop deficiency as they manufacture less vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
Lifestyle in, for example, people that spend less time in sunlight are more likely to be deficient.
Lynette
Totally agree with you on making sure you have optimal vit d levels. Experts say most adults should be taking 4000-6000iu per day
To address the toxicity issue, one of the world experts who studied this, Dr Reinhold Vieth, has determined that risk of toxicity is actually quite low, even at 10000 iu per day, and that you’d have to be taking PER DAY for weeks befor you’d have toxicity. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/what-is-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-toxicity/