7-Year-Old Boy Feared To Have Brain Tumour After Vitamin D Overdose: What Happens When You Take Too Much Of It?
A 7-year-old boy feared to have a brain tumour was actually suffering from vitamin D toxicity after an overdose triggered dangerously high calcium levels, dehydration and kidney injury.
When 7-year-old Roo suddenly became extremely tired, lost more than 10% of his body weight and began drinking large amounts of water, his parents and doctors feared something much more serious was happening. A brain tumour was among the possibilities being considered. But the real problem was far more unexpected: he had developed vitamin D toxicity after taking an abnormally concentrated supplement.
All About Roo's Vitamin D Story
Roo had been prescribed vitamin D3, also known as colecalciferol, for intense leg pain after blood tests showed his vitamin D levels were slightly low. He was supposed to take the drops for 12 weeks. Within weeks, however, he became increasingly sleepy, lost his appetite and started vomiting. His mother said he was drinking water constantly and looked extremely unwell. When he was admitted to hospital, doctors found he had an acute kidney injury and severe dehydration. His calcium levels then became dangerously high, a condition known as hypercalcaemia.
Doctors were preparing to investigate a possible brain tumour when a chance conversation with an endocrinologist provided an important clue. Another medical team had raised concerns about a faulty batch of vitamin D3. When Roo’s bottle was checked, it matched one of two recalled batches of Aactive D3 supplements made by TriOn Pharma. The products contained roughly 7x more vitamin D3 than stated, according to the BBC and the UK Food Standards Agency.
So, What Does Too Much Vitamin D Actually Do?
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. When taken in excessive amounts, it can push calcium in the blood to abnormally high levels. This can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive thirst and frequent urination. In severe cases, hypercalcaemia can damage the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure, abnormal heart rhythms and other serious complications.
Importantly, vitamin D toxicity is generally caused by excessive supplementation, rather than sunlight exposure. The National Institutes of Health lists 3,000 IU a day as the tolerable upper intake level for children aged 4–8, although medically supervised treatment for a deficiency can involve different doses. That is why supplements prescribed for a specific medical reason should be taken exactly as directed.
Roo's case also highlights why 'more' is not automatically better when it comes to supplements. Hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc, has separately cautioned against indiscriminate vitamin D supplementation and routine testing without a medical indication.
Roo’s vitamin D levels took about a year to return to a safe range, while his mother said he still had significant limitations in daily life.