Can vitamin D injections be taken orally?
When individuals suffer from vitamin D deficiency in their bodies, they follow many methods to compensate for this deficiency to prevent complications that may affect them negatively, in the following article we will learn about the most important methods that are resorted to in the treatment of vitamin D deficiency and how to obtain the best results behind it.
Can vitamin D injections be taken orally?
The specialist doctor determines the appropriate dose that the patient takes according to his condition and the extent of the deficiency he suffers from. When the doctor notices that the patient suffers from a severe deficiency in vitamin D, he advises him to drink injections orally instead of taking them intravenously.
Although taking an intravenous injection helps the vitamin to spread well in different parts of the body and protect it from osteoporosis, but it takes time for its effect to appear, but drinking injections through the mouth is fast-acting in addition to that it contributes to the patient getting the full dose.
When taking vitamin D by injection orally, it is preferable to do so after eating a fatty meal or a dairy product, because this increases the effectiveness of the vitamin because the body can absorb it more easily if it is accompanied by either of them.
Food containing vitamin D
When individuals suffer from a deficiency of vitamin D in their bodies, they must resort to eating some foods that are rich in vitamin D and not be satisfied with nutritional supplements and natural methods only, and here are some foods that are rich in vitamin D:
- Salmon: Salmon contains many benefits for the human body because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to that every 93 grams of cooked salmon contains 14.2 micrograms of vitamin D.
- Yogurt: It is considered one of the things that are very rich in vitamin D, and it is preferable to eat it completely free of sugar to be more beneficial to the individual’s body, especially those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, and every 170 grams of yogurt contains 80 international units of vitamin D.
- Rainbow trout: It can be eaten in many ways and shapes, whether it is fried or grilled, this does not affect its nutritional value for the individual, and besides that it contains a reasonable percentage of proteins, every 93 grams of rainbow trout contains 16.2 micrograms of vitamin D.
- Egg yolk: When eaten daily during breakfast, it plays a major role in making up for the deficiency of vitamin D in the body, as one egg yolk contains 1.1 micrograms of vitamin D.
- White mushroom: It can be eaten in various ways, whether by itself or by placing it on salads and foods, and it is a very good source of vitamin D, as half of one cup contains 9.2 micrograms of vitamin D.
- Sardines and tuna: Each of them is a very rich source of vitamin D, as two pieces of sardines contain 1.2 micrograms of vitamin D, while tuna fish, every 93 grams contains 1 microgram of vitamin D.
- Milk: It is one of the sources that are very rich in vitamin D, as one cup of it contains 2.9 micrograms of vitamin D.
- Orange juice: It is considered one of the most recommended drinks by doctors when suffering from vitamin D deficiency, as each cup contains 1 microgram of vitamin D.
- Beef liver: It is a very important source of vitamin D, as every 93 grams of cooked beef liver contains 1 microgram of vitamin D.
- Soy milk: Each cup of soy milk contains 2.5-3 micrograms of vitamin D.
Food that contains Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be obtained in an appropriate amount by exposure to sunlight daily, even for a short period, while taking care to choose the appropriate time to avoid the damage that may affect individuals from ultraviolet radiation.
In addition, it is necessary to introduce some foods that are rich in vitamin D in order to compensate for this deficiency more effectively, and examples of these foods are:
- Fatty fish.
- yolk.
- fortified cereals
- Milk and juices that are fortified with vitamin D.
- yogurt.
- beef liver.
Treatment of vitamin D overdose
To avoid the patient’s exposure to an increase in the percentage of vitamin D in his body, the doctor must make him more aware of the seriousness of non-compliance with the doses and the increase or decrease in them from the specified rate, and he must also avoid taking any nutritional supplements without resorting to consulting the doctor.
If the patient does not adhere to the doctor’s instructions and this may cause him to have an increase in vitamin D in the body, the following is followed:
- Immediately stop the nutritional supplements the individual is taking.
- Avoid eating foods that are rich in calcium.
- In case of necessity, the patient is given doses of intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Taking some medications that control the level of calcium in the blood, such as corticosteroids.
- Take medications that limit the secretion of calcium in the bones, such as calcitonin and bisphosphonates.
In addition, some medications are used in case of an overdose of vitamin D, such as:
- Phenobarbital.
- Ketoconazole.
- Rifampin.
Treatment of severe vitamin D deficiency
Many treatment methods are used if an individual suffers from a severe deficiency of vitamin D in the body, for example:
Vitamin D supplementation
Dietary supplements are one of the fastest ways to compensate for vitamin D deficiency in the body of individuals, and there are many forms and forms for it, such as pills, capsules, chewable pills, oral drops, or ampoules containing an oral vitamin D solution. Vitamin D is divided into two types:
- Ergocalciferol: It is known as Vitamin 2.
- Cholecalciferol: It is called Vitamin D3.
In order to choose the nutritional supplements that are right for you in a good way, here are some tips:
- It is recommended to take vitamin D3 because it is more similar to the vitamin that the human body produces naturally, which makes it more effective in compensating for vitamin deficiency than vitamin D2.
- If a person who suffers from a deficiency in vitamin D is a vegetarian who avoids animal products in their diet, then the best solution for them is vitamin D2 over vitamin D3.
- If the percentage of vitamin D does not rise in the body despite taking nutritional supplements regularly, calcitriol can be used, and when using it, calcium levels in the blood must be observed to avoid hypercalcemia.
- If the individual suffers from malabsorption of fats or severe liver disease in addition to suffering from a deficiency in vitamin D, he must take both Calcifediol or the so-called Calcidiol.
Vitamin D dose in case of severe deficiency
The doctor determines the dose that suits the individual according to the extent of the deficiency he suffers from, in addition to his age and whether he suffers from other diseases or not, as:
- Adults with vitamin D levels less than 30 nmol/L: 50,000 IU, take only one dose by mouth every week until six to eight months have passed.
- For children and newborns when the level of vitamin D is less than 50 nanomolar / liter, the dose they take ranges from 1000 – 2000 international units of vitamin D2 daily by mouth depending on the age, and this dose is continued from two to three months, but when a child suffers from rickets, he needs medical follow-up and higher doses.
Effects of vitamin D deficiency
When there is a slight deficiency in vitamin D, no symptoms may appear immediately, but if the deficiency is severe, the following symptoms may begin to appear:
- Feeling very lethargic.
- Mood instability and depression.
- Severe bouts of anxiety.
- Sleeping for long periods.
- Excessive hair loss.
- Suffering from obesity and facing severe difficulty in losing weight.
- A sensation of muscle pain and tremor.
- The presence of pain in the joints, especially in the back area.
- Bone weakness, fragility, and osteomalacia.
- Having a severely weakened immune system causes the individual to get infections more frequently.
- Decreased sexual desire.
How to drink vitamin D for adults
Vitamin D is drunk directly by adults by placing drops in the mouth, and this method is considered the most effective in order to obtain the highest possible benefit, and in order to obtain the best results when taking it before eating any meal.
In the case of a normal person, a dose of vitamin D is taken in the mouth once a week or a month, according to the determination of the specialist doctor, and care must be taken to adhere to the doses well and not to reduce or increase them so that the individual is not exposed to serious complications.
Does olive oil contain vitamin D?
Olive oil does not contain vitamin D according to the results of many studies that were conducted to confirm this matter, but olive oil has many other benefits in addition to putting it on some foods, and taking the vitamin after eating it increases the body’s ability to absorb it effectively.