– vitamin D is amazing, but again, only when needed. So step 1, test your levels. If they are low, then ask why – no sun exposure? liver/gallbladder dysfunction? kidney health issues? low magnesium?

If someone does want to supplement or get vitamin D IV infusions, it’s important to make sure magnesium, and vitamin A are optimal first, and combine it with vitamin K2.

You might find this handout in the library resources on Vitamin D helpful. It provides dosages and timeframes for supplementing with D3.

bingo!

just to clarify – I’m referring to vitamin D3, not D2

Hi ,

There are some benefits to vitamin D injections compared to supplements. For example, a vitamin D injection goes directly into the bloodstream and bypasses digestion. So if you have a hard time absorbing vitamin D is the quickest way to raise vitamin D levels.

There are however some (potential) risks with vitamin D shots.

Vitamin D increases calcium absorption
With a injection or bolus dosing, calcium levels can rise quicker and higher as well. Sometimes, a bolus dosing of vitamin D can lead to hypercalcemia. If you want to know how to recognize the signs & symptoms of calcium click here. To help calcium metabolism, we need vitamin K2 to direct calcium to the bones. This is why many high-quality brands like Thorne also combine vitamin K2 in their supplements. I personally recommend my clients a vitamin K2 supplement when they supplement or inject vitamin D.

Magnesium
Magnesium is necessary to build & maintain healthy bones. To convert the injected or supplemented vitamin D to its final form we also need sufficient magnesium levels. If you suffer from a vitamin D deficiency, both processes will be ramped up leading to a higher demand for magnesium. I usually recommend addressing a magnesium insufficiency first before supplementing with vitamin D. Since a magnesium deficiency is common you might wanna check for signs & symptoms in this video here.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A & D bind to the final cellular receptor. This means that if you are vitamin D deficient and you start increasing vitamin D, you will need more vitamin A as a consequence. Vitamin A is in foods like liver, sweet potatoes and spinach (for a more comprehensive list look here). Depending on what types of foods your diet contains you can use supplements accordingly.

The upper tolerable limit for vitamin A is 10.000 IU (or 3000 mcg). For women the RDA is 2333 IU (or 700mcg). For men the RDA is 3000 IU (or 900 mcg).

Vitamin A, K2 and magnesium are the most important nutriënts to take a look at. If you suspect magnesium deficiency, it would be wise to take care of this first before you use vitamin D either in supplement form or as an injection.

One last thought
If you are going for an injection, maker sure they use vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 has also been used, but is the lesser effective form of this nutrient.