Vitamin D3 is made naturally in the human body when skin is exposed to sunlight. As more and more people spend time indoors or make efforts to shield themselves from the sun out of concern for skin cancer or aging effects, vitamin D3 deficiency is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world.

The benefits of maintaining optimal vitamin D3 levels are manyfold; the vitamin can have a tremendous impact on nearly every aspect of the body, and can even influence mood and cognitive function. Some of the more common benefits of maintaining healthy vitamin D3 levels include:

• Improved bone health
• Improved immune function
• Fewer complications during pregnancy
• Fewer birth defects
• Reduced risk of insulin resistance
• Reduced risk of hypertension
• Reduced risk of musculoskeletal disorders
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduced risk of neurologic disease

Vitamin D3 is also attributed to helping prevent or alleviate a wide range of other conditions, including obesity, arthritis, depression, dementia, kidney disease and many other ailments.

Choosing the Ideal Supplement

Those who set out to buy vitamin D3 supplements quickly discover there are a great many choices available. Vitamin D3 can be found on its own or as part of a multivitamin complex, in tablets or powders, and from a wide range of manufacturers in a wide range of dosage strengths. Determining which is best for an individual can be tricky, as a number of factors need to be taken into account:

• Location can be a significant factor in vitamin D3 deficiency; the further from the equator, the greater the deficiency is likely to be.
• Diet is another factor in deficiency; those who consume large quantities of fish or fish oils generally have higher levels of vitamin D3 than those who do not.
• Preexisting conditions are always a consideration when supplementing any nutrient; check with a doctor before you buy vitamin D3 if you have a major medical condition, particularly heart disease, kidney disease, an electrolyte imbalance or hypercalcemia.
• Women who are pregnant are often encouraged to supplement vitamin D3, as it helps with bone formation and is thought to help prevent certain complications like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Ideally a doctor will be able to suggest the best daily dose of vitamin D3. If a doctor is not an option, check what the recommended daily intake is in your area. The recommended daily intake can vary tremendously between regions and countries, often influenced at least in part by average amounts of sunshine in the area.

Those undertaking supplementation on their own should also do some research into the subject. Daily supplement regimens commonly range from 400 International Units (IU) to over 4000 IU, and do not always follow local intake guidelines. Studies suggest that otherwise healthy adults can safely consume up to 10000 IU per day, though this is definitely on the high end and not advisable without medical supervision.

Before you Buy Vitamin D3

Like all vitamins, there is such a thing as too much vitamin D3. Though rare, in very high doses vitamin D3 can cause dangerous and even deadly complications. Adult-size doses of several thousand IU can be especially toxic to small children or pets. If children or pets consume vitamin D3 emergency medical attention is warranted even if no symptoms are apparent; symptoms can take up to 36 hours to appear.

Even healthy adults can overdose on vitamin D3. Early warning signs that too much vitamin D3 is being taken include:

• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Unexplained rapid weight loss
• Persistent metallic taste in mouth
• Pain in muscles or bones
• Weakness or fatigue

Symptoms that warrant emergency medical attention include:

• Confusion or disorientation
• Mood swings or erratic behavior
• Increased urination
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing

As mentioned above, patients with major medical conditions or who are taking prescription medications should check with a doctor or pharmacist before starting supplementation.

Your One-Stop Vitamin Shop

Kiwi Drug is happy to offer a wide range of vitamin D3 supplements to meet any individual needs. These are all quality products guaranteed to be fresh and potent. Anyone with a vitamin D3 deficiency will be pleasantly surprised at what a difference supplementation makes in improving the health of both mind and body.

A prescription is not needed to buy vitamin D3 supplements and our streamlined checkout process will take only a few moments of your time. You'll save time, money and hassle when you shop at Kiwi Drug!