Is vitamin D a rat poison toxic to humans?

Is Cholecalciferol form of Vitamin D toxic to humans? This form is one of the most potent mouse and rat poisons on the market. When ingested in toxic amounts, cholecalciferol, or activated vitamin D3, can cause life-threatening elevations in blood calcium (hypercalcemia) and left untreated can result in kidney failure. Common signs of poisoning may not be evident for 1-3 days, when the poison has already resulted in significant and potentially permanent damage to the body. Increased thirst and urination, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and vomiting may be seen. Acute kidney failure usually develops 2-3 days after ingestion of this type of mouse and rat poison.

Unfortunately, cholecalciferol mouse and rat poison does not have an antidote and is one of the most challenging poisoning cases to treat as hospitalization, frequent laboratory monitoring, and expensive therapy is often required for a positive outcome.

Cholecalciferol has a very narrow margin of safety, which means that even small ingestion of this poison can result in severe clinical signs or death. Toxic ingestions must be treated quickly and appropriately to prevent kidney failure.

So are you taking vitamin D in pill form… does it say cholecalciferol on the label. Maybe you should think twice about your dosage of vitamin D. Vitamin D can help in so many ways including cancer suppression, but since it is stored in the body you may accumulate too much. And vitamin D in pill for may not be the best way to get your D as it needs cofactors like vitamin K2 and the constituents in green vegetables to be absorbed and utilized.  Too much D3 in pill form can cause Hypercalcemia with symptoms like stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, constipation, mental confusion, muscle weakness, bone loss and depression. [given by http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypercalcemia%5D

Why? The active form of vitamin D functions in a similar way as a steroid hormone. It travels inside cells, telling them to turn genes on or off. Usually, most of the body’s vitamin D is in storage, bound to either vitamin D receptors or carrier proteins. Very little “free” vitamin D is available However, when vitamin D intake is extreme, the levels can become so high that there isn’t any room left on the receptors or carrier proteins. This may lead to elevated levels of “free” vitamin D in the body, which may travel inside cells and overwhelm the signalling processes affected by vitamin D. One of the main signalling processes has to do with increasing the absorption of calcium from the digestive system. As a result, the main symptom of vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia – elevated levels of calcium in the blood .

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