What Happens to Your Cholesterol When You Start Taking Vitamin D

You may have heard that taking a vitamin D supplement can lower cholesterol, a fatty substance found in cells that, at high levels, can increase the risk of heart disease. But there is no definitive proof that this essential vitamin influences cholesterol levels.

Vitamin D, also called calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays several important roles in the body, including helping with calcium absorption, strengthening bones, reducing inflammation, and influencing how your body processes cholesterol.

It’s true that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to have abnormal cholesterol levels, while those with normal vitamin D levels tend to have better cholesterol levels. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that taking a vitamin D supplement will improve your cholesterol levels. Studies examining the influence of vitamin D on cholesterol have yielded mixed results.

One study, for example, found that vitamin D supplements can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, but do not affect HDL levels. Other studies have shown that people who are deficient can use vitamin D supplements in combination with other medications to manage their cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, other research suggests that vitamin D has no or even a negative effect on cholesterol levels, significantly increasing total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels.

There is no strong evidence that vitamin D supplementation lowers cholesterol levels. In fact, vitamin D may reduce the effectiveness of statins, drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin) intended to lower cholesterol.

Vitamin D is often recommended for people who are deficient or at risk of deficiency. However, if you take or want to take vitamin D, it’s important to know that having too much of it in your system (the maximum recommended daily dose of vitamin D is around 4,000 international units (IU)) can be harmful. High doses of vitamin D supplements can cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, dehydration, extreme thirst, kidney stones, and in extreme cases, kidney failure and irregular heartbeat. When using vitamin D daily, especially at higher doses, consider talking to a healthcare professional to avoid toxicity.

High cholesterol is often detected through diagnostic screening because it often does not present with visible symptoms. A lipid profile test is a blood test that measures the levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

If your cholesterol level is abnormal – above 200 mg/dL – your doctor may recommend the following:

• Cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins
• Lifestyle changes like diet changes and exercise
• Monitor your cholesterol levels regularly