Get Informed: Vitamin D
Active Ingredient(s)
Ergocalciferol
What does it do?
This product is also called Vitamin D. It is used primarily to treat Vitamin D deficiency and hypoparathyroidism which can cause Vitamin D deficiency.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:56 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:53 PM
Other Names
- Vitamin D
- Ergocalciferol
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- A
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 11 Nov 1911
- Est US Patients*
- 2,442,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- Yes
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Vitamin D or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Vitamin D
There have been no alerts regarding Vitamin D during the past year.
Vitamin D Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Vitamin D used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 14,300 patients that use Vitamin D (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Supplement | 71% | 
|
| Osteoporosis | 6% |
|
| Depression | 4% |
|
| Hyperparathyroidism | 2% |
|
| Other | 20% |
|
How well does Vitamin D work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 14,300 users taking Vitamin D (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 83%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Vitamin D outweigh the bad things.
- 15%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Vitamin D.
Common Side Effects of Vitamin D
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 14,300 users taking Vitamin D (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
13% of patients experience side-effects on Vitamin D
< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Vitamin D
Most Common Side Effects...
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Thyroid Problems
Global Patient Feedback for Vitamin D (Ergocalciferol) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
My psychiatrist ordered a Vitamin D test when my depression continued to get worse despite increasing my antidepressant and adding 2 additional adjunct antidepressants. My Vitamin D (25-OH-D) results were 6 (ref. range 20-100ng/dL). OTC Calcium + Vit D3 bumped that up to 20 (same ref. range). My endocrinologist switched me from the OTC stuff to prescription Vitamin D2 50,000IU/week for 4 weeks. I haven't had the retest yet, but my mood has improved dramatically.
34 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-09 16:48:55
Question/Comment:
My vitamin D3 has now been upped to 15000 IU daily as mine had dropped from 32 to 28. Hopefully in three months when checked again it will have increased some. If still not change then I will give self intramuscular injections of Vit D since I have malabsorbtive issues. Just taking one day at a time.
39 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-21 17:14:17
Answer/Reply:
Actually now on 50,000 IU D3 daily. Trying to raise my levels up. If not riden in 6 weeks when labs redone will start intramuscular injections of D3 possibly or raise D3 to 100,000 IU daily and redo labs 6 weeks afterwards.
39 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-17 11:40:04
Question/Comment:
My husband has kidney disease. He is taking a multi-vitamin + D daily and Ergocalciferol Vitamin D 50,000 Unit Cap once a week. He will begin to take Hectorol Cap 2.5MCG every other day. The Dr. wants him to stay on the Vitamin D 50,000 Unit Cap for 3 months. He said, the multi-vitamin is o.k. I am concern about the Vitamin D overdose. What are the signs for overdose of the Vitamin D? Any suggestions on taking the medication other than avoiding taking the medications together?
46 year old Male
Posted: 2009-09-04 04:03:56
Question/Comment:
When I filled out my list of meds and suppliments I included calcium citrate with Vitamine D. Your list calls it vitamin D NOS. What does that mean? The comments above were helpful in explaining the difference between Vit D 2 & Vit D 3. Everything I have read said vitamine D 3 is more easily used by the body. I didn't know there was a prescription version.
70 year old Female
Posted: 2009-07-23 18:38:08
Answer/Reply:
Yes, 69 yr old female. There is a Vitamin D prescription. I am on it. I have osteoporosis,
my osteo doctor put me on it and all this after 2 yrs of shots. If I remember correctly my
dosage is about 50,000 units or something like that. I know its awfully high.
81 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-16 12:20:12
Answer/Reply:
But what is vitamin D NOS? What does NOS mean or refer to?
70 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-22 20:06:28
Answer/Reply:
Hi, NOS typically means "Not Otherwise Specified," in this case, indicating a type of Vitamin D other than the ones listed. It's been a while since your message so I apologize if you've already received this answer. Best wishes.
34 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-09 16:40:43
Question/Comment:
Here is the video sory posted wrong link> http://www.uvadvantage.org/portals/0/pres/
Stay well
45 year old Male
Posted: 2009-07-16 20:14:41
Answer/Reply:
another really good site with up to date information from experts in the field of vitamin d is www.vitamindcouncil.org
39 year old Female
Posted: 2009-07-17 18:00:10
Answer/Reply:
Thank you. I enjoyed that and learned a lot. I've shared it with friends and family as well.
73 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-18 11:48:35
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
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Patient Comments about
Vitamin D