Vitamin D supplement warning issued over tablets after man dies from 'overdose'

29 February 2024 , 14:17

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Vitamin D supplements can be dangerous in high amounts (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

Risks posed by health supplements need to be made clearer after a man died from an excessive intake of Vitamin D, a coroner has said.

David Mitchener, 89, died from excessive calcium buildup in the body after taking vitamin D supplements for over nine months.

An official report to prevent future deaths said vitamin levels in the body of retired businessman from Oxted, Surrey, were at the highest level that could be detected by an NHS lab.

The health service advises that all people in the UK over the age of four should "consider" daily doses of Vitamin D - but warns that supplements can potentially be deadly when taken over the recommended amounts.

The report into Mr Mitchener's death by Surrey Assistant Coroner Jonathan Stevens detailed how the pensioner was admitted to East Surrey Hospital with hypercalcaemia (high calcium levels), but despite treatment died at the hospital on May 20 last year. Checks on a blood sample taken before death revealed Vitamin D levels at 380, the maximum level recordable by the laboratory.

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A post mortem identified the cause of death to be congestive cardiac failure and acute-on-chronic kidney failure, hypercalacaemia, vitamin D toxicity and ischaemic heart disease. David Mitchener had been taking vitamin supplements for at least the preceding nine months.

Three "matters of concern" were raised by the coroner during Mr Mitchener's inquest, relating to the lack of warnings on the packaging of the supplements as to the risk posed by excessive consumption. These read: "Vitamin supplements can have potentially very serious risks and side effects when taken in excess. Current food labelling requirements do not require these risks and side effects to be written on the packaging. Absence of appropriate warnings and guidance about dosage".

The coroner's report to prevent future deaths has been sent to the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which has a legal duty to respond by March 15 2024. A DHSC spokesperson said: "Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of David Mitchener. We will consider the coroner’s findings in full and respond in due course."

An FSA spokesperson said: "The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is in the process of responding to the coroner following the tragic death of David Mitchener. Policy responsibility for food supplements in relation to England is not directly within the remit of the FSA, which is why the coroner is also seeking responses from the Department of Health and Social Care."

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas