Dear Dr. Roach: Several years ago, in my early 80s, my gynecologist told me (like all women who mainly stayed indoors) that I should be taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. Yet today, I read an article warning that many people are overdosing on vitamin D. Is this really a concern?

— L.M.

Dear L.M.: Overdosing on vitamin D is dangerous. Last month, I had a patient who had elevated levels of calcium, which caused typical symptoms of confusion, vomiting and muscle weakness. She was found to have a very high blood vitamin D level. (She had mistaken the instructions for taking vitamin D.)

I have also seen vitamin D toxicity in people who are prescribed 50,000 units once a week for a month and mistakenly take this each day. (I don't prescribe this formulation as I have seen mistakes like th

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