Retired businessman, 89, died from an ‘overdose’ of vitamin D after taking supplements which did not warn about deadly side-effects of taking too many

• David Mitchener died in hospital last year after suffering from hypercalcaemia

A retired businessman died from an ‘overdose’ of vitamin D after taking supplements which did not carry warnings on the packaging of the risks of taking too many.

Under NHS guidelines, everyone over four is advised to ‘consider’ taking a daily dose of vitamin D over the autumn and winter months when the sun is not strong enough for the body to produce it naturally.

But when 89-year-old David Mitchener was admitted to hospital after falling ill, tests found his vitamin D levels were at the highest level that could be recorded by an NHS laboratory.

He died ten days after being admitted to East Surrey Hospital suffering from hypercalcaemia, a build-up of calcium in the body associated with taking too much vitamin D.

The condition can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.

Now a coroner has written a ‘prevention of future deaths’ report highlighting how the supplements Mr Mitchener was taking for at least the preceding nine months did not carry a warning about the specific risks or side effects of taking too many.

Jonathan Stevens has also written to the Food Standards Agency and Department of Health and Social Care asking them to consider requiring vitamin supplement manufacturers to print warnings on packaging.

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While maintaining an adequate intake of the vitamin is necessary to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy, the journal BMJ Case Reports warned in 2022 ‘globally, there is a growing trend of hypervitaminosis D’ – a rare condition caused by taking too much.

That warning came after an unnamed middle-aged man spent eight days in hospital after suffering vomiting, nausea and leg cramps for three months caused by starting an intensive vitamin supplement regime.

In an unrelated case in 2019, a coroner ruled that neglect by a GP contributed to the death of a pensioner who was wrongly prescribed too much vitamin D.

Mr Mitchener, from Oxted, Surrey, was admitted to hospital on May 10 last year suffering from hypercalcaemia, according to the report released by Surrey assistant coroner Mr Stevens.

Tests revealed his Vitamin D levels were at the maximum level recordable by the laboratory.

Tragically the married father-of-one died ten days later, with the primary causes of his death later given as congestive cardiac failure and acute on chronic kidney failure, hypercalcaemia and vitamin D toxicity, with underlying ischaemic heart disease.

An inquest on December 28 concluded his death had been misadventure.

According to Mr Stevens’ report, Mr Mitchener had been taking vitamin supplements for at least the preceding 9 months.

There were no warnings on or in the packaging detailing the specific risks or side effects of taking Vitamin D supplements, it says.

In his report, sent to the FSA and DHSC as well as the company which sold the tablets, Mr Stevens warns that vitamin supplements ‘can have potentially very serious risks and side effects when taken in excess’.

However, he adds that ‘current food labelling requirements do not require these risks and side effects to be written on the packaging’.

‘In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you have the power to take such action,’ he concludes.

The organisations have 56 days to respond to his concerns.

Mr Mitchener’s family declined to comment.

Eileen Cowles, 86, died in 2015 after staff at her care home in Guiseley, West Yorkshire were wrongly told to give her a dose of vitamin D tablet colicalciferol every day instead of every month.

GP Claire Wiles failed to correct the error and Miss Cowles was left with hypercalcemia. Wakefield area coroner Jonathan Leach later said ‘gross failures’ had led to her premature death.

Current legislation for food supplement labels – including vitamin tablets – requires them to include the recommended dose and a warning not to exceed that dose.

Additionally the NHS website has information about the risks of taking too high a dose of vitamin D.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman 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.’

The side effects of Victim D overdose  

Vitamin D — the sunshine vitamin — helps regulate the amount of calcium in the body, keeping bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

 Adults and children over the age of one are advised to get no more than 400IU of vitamin D a day.

Vitamin D toxicity is usually caused by large doses of vitamin D supplements — not by diet or sun exposure.

The body regulates the amount of vitamin D produced by sun exposure, and even fortified foods don’t contain enough vitamin D to become toxic.

The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in the blood, known medically as hypercalcemia, which can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. 

Vitamin D toxicity might progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones.

High doses are sometimes used to treat medical problems such as vitamin D deficiency, but these are given only under the care of a doctor for a specified time frame. 

Blood levels should be monitored while someone is taking high doses of vitamin D.