Cholecalciferol

The text below is about the active substance Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) .

what is cholecalciferol?

• Vitamin D (colecalciferol) ensures absorption of calcium (lime) and phosphate from food. Calcium and phosphate are necessary for bones and teeth. Vitamin D has even more effects. Thus, it is important for the proper functioning of the muscles.
  Our body receives vitamin D from the sun’s rays on the skin and with our food.
• Vitamin deficiency and bone loss (osteoporosis). Or if you run a high risk of bone loss . As in some postmenopausal women and in people who take adrenal cortex hormones for a long time.
• Some people need to take vitamin D every day: children up to 4 years old, pregnant women, dark-skinned people, people who don’t get enough sun, women over 50 and men over 70.
• You will not notice the effect immediately. Using vitamin D reduces the risk of fractures.
• Chewable tablets: chew these well before swallowing.
• Tablets: swallow whole or dissolve first in milk or another drink.
• Capsules : Swallow whole.
• Beverage or liquid: measure the correct amount with the dosing syringe.
• Drops: measure on a spoon or in the food.
• You use vitamin D on a daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. This depends on the strength of the vitamin D agent.
• With normal use, this drug has no side effects.

Bone decalcification

Symptoms

In osteoporosis, the bones become more fragile. They are more likely to fracture and the vertebrae of the spine collapse. You will not notice that you have osteoporosis yourself. The doctor can check the strength of the bones with a bone density test.

Causes

Bone decalcification occurs because the bones absorb too little calcium (calcium). There should be a constant balance between the production and breakdown of bones. With bone loss (osteoporosis), the breakdown is stronger than the production.

When can bone loss occur?

Bone decalcification can occur under various circumstances. The most important are the following.

• Older age. From about the age of 45, the production of bones is less than the breakdown. This is the case for both men and women, but men generally have stronger bones than women, so they are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis.
• Menopause in women. The body then produces less estrogens. Estrogens are female sex hormones that also balance the production and breakdown of bone tissue. The less estrogens, the weaker the bones.
• Removal of the ovaries in women, as the ovaries produce estrogens that help build bone.
• Long-term use of hormones of the adrenal cortex (corticosteroids), such as prednisone, or of certain medications used in breast and prostate cancer. These have bone loss as a side effect.
• Not enough exercise . Movement stimulates bone growth.
• Too little vitamin D . Vitamin D ensures that the bones absorb calcium. It is made in the skin under the influence of sunlight. If you don’t spend much time outdoors, you run the risk of too little vitamin D.

Effect

This drug supplements a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D ensures that the bones can absorb more calcium. You will not notice the effect of vitamin D in osteoporosis. You are only less likely to break bones. If you take vitamin D against osteoporosis, you must combine it with sufficient calcium. Lime is mainly found in dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese.

Symptoms

In osteoporosis, the bones become more fragile. They are more likely to fracture and the vertebrae of the spine collapse. You will not notice that you have osteoporosis yourself. The doctor can check the strength of the bones with a bone density test.

Causes

Bone decalcification occurs because the bones absorb too little calcium (calcium). There should be a constant balance between the production and breakdown of bones. With bone loss (osteoporosis), the breakdown is stronger than the production.

When can bone loss occur?

Bone decalcification can occur under various circumstances. The most important are the following.

• Older age. From about the age of 45, the production of bones is less than the breakdown. This is the case for both men and women, but men generally have stronger bones than women, so they are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis.
• Menopause in women. The body then produces less estrogens. Estrogens are female sex hormones that also balance the production and breakdown of bone tissue. The less estrogens, the weaker the bones.
• Removal of the ovaries in women, as the ovaries produce estrogens that help build bone.
• Long-term use of hormones of the adrenal cortex (corticosteroids), such as prednisone, or of certain medications used in breast and prostate cancer. These have bone loss as a side effect.
• Not enough exercise . Movement stimulates bone growth.
• Too little vitamin D . Vitamin D ensures that the bones absorb calcium. It is made in the skin under the influence of sunlight. If you don’t spend much time outdoors, you run the risk of too little vitamin D.

Effect

This drug supplements a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D ensures that the bones can absorb more calcium. You will not notice the effect of vitamin D in osteoporosis. You are only less likely to break bones. If you take vitamin D against osteoporosis, you must combine it with sufficient calcium. Lime is mainly found in dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese.

What are possible cholecalciferol side effects?

Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) is made by the body itself in the skin under the influence of sunlight. With normal use it will therefore have no side effects.

Very rarely, and only with long-term use of high doses per day

Too much calcium in the blood , especially if you also use calcium or if you have reduced kidney or thyroid function. Do you get gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation , persistent headache, dizziness, dry mouth, muscle weakness, muscle pain, bone pain, fatigue, unsteady gait, itching or palpitations ? Then consult your doctor. These symptoms may indicate too much calcium. In dialysis patients, the blood will be checked regularly for too much calcium.

Explanation of frequencies

• Regular : affects more than 30 in 100 people.
• Uncommon : affects 10 to 30 in 100 people.
• Rare : affects 1 to 10 in 100 people.
• Very rare : affects less than 1 in 100 people.

How do I take Cholecalciferol ?

Always look for the correct dosage in the package leaflet or on the label of the pharmacy.

How?

• Chewable tablets should be chewed well before swallowing.
• Measure drops on a spoon or in the food.
• You can swallow the regular tablets whole or dissolve them first in milk or another drink.
• Swallow capsules whole
• Beverage or liquid: you can measure the prescribed amount with the supplied dosing syringe. Usually you will receive the measured amount in a ready-to-use dosing syringe that you can squeeze into your mouth. If you drink too dirty will taste, you can drink to take with food or add it to a glass of water and then drink it.

When?

Depending on the amount of vitamin D in the drug and the prescription of the doctor, vitamin D can be used daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly.

• Per day: it is best to choose fixed times, so that you will forget a dose less quickly .
• Per week: choose a fixed day of the week, so you are less likely to forget a dose .
• Monthly or quarterly: you usually get the amount in a ready-to-use dosing syringe. Make a note of when you took a dose and when to request another dose .

How long?

Vitamin

deficiency A vitamin deficiency is often resolved in a few days to weeks. To avoid vitamin deficiency, the following people should take vitamin D all year round.

• Children up to 4 years old.
• Pregnant.
• People who rarely go out or wear a veil and people with a dark skin color if they live in less sunny countries, such as the Netherlands.
• Women over 50 and men over 70.
• Elderly people living in a care or nursing home.

Bone decalcification
You will probably need to use this medicine for along time. Sometimes the doctor will take a bone density measurement.

Look for the correct dosage in the package leaflet or on the pharmacy label.

How?

Vitamin D works best if your child’s diet contains enough calcium. Lime is mainly in dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

• Chewable tablets : let your child chew the tablets well before swallowing.
• Drops : measure the drops on a spoon or in the food.
• Tablets : your child can swallow the regular tablets whole or dissolve them first in milk or another drink.
  • Does your child have trouble swallowing a tablet whole? Then watch the instructional . Here you can see how a child can best take the tablet.
  • Does that have insufficient effect? Then contact the pharmacist. You may crush some tablets. But beware: there are also tablets that you should not crush because the medicine then works less well or even no longer works. Sometimes crushing can make the medicine taste bad. Or your child is more likely to experience side effects such as an upset stomach. So first ask the pharmacist.
  • Does your child continue to have problems taking the medicine? Then ask the doctor or pharmacist if there is another dosage form that is easier for your child to take.
• Capsules: your child can swallow the capsules whole.
  • Does your child have trouble swallowing a capsule whole? Then watch the instructional . Here you can see how your child can best take the capsule.
  • Does your child continue to have problems taking the medicine? Then ask the doctor or pharmacist if there is another dosage form that is easier for your child to take.
• Beverage : you can measure the prescribed amount with the supplied dosing syringe. You will usually receive the measured amount in a ready-to-use dosing syringe that you can carefully inject into your child’s cheek pouch. If your child thinks the drink tastes too bad, you can have your child take the drink with some food or add it to a glass of water and drink it afterwards.

When?

Your child can take the medicine at any time of the day. It is best to choose fixed times for your child, so that you will forget a dose less quickly.

How long?

Vitamin deficiency is often resolved in a few days to weeks. To avoid vitamin deficiency, children up to 4 years old should take vitamin D all year round.

• It is important to take this medicine consistently. Therefore, choose fixed times. However, forgetting once in a while is not a problem. If you miss a dose , take the medicine anyway.

• There are no restrictions for this with this medication.

eat everything?

• Vitamin D works best if your diet contains enough calcium. Lime is mainly in dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt.