D3 or no D3???

[JessPets]

I am so confused. About a year ago, while doing all my beardie research, everyone said to use calcium with D3 in it. Now I'm reading everywhere that the D3 can harm my beardie?! What's the truth with this?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Seems if artificial vitD3 is given when the reptile is given ample UVB and dietary calcium, essentially the VitD3 given orally can prevent proper metabolisation of dietary Calcium refer to viewtopic.php?f=6&t=233592 , see scientific study I cited to there in.
And AHBD also provided viewtopic.php?f=1&t=232638 includes a very good article in both the feeding forum and the general forum about too much calcium + D3 leading to serious health problems.

The consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Hypervitaminosis D is a serious condition that occurs when too much vitamin D is ingested.

 

[JessPets]

Seems if artificial vitD3 is given when the reptile is given ample UVB and dietary calcium, essentially the VitD3 given orally can prevent proper metabolisation of dietary Calcium refer to viewtopic.php?f=6&t=233592 , see scientific study I cited to there in.
And AHBD also provided viewtopic.php?f=1&t=232638 includes a very good article in both the feeding forum and the general forum about too much calcium + D3 leading to serious health problems.

The consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Hypervitaminosis D is a serious condition that occurs when too much vitamin D is ingested.

Thank you for clearing that up. It seems my research was a bit out of date. Things are always changing in the world of beardies!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Things can get confusing indeed!
A big problem is that we all forget just how small our little dragons are & that their dietary
needs are relatively small. There really are no set parameters or recommended dose for D3.
If any is given, it is International units which are very small.
You can give D3, but it depends on which light you are using as to how often it is given. If
it's given conservatively, you honestly shouldn't have any issues.

Tracie

 

[Mysty]

A simple way is to use pure calcium daily and 2 days a week use multivitimins with d3.

 

[kingofnobbys]

My policy has been , for some years now , and remains , if in doubt - don't , so I use calcium that is NOT D3 fortified.
I do use AristoPet Repti-Vite on weekends , this contains 50kiu VitD3 / kg of product. The bottle of this I am currently using was opened in September 2015 and I''ve used maybe 1/2 of 200g net bottle so far.

Vitamin D: 1 IU is the biological equivalent of 0.025 micro-g cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol.

To give real sense to this 50,000 iu VitD3 = 1250 microg of VitD3 = 1.25milligram VitD3. Which is bugger all.

 

[Taterbug]

The issue is a bit more nuanced that yes or no. I agree with using plain calcium daily and vitamin/mineral supplements a few times per week. Invest in good lights (as it sounds like you will be) and rely on the natural processes.

Supplements and even D3 isn't evil but the thing is ... not all supplements are created equal. The body needs things in a certain balance and while something like D3 is an absolutely critical part of blood chemistry, the dose makes the poison. It is also used as an effective rodeticide is large amounts.

RepCal w/ D3 : 400 IU/g
Zoomed Calcium w/ D3 : 10.39 IU/g
Zoomed Reptivite : 22.9 IU/g
Repashy Calcium Plus D :44 IU/g
Repashy Calcium Plus Lo D : 17 IU/g
Repashy Super Cal Hy D : 110 IU/g
Repashy Super Cal Med D : 55 IU/g
Repashy Super Cal Lo D : 22 IU/g
Repashy Super Vite : 44 IU/g

Owners, breeders, and veterinarians often over-supplement captive reptiles with disastrous results. Dosages of 50 to 1000 times the minimum daily requirement are often given for weeks to months. Minimum daily requirements have not been established for reptiles. The mechanism of action of the toxicity of vitamin D is related to the hypercalcemia it induces. This prolonged hypercalcemia causes dystrophic calcification of the gastrointestinal tissues, the kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and joints. Complete removal of vitamin D -containing supplements and cortisone may help control hypercalcemia, but resolution of soft-tissue calcification may not be successful. Clinical signs include depression, weakness and anorexia. Eventually, signs of renal disease become evident as glomerular filtration rate decrease.
- Reptile Medicine and Surgery