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Overdosing on vitamins can cause severe toxicity and more

Overdosing on vitamins can cause severe toxicity and more
It is better to consult a doctor before starting any supplement. © Shutterstock

Too much of a good thing can be bad for you. It is true for vitamins too. Overdosing on vitamins can cause adverse reactions and even death.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Updated : July 19, 2019 5:27 PM IST

Vitamins are the essential nutrients that keep your body going. But too much of a good thing can be bad for you. You need to take vitamins in carefully regulated doses as recommended by your doctor. Or, you can include vitamin rich foods in your diet. Because, if you are not careful, you can suffer from an overdose of vitamins. This usually happens when you get too much of any vitamin from eating foods or you take large doses of supplements for extended periods of time. So, you need to be extra careful and alert to any signs that indicate that you are overdosing on vitamins.

CAN YOU REALLY OVERDOSE ON VITAMINS?

Yes, you can. But if you follow the labels of vitamin supplements, you will not face a problem. Also, just to be on the safe side, consult your doctor too. The trouble starts when people start to take very high doses of vitamins, in the hope that the supplements will prevent or treat some health problems. Overdosing on vitamins can cause toxicity and adverse reactions.

VITAMINS YOU MUST BE CAREFUL OF

It is extremely important to manage the amount of each vitamin so that there are no deficiencies or overdosing. Both can have adverse effects that may require medical attention. It is better to consult a doctor before starting any supplements.

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Most of the time, consumption of too much vitamins are harmless, and your body will expel the excess vitamins through urine or stool. But with some vitamins, there is a risk. But the side-effects can be reversed if you stop immediately. Let us look at some of the vitamins that you can overdose on.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for normal vision, cell development and immune system function. You can source it from liver, fish, meat, dairy products and colourful fruits and veggies. Your body can easily store this vitamin. Hence, it has a tendency to build-up and, over time, you can accumulate toxic levels of vitamin A in your body. This condition is called hypervitaminosis.

Overdosing on this vitamin can cause intracranial pressure, dizziness, nausea, liver damage, headaches, rash, pain in your joints and bones, coma and even death. High levels of vitamin A are also harmful to a growing foetus. In severe cases, hypervitaminosis in a pregnant woman may result in a baby with birth defects.

Researchers say that using too many products enriched with vitamin A could lead to negative, even fatal, consequences. According to them, over-use of this vitamin can cause significant disregulation of energy production impacting cell growth and cell death. This study was published online in FASEB Journal.

Vitamin C

This helps you build strong connective tissues. Its antioxidant properties rejuvenate the immune system and regularises its function. Moreover, it saves us from the harmful effects of free radicals. Vitamin C is present in many fruits and vegetables. However, most people take it as a supplement in tablet form.

Vitamin C overdose is not life-threatening. But it can cause unpleasant problems like diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal cramps. Over time, it can lead to kidney stones.

Vitamin D

This vitamin helps you to absorb and use calcium. Lack of vitamin D can make your bones weak and lead to osteoporosis. A good source of vitamin D is not food but sunlight. Your body makes this vitamin when your skin is exposed to sunlight. This is an essential vitamin but too much of it is not good.

Overdosing on vitamin D is rare but it can still happen. It can lead to a condition called hypercalcemia, which is marked by excessive levels of calcium in the blood. When hypercalcemia occurs, you may experience nausea, headache, weight loss, reduced appetite and hypertension. It can also damage the heart and kidneys. At times, it can even result in dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities. An adult needs about 15 mg per day.

Vitamin E

This vitamin is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. It is an antioxidant and helps prevent blood clots in your blood vessels. You can get it from nuts, seeds and green vegetables. But too much of this vitamin can increase your risk of bleeding.

You can overdose on vitamin E only when you take too many supplements. In severe cases, it can actually increase the risk of a person developing cancer. If you are at an increased risk of stroke or take blood-thinning medications, consult your doctor before taking this vitamin. An average adult needs about 15 mg of vitamin E per day.

According to researchers at the American Heart Association, High doses of vitamin E can increase the risk of death and should be avoided. It is published online in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Vitamin B-6

This vitamin helps your body to convert protein and sugar into energy. It also stimulates the production of haemoglobin and ensure a healthy nervous system. It is also used to reduce homocysteine levels and treat depression and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Too much of this vitamin can cause nerve damage, skin lesions, nausea and even light sensitivity. The average adult needs about 1.3 mg per day.

AVOID OVERDOSING ON VITAMINS

If you are taking any supplements, it is very important to know the recommended dosage. Consult your doctor before including any vitamin or dietary supplement to your diet. If you are already taking some supplement, you must follow label directions or stick to the dose your doctor recommended. Remember that vitamin supplements are not an alternative to healthy eating. Include lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet to save yourself the pain of overdosing on vitamins and supplements.