Due to fast lifestyles, weight loss programs and special diets, many people take vitamin and mineral supplements, especially multivitamin brands. Taking vitamins at the recommended dosage usually has no ill effect. But there are vitamin risks when you consider that the foods you eat also contain vitamins you need. Taking too much of a vitamin or mineral will not produce better effects. You can get a actually overdose on vitamin supplements1.
What vitamin supplements can I overdoes on2?
Vitamin B3 – Niacin
Niacin helps your body metabolize food and is good for your skin and nervous system. Niacin is also believed to help rid your body of toxins. You can find niacin in meats and fish as well as in some nuts and beans. You can also get enough niacin in enriched grain and cereal products.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause flushing, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations, severe liver damage, painful joints and diabetes symptoms. Niacin overdose can also mimic a severe allergic reaction.
Note: Regardless of what you read on the internet, large doses of niacin do not cover up drug use when taking a urine test.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults for niacin is 15-193 mg a day.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 helps your body metabolize food and is good for your nervous system and blood. You can get Vitamin B6 in meats and fish and in eggs, some nuts, bananas and avocado, green beans and spinach and also in fortified cereals.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause numbness of hands and feet, fatigue, mood swings/depression, headaches, muscle cramps, loss of coordination and spine and nerve damage.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults for Vitamin B6 is 1.6-23 mg a day.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps your cartilage and tendons and helps your immune system. You can get Vitamin C in broccoli, green peppers, spinach and citrus fruits.
Note: Several studies have shown that taking increased amounts of Vitamin C do not prevent colds, nor does it shorten the duration of colds.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause nausea, kidney stones and increased iron absorption (which can lead to iron overdose). You can also get scurvy if your body gets used to large amounts of Vitamin C and you stop taking it suddenly. This is because your body tries to adjust to extra Vitamin C by releasing extra through urine. If you stop taking Vitamin C, your body will still release its adjusted amount through the urine, leaving none to go into your body.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Vitamin C is 603 mg a day.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps your vision, skin embryo development and is a good antioxidant. You can find Vitamin A in organ meats and beef, dairy products, eggs, dark orange vegetables, deep green vegetables and fortified cereals.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose of Vitamin A can cause nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, headache/blurred vision, dizziness/clumsiness, aching joints, hair loss, dry, cracked skin and lips, deep jaundiced look, ringing in ears, irregular periods, liver damage, bone damage and death.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults for Vitamin A is 800-10003 ug a day.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body use certain minerals and helps your bones and immune system. Vitamin D can be found in saltwater fish and fortified dairy products.
Note: Your body also produces its own Vitamin D after spending time in sunlight.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause nausea and vomiting, constipation, weakness, heart problems and calcium deposits.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Vitamin D is 53 ug a day.
Calcium
Calcium helps your bones and teeth, helps blood clotting and helps your muscles and nerves. You can get Calcium in salmon and sardines, some nuts, dairy products and broccoli.
Overdose Symptoms: Although Calcium overdose is rare, as the intestines are good at getting rid of it, overdose can cause constipation, dry skin, fatigue/drowsiness, muscle/joint pains, low stomach acid, high blood pressure, nerve problems, heart disease and calcium deposits.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Calcium is 1,0003 mg a day.
Iron
Iron is good for your blood, helps your body make energy and is good for the immune system. You can get iron in meats and fish, beans and fortified grain products.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause nausea, bowel problems and decreased absorption of other minerals.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Iron is 10-153 mg a day.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps your muscles, nerves and heart. You can get Magnesium in meats and fish, dairy products and green leafy vegetables.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose can cause nausea and bowel problems, as well as breathing problems, heart trouble, mental problems and loss of kidney function.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Magnesium is 310-4203 mg a day.
Zinc
Zinc helps your immune system and helps your body heal. It also helps digestion. Zinc can be found in red meats and some seafood, dairy products, beans and nuts and fortified cereals.
Overdose Symptoms: Overdose of zinc can cause decreased absorption of other minerals, weakened immune system and lowered levels of HDL cholesterol.
Recommended Dosage: The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for adults of Zinc is 12-153 mg a day.
How to Prevent Vitamin Supplement Overdose
If you eat a healthy and balanced diet, you should not need to take any vitamin supplement. If you have special dietary issues or take certain medications, talk to your doctor about your need to take a supplement. Avoid vitamin supplement overdose and always get the advice of a physician before taking any medications, even if you can buy them at the store.
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT REPLACE THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN!
1 LifeForce Hospitals; Can You Overdose on Vitamins?; www.chemo.net
2 American Academy of Family Physicians; Vitamins and Minerals: What You Should Know; familydoctor.org
3 Sallamander Concepts Ltd.; RDA-Recommended Daily Allowance of nutritional elements; www.anyvitamins.com
