Side Effects of a Vitamin Overdose

The best way to get the right vitamins into your system, is by eating the right mix of foods. A good balanced diet will generally take care of your vitamin needs. However, we occasionally need a Vitamin C supplement for colds, potassium or another supplement if a doctor recommends it. Many of us take multivitamins and other supplements on a regular basis.

So what can happen if we take too many vitamin pills?

Most vitamins will not harm you if you overdose. They will simply wash out of your system. If you take too much Vitamin C, you’re just creating some very expensive urine. Your body can only absorb a limited amount of each vitamin in a short period of time. The rest just washes out and leaves your body safely. This is why you need to take Vitamin C every few hours during the first day of a cold. Most of it doesn’t stay with you. Vitamin C can irritate your stomach, but no serious harm can come from its use. I take 100 mg of Vitamin C per day, and boost this to 2000 mg if a cold sets in (for 3 days). So far, I’ve always been fine.

Which vitamins can be harmful?

Niacin. A few years ago, I took a 250 mg Niacin tablet. It caused my face to flush, my stomach felt nauseated, and I nearly passed out. The horrifying effects lasted 30 (scary) minutes. Rashes can occur if use is continued. Eating salmon and broccoli is a better way to get niacin; all niacin pills should be taken with caution.

Vitamin A. Too much of Vitamin A can cause liver damage and problems with bone density.

Vitamin B5 and B6. All the B vitamins can cause side effects in large doses. Little is understood yet of the long-term damage these vitamins may cause. Nerve damage can occur after long periods of overdose. However, experts say it’s hard to overdose on B6 — you’d have to take a huge amount. You can take a handful of the vitamins and still be OK. Many tout the health benefits of a proper B6 regimen.

Vitamin D. Excessive Vitamin D can affect your kidneys, and lead to muscle weakness.

Vitamin E thins your blood and may cause dizziness. There is no proof yet if any long-term illness can come from E overdoses. However, you should be careful of taking vitamin E with any other blood-thinning medications.

Multivitamins or placebos?

Most adults are best suited to take 1 multivitamin per day, and just eat right. Many of us do not eat a balanced meal even once per day, let alone 3 times a day. If you can eat 3 balanced meals per day, the vitamins in your food will help your body in the right amounts. Your body knows how to take what it needs from food. Some labs are even doubting the need for multivitamins, and equate them to placebos. Just eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, and balance every meal with all the food groups. Bottom line: be careful with any vitamin regimen. Don’t be afraid to tell your doctor your vitamin plan and your average diet.