Taking nutritional vitamins is a part of the day by day routine of hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide.
Although instructions for protected dosing are listed on most complement bottles, it’s widespread observe to take greater than what’s really helpful.
Shoppers are bombarded with well being info telling them that taking excessive doses of sure nutritional vitamins can profit their well being in some ways. Nonetheless, taking an excessive amount of of some vitamins may be harmful.
This text opinions the protection of taking nutritional vitamins, in addition to the unwanted side effects and potential dangers related to consuming excessive doses.
Fats-soluble vs. water-soluble nutritional vitamins
The 13 recognized nutritional vitamins are divided into 2 classes — fat-soluble and water-soluble (1).
Water-soluble nutritional vitamins
Water-soluble nutritional vitamins are readily excreted from the physique and never simply saved in tissues. There are extra water-soluble nutritional vitamins than there are fat-soluble ones (2).
Water-soluble nutritional vitamins embrace vitamin C, plus eight B nutritional vitamins:
As a result of water-soluble nutritional vitamins aren’t saved however relatively excreted by means of urine, they’re much less prone to trigger points even when taken in excessive doses.
Nonetheless, taking megadoses of some water-soluble nutritional vitamins can result in probably harmful unwanted side effects.
For instance, taking very excessive doses of vitamin B6 can result in probably irreversible nerve harm over time, whereas taking massive quantities of niacin — sometimes in extra of two grams per day — may cause liver harm (3, 4).
Fats-soluble nutritional vitamins
In contrast to water-soluble nutritional vitamins, fat-soluble nutritional vitamins don’t dissolve in water and are simply saved in your physique’s tissues (2).
There are 4 fat-soluble nutritional vitamins:
Provided that fat-soluble nutritional vitamins can accumulate within the physique, these vitamins usually tend to result in toxicity than water-soluble nutritional vitamins.
Whereas uncommon, taking an excessive amount of vitamin A, D, or E can result in probably dangerous unwanted side effects (5).
Alternatively, taking excessive doses of non-synthetic vitamin Ok appears to be comparatively innocent, which is why an higher consumption degree (UL) has not been set for this nutrient (6).
Higher consumption ranges are set to point the utmost dose of a nutrient that’s unlikely to trigger hurt for practically all individuals in a common inhabitants (7, 8).
Potential dangers of taking too many nutritional vitamins
When consumed naturally by means of meals, these vitamins are unlikely to trigger hurt, even when consumed in massive quantities.
But, when taken in concentrated doses in complement type, it’s simple to take an excessive amount of, and doing so can result in unfavorable well being outcomes.
Negative effects of overconsuming water-soluble nutritional vitamins
When taken in extra, some water-soluble nutritional vitamins may cause antagonistic results, a few of which may be harmful.
Nonetheless, equally to vitamin Ok, sure water-soluble nutritional vitamins haven’t any observable toxicity and therefore no set UL.
These nutritional vitamins embrace vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B7 (biotin), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) (9, 10, 11, 12, 13).
It’s vital to notice that whereas these nutritional vitamins haven’t any observable toxicity, a few of them might work together with medicines and intrude with blood testing outcomes. Subsequently, warning must be taken with all dietary dietary supplements.
The next water-soluble nutritional vitamins have set ULs, as they will trigger antagonistic unwanted side effects when taken in excessive doses:
Be aware that these are unwanted side effects that wholesome individuals might expertise when taking massive doses of those nutritional vitamins. People with well being situations can expertise much more severe reactions to taking an excessive amount of of a vitamin.
For instance, although vitamin C is unlikely to trigger toxicity in wholesome individuals, it could result in tissue harm and deadly coronary heart abnormalities in these with hemochromatosis, an iron storage dysfunction (19).
Negative effects associated to overconsuming fat-soluble nutritional vitamins
As a result of fat-soluble nutritional vitamins can accumulate in your physique’s tissues, they will trigger rather more hurt when taken at excessive doses, particularly over lengthy durations.
Except for vitamin Ok, which has a low potential for toxicity, the remaining three fat-soluble nutritional vitamins have a set UL on account of their potential to trigger hurt at excessive doses.
Listed below are some unwanted side effects associated to the overconsumption of fat-soluble nutritional vitamins:
Though vitamin Ok has a low potential for toxicity, it could work together with sure medicines, comparable to warfarin and antibiotics (6).
Can taking too many nutritional vitamins be lethal?
Though it’s extraordinarily uncommon to die from a vitamin overdose, there have been reported cases of dying associated to vitamin toxicity.
For instance, hypervitaminosis A may be attributable to taking one massive dose of over 200 mg of vitamin A, or persistent use of greater than 10 occasions the really helpful day by day consumption (23).
Vitamin A toxicity might result in severe issues, comparable to elevated spinal fluid stress, coma, and probably deadly organ harm (23).
Moreover, taking megadoses of vitamin D — greater than 50,000 IU day by day — over lengthy durations can result in excessive blood ranges of calcium (hypercalcemia), which may result in dying (24).
Overdosing on different nutritional vitamins can likewise trigger probably deadly unwanted side effects, comparable to liver harm.
A case report discovered that taking very excessive doses of over 5 grams of extended-release niacin can result in metabolic acidosis, a buildup of acid in physique fluids, in addition to acute liver failure — each of which may be deadly (25).
Understand that these probably lethal unwanted side effects are related to taking exceptionally excessive doses of nutritional vitamins. Even so, warning ought to all the time be taken when consuming any dietary complement.
Learn how to safely take nutritional vitamins
One of the best ways to get the vitamins you want is by consuming a well-rounded weight loss program. Nonetheless, many individuals must complement with nutritional vitamins for a wide range of causes.
Age, genetic issues, medical situations, and weight loss program are all components that may improve the necessity for sure vitamins.
Luckily, nutritional vitamins are sometimes protected to take so long as they’re used responsibly.
The next chart outlines each the really helpful day by day consumption (RDI) and tolerable higher consumption ranges (UL) for fat-soluble and water-soluble nutritional vitamins (6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22):
As a result of potential toxicity, it’s not really helpful to eat greater than the tolerable higher consumption ranges set for the vitamins listed above.
Understand that in sure circumstances, your healthcare supplier might suggest that you simply take greater than the UL for sure vitamins to right a deficiency.
For instance, vitamin D deficiencies are sometimes handled with high-dose vitamin D injections or dietary supplements that ship over 50,000 IU of vitamin D, which is rather more than the UL (26).
Although most complement bottles present suggestions concerning how a lot of a vitamin to take per day, wants can differ from individual to individual.
When you’ve got questions concerning vitamin dosing, it’s finest to seek the advice of a medical skilled.
The underside line – “b vitamin overdose”
Though vitamin dietary supplements are safely consumed by many individuals every day, it’s attainable to take too excessive of a dose, which can lead to antagonistic unwanted side effects.
Overdosing on sure nutritional vitamins can result in severe issues and, in uncommon circumstances, even dying.
For these causes, it’s vital to make use of nutritional vitamins responsibly and seek the advice of a trusted well being skilled you probably have questions on correct dosing.