Although many people safely consume vitamin supplements on a daily basis, it is possible to take too high a dose, which can lead to adverse side effects. Overdose of certain vitamins can lead to serious complications and, in rare circumstances, even death. Dwyer says that vitamin D, calcium and folic acid are three nutrients he can consume in excess, especially through supplements. Jessica Cording, a research and development company based in New York.
This is not a cause for immediate alarm. If you accidentally take two of your multivitamins on the same day, don't panic, it should be fine. It's more about taking too much supplement on a consistent basis, even if it's something like calcium that you know is key to your health. A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that while calcium-rich foods may help protect heart health, calcium supplements may increase the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, leading to heart damage.
Beyond that, there are other common supplements that experts say can be risky if you take too much. Like calcium, potassium supplement overload is potentially problematic for your heart. The mineral plays a role in regulating the heartbeat, and taking too much of it can cause heart problems, says Cording. Vitamin A is another example of a seemingly excellent supplement that can wreak havoc on your body.
While it can help maintain healthy vision and immune system, vitamin A toxicity can lead to hair loss, bone loss, confusion, and even liver failure, says Rumsey. Unlike water-soluble types such as vitamins B and C, which you normally urinate if there is excess in your system, vitamin A is stored in body fat. Iron and zinc can easily accumulate in your body and cause various problems, experts explain. While the symptoms of overdoing it with a supplement vary by vitamin or mineral, Cording says digestive problems are often the first sign that something is wrong, but people may also experience nausea, vomiting, seizures, or rapid heartbeat.
If you notice any of these symptoms and suspect that you may have taken too much of a supplement, stop taking it immediately and call your doctor. In fact, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking any type of supplement. Even if you don't take any medicine and you're in good health, your doctor can do a blood test to determine if you really need to take any supplements, Cording notes. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting a healthcare professional. Once you know what you need the most, the next logical step is to add supplements of those vitamins to your daily routine. Supplements have labels that indicate how much is a dose of the recommended diet needed, so that's where you can fill the gap, Dr. Bailey says, adding that aiming for 100 percent is a good barometer to follow.
The problem arises when you don't track the percentage. So what is the first physical indicator that you are getting too much of something? Dr. Bailey says that every nutrient has different red flags, but the Office of Dietary Supplements, which is connected to the National Institute of Health, has some pretty amazing fact sheets that lay everything out in great detail. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the body, and getting enough is critical to health and well-being, offering the promise of protecting bones and preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
Supplemental vitamin D is popular because it is difficult (if not impossible) to get enough from food. In addition, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), our bodies produce vitamin D when bare skin is exposed to sunlight, but increased time spent indoors and widespread use of sunscreen have minimized the amount of vitamin D that many of us get from sun exposure. Calcium is essential for strong bones and a healthy heart, but too much is not good. In fact, excess calcium, which the NIH describes as more than 2,500 mg per day for adults ages 19 to 50, and more than 2,000 mg per day for people age 51 and older, can cause problems.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “researchers believe that without adequate vitamin D to help absorb it, extra calcium is deposited in the arteries rather than in the bones. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 1,000 mg of calcium daily for women ages 19 to 50 and 1,200 mg daily for women age 51 and older. The recommendation for men aged 19 to 70 years is 1000 mg per day and 1200 mg daily for men age 71 and older. UU.
(USDA), 6 ounces of low-fat plain yogurt contains about 311 mg of calcium, a little less than a third of the daily recommendations. Other good sources of calcium include tofu, skim milk, cheese, fortified cereals, and juices. A surprising study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, which examined data from nearly 40,000 women over 19 years, found that, on average, women who took supplements had a higher risk of dying compared to women who did not take supplements. Multivitamins also did little or nothing to protect against common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or death.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health, but a person can take too much. Just as a person can overeat sugar or drink excessive amounts of water, a person can also take too many supplements. Taking too many vitamins, minerals, and supplements can be hazardous to health. For example, high doses of vitamin B can cause hip fractures, says study.
People should always check the dose of each supplement taken. Combining multiple supplements or taking higher doses than recommended can increase the risk that they will actually cause harm, says Kitchin. Some women also take soy as a supplement because the plant contains estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones that can help relieve menopausal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about any supplements you are taking, including vitamins and minerals, and the dose you are taking as well.
In light of these and other studies, most experts now say that dietary supplements are not what they were once imagined to be. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is not authorized to review dietary supplements for safety and efficacy before they are marketed. For them, reports the National Academy of Medicine, vitamin D supplements prescribed by a doctor are beneficial. While most people don't get megadoses, if you eat a fortified cereal for breakfast, take an energy bar between meals, eat enriched pasta for dinner, and take a daily supplement, you could easily exceed the recommended daily intake of a large amount of nutrients.
It's not hard to get more than 1,000 micrograms of folic acid a day (the safe upper limit for adults) from regularly fortified foods and supplements. Millstine, noting that research shows that calcium is better absorbed through food than through. They are reluctant to abandon them because they think supplements are as effective as prescription drugs, says Joanne Doyle Petrongolo, a pharmacist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. If you are taking medications that interfere with nutrient absorption, if you are an elderly person whose calorie intake is low, if you are an athlete, if you are pregnant, those are all good reasons to take a multivitamin supplement.
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