In my previous article I discussed the benefits of getting enough vitamins. This article highlighted the importance of vitamins for good overall health. They play a role in almost everything you can imagine from growth, to production of new cells, to wound healing, to protecting your body. However, you can get too much of a good thing. Whilst sticking to the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for each vitamin can provide you with countless benefits consuming high doses of certain vitamins can have the opposite effect causing pain, discomfort and even damage to your body’s cells. In this article I will be discussing the impact overdosing on vitamins can have on your body and outlining why it should be avoided.
1) PAIN AND DISCOMFORT:- Overdosing on vitamins often leads to a number of undesirable symptoms. Consuming too much vitamin A is linked with diarrhea and dry skin. Overdosing on vitamin D can also be unpleasant leading to both diarrhea and nausea. Getting too much vitamin B1 is thought to cause nausea, sweating and lead to difficulty breathing. A vitamin B2 overdose leads to both itching and numbness. Consuming vitamin B3 in excess can cause the blood vessels to expand leading to a type of skin flush called niacin flush. Getting large amounts of vitamin B5 is linked with diarrhea. Overdosing on vitamin B9 can lead to stomach pain, skin problems and difficulty sleeping. A vitamin C overdose can cause cramps, diarrhea, headaches and even vomiting.
2) CELL AND ORGAN DAMAGE:- A number of vitamins cause cell and organ damage if they are consumed in excess. Consuming large amounts of vitamin D causes blood calcium levels to increase. This can then lead to calcium being deposited in various organs which causes serious damage. Getting too much vitamin K can damage your red blood cells and your liver. Overdosing on vitamin B3 over a prolonged period can also cause liver damage. A vitamin B6 overdose can lead to permanent nerve damage.
3) WEAK BONES:- Consuming too much vitamin A can lead to both osteoporosis and weak bones. Osteoporosis is a condition where the density of your bones is reduced. This makes your bones weak and more likely to fracture and this effect often gets worse as you age.
As you can see consuming excessive high levels of vitamins often has an adverse effect on your body. The symptoms of a vitamin overdose can range from the relatively mind (headaches, diarrhea etc) to the more serious (blood cell damage, liver damage, nerve damage etc) but are never pleasant. It is very difficult to overdose on vitamins from food alone. Overdosing is generally the result of excessive consumption of vitamin supplements which is one of the main reasons why I do not think multi vitamins are necessary. If you eat a well balanced, healthy diet you should easily get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for all the various vitamins without needing to rely on supplements. If you are a heavy user of vitamin supplements and multi vitamins I hope this article has brought to your attention the possible impact of overdosing and hopefully made you reconsider your consumption.
Now I’d like to hear from you guys. Do you ever worry about the adverse effects of overdosing on vitamins? Have you ever experienced any of the symptoms discussed in this article? Do you agree that a healthy diet negates the need for most vitamin supplements?