Vitamins Is There Such Thing as Too Much?

You probably hear lots of information about the need to get sufficient amounts of vitamins in your daily diet, and to take a vitamin supplement if you aren’t getting those necessary vitamins. If vitamins are good for you, it stands to reason that more is better, right? Actually, overdoing it with vitamins can cause some problems as well. Take a look at some of the more common vitamins and what you can face by getting too much of a good thing.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D is readily available in milk and dairy products, but only those that have been Vitamin D fortified. There are some other sources of this vitamin, with tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel among those with the higher contents. You also get Vitamin D from sunshine. A lack of Vitamin D causes bone problems, including rickets.
An overdose of Vitamin D will likely first let itself be known in the form of nausea. In extreme cases, loss of appetite, weakness and abnormal heart rhythm can occur.
Despite what some people may think, it’s unlikely that you can get an overdose of Vitamin D from the sun. Sunburn will show itself long before your body absorbs enough Vitamin D from the sunshine. Too much calcium in the diet can also cause problems with major organs, including the heart and kidneys.
Vitamin A – Vitamin A is often associated with the “orange” fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges and carrots. There are other sources as well, mainly in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin A is good for vision, healthy skin and hair.
An overdose of Vitamin A can result is some serious health risks and will first be seen as headaches, vomiting, dizziness and a lack of coordination in the muscles. Most commonly, Vitamin A toxicity arises from consuming a huge amount of Vitamin A over a short period of time, usually in the form of vitamins as supplements. Damage to the central nervous system or liver, and birth defects are among the possible long-term effects of overdoses of Vitamin A.
Vitamin B – There are several vitamins that make up the group known as the B-Complex vitamins. B6 and B12 are among the more common of that group. Both are touted in connection with healthy hearts and maintaining a youthful appearance, but it’s important to note that there are some important differences in the toxicity potential for vitamins in this group. Notably, there have been few cases of B12 overdoses, especially cases that caused adverse symptoms.
By contrast, B6 typically can result in nerve damage. As a rule, the effects are reversed when the levels of B6 are brought back under control.
As a rule – As a rule, it’s difficult to consume sufficient amounts of vitamins to cause severe toxicity. Nausea will typically be your first clue to a problem. Talk to your doctor or health care professional before starting any vitamin regimen or making major changes to your diet.