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Vitamin overdose symptoms include nausea, stroke and coma, dietitian warns
Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Yes, apparently. Even something as seemingly innocuous as a multivitamin pill to supplement your diet or boost your immune system.
Many of us turn to multivitamins, effervescent vitamin C tablets, and over-the-counter supplements when the weather gets colder, thinking it will do our health a load of good. But we could be barking up the wrong tree, says registered dietitian-nutritionist Gabriella Nowicki. Not only do we run the risk of vitamin overdose, but the supplement industry is a huge marketing ploy, she says. Eat food, not pills. Heres what you need to know.
The dose makes the poison
I had the pleasure of talking to Gabriella Nowicki about the misconceptions many people buy into when it comes to supplementing their diets with multivitamins and mineral tablets, and came away a good deal wiser.
One line of hers that stuck with me was that the dose makes the poison. �
- ON THE OTHER HAND: Avoid winter acne breakouts by taking one 2-cents-a-day supplement
Too much of anything, she says, even if it is deemed healthy, can have consequences. Did you know that cholecalciferol, aka Vitamin D3, can be used as a form of rat poison?
No, I did not.�
Generally speaking, water-soluble vitamins (e.g. vitamin C and B vitamins) are safe to ingest in excess. Our bodies eliminate excess quantities via the urine. Just know that if you have kidney disease, taking on too much vitamin C can cause an oxalate buildup, which can lead to kidney stones, according to Medical News Today.
However, fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) are stored in liver and adipose (fat) tissue. Too much of these, over an extended period, can cause health issues. Per Healthline, symptoms associated with overconsumption of fat-soluble vitamins include&
- Vitamin A: Nausea, increased intracranial pressure, and coma.
- Vitamin D: Weight loss, appetite loss, irregular heartbeat, and raised blood calcium levels, which raise the risk of organ damage. Elsewhere on this site, vitamin D is described as a “super” supplement. Millions of Americans are deficient, so it’s worth looking at your intake.
- Vitamin E: Negatively impacted blood clotting; hemorrhages; and hemorrhagic stroke.
Multivitamins are not an essential part of your diet
Many of us just assume that were doing ourselves a favor by taking on extra vitamins, but studies belie the notion that we gain much, or anything at all, from loading up.
One study involving over 450,000 people, Gabriella says, found that a multivitamin did not reduce either heart disease or cancer. Another, done over 12 years, found no benefit for slowing mental decline.
Johns Hopkins supports Gabriella on both of these points.�
She has news for anyone hoping to boost their immune systems by taking vitamin C capsules, too: Studies show that taking vitamin C and zinc only reduces your cold by, potentially, one day.
There is no such thing as boosting your immune system, she says. Especially through a supplement. The best way to improve your immune system is to eat a well-rounded diet with a variety of fiber and protein sources plus get enough sleep, lower stress, and get adequate activity.
In other words, eat food, not pills.
The supplement industry is a huge marketing ploy worth billions
Some people think multivitamins are an “essential” part of their diet, Gabriella points out. Yet, in reality, “very few people need to be taking one.” Over-the-counter supplements are designed to do “one thing,” she says, and that is to “supplement nutrients that are missing from a diet.”
Yet, unfortunately, “many Americans buy into the billion-dollar supplement industry.”
She calls the industry at large a “huge marketing ploy to get the consumer to buy their products.”
Our bodies prefer vitamins and minerals from food, she repeats. Thats why supplements are called supplements. She does add a very important caveat, however, which is that there are certain situations where someone would benefit from a supplement, but “that should be discussed with your doctor and dietitian.
Gabriella is a registered dietitian-nutritionist with additional certifications in nutrition support and oncology nutrition. She specializes in treating individuals with SIBO, IBS, and other gut disorders, as well as women’s health, and works for Rebecca Bitzer & Associates.
