Vitamin use is common among older Americans. A 2021 AARP survey found that 78 percent of adults age 50 and older take vitamins and supplements. For adults over 65 years old, the percentage rises to 83%. Vitamins are valuable for people with deficiencies, but older Americans should watch their intake and be aware of potential interactions with medications.
Overdose can cause serious health problems and even death.
In February 2023, an 89-year-old British man died in the UK after overdosing on vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, but exceeding the recommended daily intake can cause hypercalcemia, where calcium levels in the blood become too high.
Supplements are frequently sold, sometimes with unsubstantiated claims. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the supplement market in the same way it does pharmaceutical drugs.
Lauren Haggerty, a clinical pharmacist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said, “Although there are some regulations regarding manufacturing methods, the FDA does not actually conduct reviews to ensure safety and efficacy before putting it on the market.” I haven’t been there,” he says.
Hagerty said companies claim that their supplements prevent heart disease, even though there is no evidence to support the claim.
There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. According to Hagerty, water-soluble vitamins are typically excreted from the user’s body in large amounts, but not in extremely high doses. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are best absorbed and stored in the body from a diet containing healthy fats.
“We definitely want people to be careful; [fat-soluble vitamins] “Because they just accumulate in the body and in excess can cause further toxicity,” says Wendolyn Gozansky, M.D., geriatrician and chief quality officer at Kaiser Permanente.
Please consult your doctor first
Many people take supplements before consulting a doctor.
“Many patients end up taking vitamins because they were sold them, either through some kind of marketing strategy or because someone recommended them,” said Matthew Farrell, M.D., a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. For this reason, many people take supplements they don’t need.
“I ask people everything they’re taking for their health and try to understand what it is. That way I make sure they’re getting the right amount of what they need. “We want to make sure that we’re confident that we’re doing it right,” says Gozanski.
Most people get enough vitamins from their diet and do not need supplements. “The best way to get vitamins and minerals is to eat a really balanced diet,” says Gozanski.
What does a balanced diet look like? “For most people, I would say if you’re eating a fairly balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, dairy, and legumes. [they] most likely [don’t need a supplement] Especially if your doctor recommends it because you’re deficient in something,” Hagerty says. It’s much easier for your body to absorb nutrients through food than through pills, and you’re less likely to worry about overdosing. “It’s very rare for people to get too many vitamins through their diet,” Hagerty says.
Here are five common vitamins and minerals that people can overdose on. Note that the safe limits for these vitamins include the total amount of the vitamin and food.
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for vision, the immune system, cell division, and more. Most people get enough vitamin A, also known as retinol, through their diet. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), women should consume 700 micrograms of retinol active equivalent (RAE) per day, and men should consume 900 micrograms of their RAE.
Excessive amounts of vitamin A can be absorbed into the body and cause liver toxicity. According to the NIH, an acute toxicity called hypervitaminosis A occurs when high doses of more than 4,000 international units (IU) are taken daily over a period of several months. This is more than 100 times the recommended dietary allowance.
“You may experience acute symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and blurred vision,” Farrell says. Other symptoms usually include severe headaches, muscle pain, and coordination problems. In severe cases, too much vitamin A can cause an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure, leading to drowsiness and eventually coma and death.
If you have pre-existing liver disease, overdosing on vitamin A is a concern. “If you already have liver problems, it can damage your liver,” Haggerty says.
Recommended daily intake*
- 700μg for women
- 900μg for men
Overdose
- Ingestion of 25,000 IU per day can cause chronic toxicity.
- The safe upper limit for adults is 3,000 mcg.
Foods containing vitamin A
- beef liver
- Grilled sweet potato with skin
- spinach
- carrot
*Note: All recommended daily intakes are from the NIH.
