Can taking too many vitamins kill you? Doctors say

We often discuss the importance of working with your doctor to stay on top of deficiencies and try to prevent or improve them. can When it comes to vitamin and mineral supplements, there’s always too much of a good thing.

Just like eating too much protein or too much fiber can throw your system into overdrive, whether you take it as a pill, as a powder mixed with water, or from fortified foods. It is possible to take too many supplements. (Or a combination of all of the above.)

“Vitamins and minerals are essential natural compounds that the body needs for vital functions, including metabolism,” explains William W. Lee, MD, a Boston-based physician-scientist and author of Vitamins and Minerals. eat to overcome diet“A multivitamin is a dietary supplement that contains multiple vitamins, and often minerals such as calcium and iron, in a convenient way that you get the recommended doses all at once in one tablet.”

Multivitamins are designed to supplement a balanced diet, not replace it. Multivitamins usually provide up to 100% of the recommended daily intake of each nutrient, which is enough for most people, adds Patricia Bannan, RD, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian and author of the book “Multivitamins.” From burnout to balance.

“Vitamins and minerals are essential for health, but can cause toxicity if taken in excess,” Bannan says.

What causes multivitamin toxicity?

Toxicity is rare but possible. According to Bannan, the risk of poisoning depends on three factors:

• The vitamins and minerals contained
• Their dosage
• intake period

Multivitamin poisoning often occurs as a result of one of the following supplement mistakes.

Improper Use of Vitamin Supplements

Whether intentionally or accidentally, “taking more than the recommended dose can accumulate in the body over time,” says Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.-based registered dietitian and author of daily snack tray.

This is a very common cause of overdose, as people can take more than the recommended dose “through misreading the label or the misconception that more vitamins will lead to better health,” Bannan said. explains.

Consuming high doses of certain nutrients over long periods of time

If you take too much of a water-soluble vitamin, such as vitamin C or some B vitamins, your body can usually eliminate it easily in your urine.

“In fact, there are no known upper limits for vitamins such as B1, B2, B5, B7 and B12, as they are considered non-toxic and are easily excreted,” Lee says.

Still, certain water-soluble vitamins, such as niacin (B3) and B6, can cause serious damage if taken in large amounts over long periods of time, and vitamin C can cause diarrhea and vomiting if taken in very large amounts. Rajman-Ross added that

Most fat-soluble vitamins (think vitamins A, D, E, and K) are a different story and can be toxic if taken in excess as a supplement. These vitamins are stored in your body’s tissues, so if you take them in large amounts, they can get stored in your body’s fat, making them difficult to remove from your body, Lee says.

The vitamins and minerals you need to be most careful with are:

• vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K (although there is limited evidence of toxicity, with the greatest problems occurring among people taking certain medications, including blood thinners)
• calcium
• iron

Product manufacturing or labeling defects

“Nutraceuticals, including vitamin supplements, are not as tightly regulated as pharmaceuticals, so manufacturing issues such as contamination and inaccurate dosing can occur,” Lee says.

Therefore, even if you follow the instructions on the package, you can inadvertently consume too many vitamins and minerals and risk toxicity. (This may also cause unexpected side effects or no effect at all.)

“This highlights the importance of purchasing from trusted sources and seeking third-party testing and certification,” Bannan says.

Always research dietary supplements to make sure there are no complaints or FDA actions against the product, says Lee. This is a red flag and advises you to stay away from that product. Also, be sure to consult your doctor before starting any new supplements and only invest in products that have been third-party tested.

Look for seals on the label from organizations like Consumer Lab, NSF International, or US Pharmacopeia (USP), all of which are reputable dietary supplement certification programs that allow companies to voluntarily submit their products for testing (a stamp of approval that the ingredients listed on the label are actually there, and that they’re free of potentially dangerous ingredients).

Can you die from multivitamin poisoning?

Death from vitamin or mineral overdose is extremely rare. But Bannan says it can develop if you take very high doses over a short period of time, or if you consistently overdose over a long period of time. Experts we spoke to agree that extremely high doses of vitamin D, vitamin E, and iron in particular can be fatal.

It usually starts with a series of symptoms that, if untreated, can lead to organ failure, brain hemorrhage, and then death.

Warning symptoms of multivitamin poisoning

“The warning signs that someone may be addicted to a multivitamin depend on the vitamins and minerals they are taking in excess,” Lee says.

According to our experts, here are the warning signs that an overdose is possible.

• Vitamin A: Vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, abdominal pain, hair loss, joint pain, weakened bones, peeling of the skin, skin turning orange, drowsiness, irritability, liver damage, congenital diseases that occur in children who take too much food during pregnancy.
• Vitamin D: Irregular heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, weakness, seizures, confusion, abnormal weight loss, kidney stone formation, kidney failure, heart problems
• Vitamin K: Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), anemia
• Vitamin E: Muscle weakness, gastrointestinal disorders, emotional instability, bleeding, blood clots
• calcium: Constipation, nausea, vomiting, confusion, renal dysfunction, arrhythmia
• iron: Vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal pain (in severe cases, liver failure, intestinal bleeding, coma)

diagnosis and treatment

If you notice any of the symptoms above, or if you think you may have taken too much of a particular vitamin or mineral, your doctor should be able to run blood tests to identify what’s abnormal. From there, your medical team can advise you on the best treatment plan, which will most likely include stopping taking supplements that contain the problematic vitamin or mineral.

How to Prevent Multivitamin Addiction

If you follow these pro tips, vitamin and mineral toxicity will be extremely rare.

• Look for seals proving third-party testing. Make sure the product you’re taking “actually contains the ingredients listed on the bottle and the strength and purity of the various vitamins and minerals listed,” says Largeman-Ross. .
• Please strictly adhere to the recommended dosage. “Check the daily recommended values ​​on the label and don’t exceed them when it comes to dosage,” says Lee. Your doctor should tell you how much to take before you start taking the supplement and when you give them the thumbs up. If you’re not sure how much to take, be sure to talk to your doctor.
• Do not mix: Keeping your vitamins in their original bottles makes it easier to track their contents and intake, Lee suggests.
• Aim to get vitamins and minerals through food: For people on certain diets, such as vegans, it can be difficult to get enough of certain vitamins and minerals from food. Also, some medical deficiencies may require supplements. Still, Lee says, “Your best bet is to get your vitamins from foods like plant-based foods, seafood, and meat, so you’re getting what you need.” Multivitamins should only be used as a “supplement” to make up for what you can’t get from your diet.
• Beware of fraudulent sources: If you’re taking a multivitamin or other supplement, Rajman-Ross advises looking for other products such as energy bars, energy drinks or shakes that may contain vitamins and minerals. I am.

conclusion

Taking too many vitamins or minerals is rarely a problem, but it can happen, and with certain vitamins and minerals, it can be dangerous or even fatal.

For this reason, “It’s important to consult your doctor or registered dietitian before starting any new supplement, especially if you have an underlying medical condition or are taking other medications,” says Bannan.