We’ve all heard about vitamin deficiencies, but what about vitamin megadoses. There can be too much of a good thing. Were all well aware of how important it is to get enough vitamins. Just ask any grade school kid what happens when you don’t getenough vitamin C. They’ll tell you tales of scurvy with the original explorers, and how their teeth fell out, and other gross stuff. But, it’s also quite easy these days take too many vitamins, with serious consequences. We always seem to assume that if 3 tables a day of wonder vitamin xzy is good for us, than 10 tablets must be even better. Right? Wrong! There can be some serious consequences for taking megadoses of vitamins. The scary part, is there is no really good guideline on how much is too much when it comes to vitamins. Staying within the recommended RDA for a particular vitamin is generally considered safe, but venturing beyond that, puts you in no mans land.
Time For A Little Good News
The good news, is that it’s practically impossible to overdose on most vitamins simply by eating. It would just require consuming far too much food containing a particular vitamin to do any harm. So, chances are that if you overdosed on a particular vitamin, you probably did it yourself by ignoring thelabel on the package.
Some Of The Big Offenders
Let’s talk about some vitamins you should definitely not take too many of. Vitamin A megadoses could cause you to have symptoms that would normally be associated with a brain tumor. Pregnant women should be particularly vigilant of too much vitamin A, because of potential harmful effects on the fetus. Kidney stones (ouch!) and a build up of calcium in muscle and organs can come from taking too much vitamin D. That’s a real pain, you don’t want to have to deal with. Niacin, while good to have vitamin in the proper doses, can have an adverse effect on your liver. Nerve damage can result from taking too much vitamin B6. While some experts suggest the effect is temporary, others don’t agree and suggest the effect will be permanent. I don’t intend to try it out just to prove onegroup of experts wrong.
What’s Up Doc?
Of course with all things medicinal, it’s best to consult your doctor. There are a multitude of variables involved here, which are specific to every individual. Your own family doctor will be aware of your personal history, and be able to suggest what is the best course for you. If in doubt, get a second opinion, or at the very least, error on the side of caution.