An overdose of vitamins can be just as dangerous as a deficiency

It is important to keep moderation in mind when taking food supplements

Dietary supplements are very popular to ensure the body receives adequate amounts of certain vitamins. They are thought to help maintain well-being, strengthen the immune system and even save hair, nails or skin. However, sometimes, pill-taking becomes indiscriminate, and this behavior is fuelled by the belief that it is impossible to overdose on vitamins. However, this is a misconception, as taking various vitamins without considering whether they are needed at all and in what doses can lead to serious health problems.

Often, especially in the cold season, people are concerned about their vitamin reserves, which are believed to drop so low at this time of the year that it is much easier to get infections and seasonal illnesses. The disease is called avitaminosis, when the body is deficient in a particular vitamin. If even a few are deficient, a person is diagnosed with hypovitaminosis.

Vitamin deficiencies can occur for different reasons, but the main one is an inadequate diet. It is also due to impaired absorption of vitamins in the intestines. The absorption of certain beneficial substances is strongly linked to intestinal diseases, genetic disorders, interaction with various drugs, excessive alcohol consumption and many other factors. In addition, vitamin deficiencies are often experienced by pregnant or lactating women, people who increase their physical activity or are weakened by illness. In such cases, most people rush to vitamins, but it is important not to overdo it and always to pay attention to the dosage and whether there is a deficiency at all.

Although vitamin deficiency is the most common issue, vitamin overdose is also a very real, though less common, problem. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked, and people who focus solely on the benefits of vitamins forget to check that they are not overdosing on certain substances. In addition, there is often another problem: taking vitamins without making sure that they are taken at the right time or without mixing several supplements that should not be taken simultaneously.

Signs of vitamin overdose can be much more severe than just nausea

Although many people don't think about it, vitamin overdose is a very real problem that anyone who likes to take a variety of food supplements can face. Vitamin overdose is often the result of carelessness on the part of people who regularly take supplements and exceed the prescribed daily dose. Another common cause is taking several different food supplements without checking that the ingredients are not duplicated.

Even though most of the time it is only vitamin deficiency that is the problem, overdose is no less harmful. Taking too high a dose of vitamins for too long and causing an overdose can lead to headaches, nausea or even vomiting. Some people even suffer from liver problems.

The most dangerous overdoses are fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E. They accumulate in the body, specifically in the liver or fatty tissue. In many cases, an overdose is only noticeable after the body has been suffering from too much of these vitamins for quite some time.

Water-soluble elements, such as vitamin C or B vitamins, are safer because they are easily eliminated from the body and do not accumulate in the body. However, this does not mean that an overdose is impossible. On the contrary, an overdose of some B vitamins can lead to serious health problems.

Prolonged use of large amounts of vitamin B6 can lead to skin damage, severe neurological symptoms, photosensitivity, nausea and heartburn. Excess vitamin B9 can have adverse effects on immune and mental health. Overdose of vitamin B3 can lead to abdominal pain, impaired vision, high blood pressure or even liver damage.

Excess vitamin C can cause general weakness or sometimes even fainting. Nausea, indigestion and heartburn may also occur. Vitamin C overdose can even cause insomnia, headaches and kidney stones. So although this vitamin is more easily eliminated from the body, it should not be overused.

Overdosing on vitamin D is quite difficult but it does happen. Excessive levels of this element in the body manifest themselves in general muscle weakness and thirst. Meanwhile, children begin to complain of dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea. In many cases, they also lose their appetite.

Family doctors often recommend that children take vitamin D as a preventive measure, as it is challenging to get enough from the sun alone in our climate zone. However, the safest thing to do would be to have a blood test to see if a supplement is essential. And if you are taking it, but have any of the above symptoms, you should also check whether you have accumulated too much vitamin D in your body.

Currently, around one billion people worldwide have sub-optimal blood levels of vitamin D. However, it is advisable to have a blood test before taking it, which will help you decide which prophylactic or therapeutic dose to take. As the Swiss physician Paracelsus rightly said half a millennium ago, the only cure for poison is the dose, so let's use medicines responsibly.

Meanwhile, an excess of vitamin A is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, so it is better to avoid such supplements or to keep a close eye on the levels of the vitamin in the body. An overdose of vitamin A can cause harm to the fetus. Excessive intake of vitamin A in the body also causes hair loss, dry skin, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Suffering from an overdose of this element for a long time and not trying to correct the problem can lead to even more severe consequences - liver damage.

Vitamin E overdose is also associated with digestive problems. However, symptoms also include weakened immunity, inflammation of the skin or even impaired blood clotting, as excess vitamin E thins the blood.

Therefore, to avoid all these problems, it is essential to take the right dietary supplements and to stay within the recommended doses. It is essential to pay attention to the recommendations and whether the body needs the supplements and their composition. That is, if the supplements you take contain certain vitamins that are repeated in other supplements, it is better not to take them simultaneously not to exceed the daily dose.

Vitamin deficiencies are also dangerous

Of course, vitamin deficiencies cannot be ignored either. When a deficiency of a particular element, or even several, begins, various unpleasant symptoms can cause even greater problems for an already weakened body.

For example, if there is too little vitamin A in the body, a person's eyesight may be impaired, with dry eyes and night blindness. When vitamin A is deficient, even the skin is affected - it becomes flaky, pale and acne-prone. Vitamin A is so important for the human body that vitamin A deficiency also results in brittle and dry hair and nails, reduced hemoglobin levels, fatigue, weakened immunity, and even stunted growth in young children.

Weakened immunity to various infections and thinning hair are also common in those who are deficient in vitamin D. Deficiency of this element can lead to fatigue and bone and back pain. He or she can suffer from low mood and even wounds that are difficult to heal. Unfortunately, in many cases, vitamin D deficiency is only detected when the deficiency is already severe.

B vitamins are the most important vitamins for the nervous system. That is why, if they are deficient, frequent headaches or even migraine attacks, impaired memory, irritability, and twitching or melting of muscles are common symptoms. They may also suffer from anemia, stomatitis, splitting of the corners of the lips, and watery eyes.

Vitamin C deficiency is also characterized by fatigue, but it is also a type of avitaminosis that can lead to poor eyesight, wounds that heal slowly, dry or flushed skin, wrinkles, joint pain, brittle and dry hair or nails, and bruising that can easily appear.

Vitamin E is also important for the human body, as a depletion of vitamin E reserves leads to a weakening of reflexes, reduced sensitivity in the limbs and difficulty in performing movements. And these are not the only problems, as vitamin E deficiency can even lead to rickets or osteoporosis. A person may begin to complain of digestive problems, inflammation of the skin or rashes, and reduced libido.

The symptoms of vitamin deficiency can often be similar, and more often than not, simply general fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, and minor changes in health and appearance. Therefore, if you suspect that your fatigue is due to avitaminosis, it is important to monitor your body, improve the balance of your diet and, if necessary, take food supplements. However, it is best to turn to them only after blood tests have been carried out and it has become clear that the body is deficient in certain vitamins.

So, in principle, both vitamin deficiencies and vitamin overdoses have negative consequences for the human body. As a result, one can experience various health problems, changes in appearance, and other unpleasant troubles. As in other areas, the golden rule of moderation should always be observed in using supplements and not overdoing them. And if you really want to help your body to maintain a good balance of vitamins, turn to a healthy, balanced diet.