Can I Overdose On Vitamins?
Can I really overdose on vitamins? This question comes up a lot and may lead people to wonder if there really is too much of a good thing. You may feel as though you are taking something that is good for you so how can it possibly present potential health risks. Though most times you will be just fine, there are instances where too many vitamins can make you sick.
Overdosing is Possible
You can overdose on vitamins because even something that is good for you can become toxic after awhile. First and foremost start out by looking at the bottle of any type of vitamin because that’s an excellent starting point. You will always see a Daily Value (DV) listed and this guideline tells you how much you should be taking of each vitamin. Try not to go too far above that limit as it can end up hurting you rather than helping you if consumed in excessive amounts.
There is also a less talked about but equally important measure called a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). This measures the highest level that you can take of a certain vitamin without having dire consequences. The higher that you go the more likely you are to have potential health risks. This is an important guideline to get tuned into and check for each vitamin that you take so that you are never in danger.
Too Much of a Good Thing
Anything consumed in too high of a level within the body can become toxic. This holds true even for vitamins and therefore you actually can overdose on vitamins if taken in excessive amounts. Some vitamins such as those in the B family will just be excreted out as urine if take in large quantities. Something like Vitamin A however taken in excessive amounts in pregnancy can actually cause birth defects.
In some cases your body will adjust to the level that you give to it, but you want to carefully build up or cut back accordingly. Any extreme change can make you feel sick if taken for a period of time. Toxicity can present itself in various ways depending on the vitamins taken but it can often make a person sick. Just pay close attention to the appropriate levels and be diligent about ensuring you stay within a healthy range.[/fusion_text]