The Risks of Vitamin Toxicity

We need vitamins. We need them for growth and health. Getting too few of one vitamin for a long period of time can be dangerous, as we all know. But getting too much of one or more vitamins over a long period of time can be equally dangerous, causing toxicity and leading to serious side effects.

I want to show you what vitamins can do when over-consumed to help you better define your needs. Often having a medicine cabinet full of vitamins is unnecessary. Most vitamins can be found in a well balanced, plant-based diet. In this natural form, it is very unlikely that you will ever reach toxic levels of any vitamin. But in pill form, it becomes all too easy to take too much of one vitamin or another.

When taking vitamin supplements your biggest ally isn't what is in the bottle, but the knowledge you have in your head. Researching each vitamin, knowing just what that vitamin is capable of, and what purpose it serves, can keep you safe. Taking vitamins haphazardly can lead to disaster.

Questions to ask are "Do I even need vitamin supplements?" "Which vitamin supplements do I need?" "Which supplements should I avoid?"

If you eat a variety of plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and rice) you probably won't need vitamin supplements, or if you do, a simple multi-vitamin may be enough.

But some vitamins cannot be found in our diet. Vitamin D (a hormone) is created from sunlight. If you live in warm, southern climates and get plenty of fresh air, you will certainly get more vitamin D than your body requires, with no risk of toxicity. If you live in colder, northern climates, it may be necessary to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter. [Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol]

Iron and Vitamin B12 are two other nutrients (Iron, of course, is a mineral) that cannot easily be found in a plant-based diet.

Other vitamins should rarely be supplemented into a healthy diet. In men, high amounts of Calcium (another mineral) can increase the risk of prostate cancer. [High Calcium Linked to Prostate Cancer]

There are two types of toxicity. Acute and Chronic.

Acute toxicity occurs in an "over-dose" scenario. Taking too much vitamin C, for instance, can lead to diarrhea. [Vitamin Toxicity] Acute toxicity can be very dangerous, but rare under normal circumstances. Taking one vitamin a day, for instance, or even four or five at a time, will not cause acute toxicity, though taking four or five of the same vitamin every day for weeks may lead to the next type of toxicity. [Are Water Soluble Vitamins Toxic?]

Chronic toxicity occurs through prolonged "over-exposure" to one or another vitamin or mineral. It's more difficult to have chronic toxicity with water soluble vitamins than fat soluble vitamins, but it is not impossible. While water soluble vitamins are often flushed out of the body, fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body indefinitely, and can build to toxic levels. Minerals are also stored in the body. [Fat-Soluble Vitamins]

It is not likely that you will know your symptoms are due to toxicity, as many symptoms may mimic another illness, but your doctor can do tests to find out if vitamins or minerals are the cause. Let your doctor know if you take supplements. If it is determined that you are suffering from toxicity, your doctor will usually ask that you stop taking the supplements. Removing the vitamin from your diet enables your body to deal with it naturally, like draining the bathtub of water. You cannot do so if you continue to add water from the faucet. The same is true for your body's ability to detoxify itself.

Sources:
1.Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol, VitaminDCouncil.org
2.High Calcium Linked to Prostate Cancer, American Cancer Society
3.Mark Rosenbloom, Vitamin Toxicity, E-Medicine.medscape.com
4.Lindsay Boyers, Are Water Soluble Vitamins Toxic?, Livestrong.com
5.J. Anderson and L. Young, Fat-Soluble Vitamins, ext.colostate.edu