Nowadays, everything from bottled water to orange juice seems to have levels of vitamins and minerals in it. That may sound like a way to help cover our nutritional bases, especially if our diet is less than stellar. But routinely getting an overload of vitamins and minerals can hurt us. Too many vitamins consumptions have side effects.
Today in India almost every pharmaceutical company has two or three brands of vitamins or supplements under active promotion.
Television advertisements show few vitamin supplements as immune boosters or for enhancing vigor and vitality.
Dietary supplements should not replace complete meals which are essential to nurturing the body.
Who needs vitamins and supplements?
Supplements or Vitamins are appropriate for the following individuals:
- Someone who is pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- People with age of 50 years or older
- Have a poor appetite or have trouble getting nutritious food.
- Following diet that excludes entire food groups or someone on restricted diet.
- Have medical conditions that affect how the body digests nutrients such as chronic diarrhea, food allergies, food intolerance or a disease of the liver, gallbladder, intestines or pancreas.
- Have had surgery on digestive tract that affects the digestion of the nutrients.
The nutraceutical market in India
Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that provide both nutrition and medicinal benefits. Nutraceuticals are also known as nutritional supplements.
India’s nutraceuticals market is poised to be a global leader at USD 4-5 billion. Experts and reports suggested that it will grow to approximately USD 18 billion by 2025.
The nation as a whole is moving towards a healthier lifestyle which has been further accelerated by the pandemic. As the consumers adopt a preventive approach, there has been a significant uptake in demand for protein, vitamins, and immunity supplements along with healthy food substitutes.
COVID 19 has made nutraceuticals one of the most lucrative sectors in India.
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the level of intake of the essential. Nutrients that are judged to be adequate or sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group.
It has been observed that there are many nutritional supplements where the ingredient concentrations are in excess of the RDA values, which results in overconsumption of those nutritional ingredients.
Most people don’t realize there’s no real advantage to taking more than the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals, and they don’t recognize there may be disadvantages
Talk with your doctor about any supplements you’re taking, including vitamins and minerals, and the dose you’re taking, too. That way, your doctor can help you keep doses in a safe range.
Side Effects of Too Many Vitamins
Stomach Upset
The first sign that you’ve taken too many vitamins or supplements is usually gastrointestinal. You might experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. It might mean you’ve taken a vitamin on an empty stomach that you’d better tolerate with food—or that you’re taking more supplements than your body should handle. To be safe, it’s always a good idea to talk with your doctor before beginning a new vitamin or supplement regimen.
Hair Loss
This is one of the side effects associated with taking too much vitamin A, which is a fat-soluble vitamin. Unlike water-soluble vitamins—of which the body eliminates any excess in the urine—fat-soluble vitamins are stored in body fat. If you take too many, that can result in toxicity. The other fat-soluble vitamins are D, E, and K, and you should take care not to exceed the recommended daily dosage of each.
Increased Cancer Risk
Research has indicated about taking supplements of beta-carotene or vitamin E, or excessive amounts of biotin increased Cancer risk. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) officially recommended against taking vitamin E or beta-carotene supplements, saying they may increase the risk of cancer or poor outcomes from heart disease. Another study found that men had an increased risk of lung cancer after taking megadoses of biotin (5 mg to 10 mg daily).
Nerve Problems
Taking too much of certain vitamins, such as vitamin B6, can result in nerve issues, such as neuropathy (numbness) or tingling. To avoid this, never take more than the recommended daily allowance.
Excessive Bleeding
Another potentially dangerous vitamin or multivitamin ingredient is vitamin E. Unless you have a reason to take vitamin E, you shouldn’t be taking it as a random supplement. Vitamin E thins the blood, which could turn minor injuries into serious bleeding episodes.
Vitamin D: Too Much Can Harm Your Kidneys
Taking high doses of Vitamin D is not a good option. In healthy people, vitamin D blood levels higher than 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) can trigger extra calcium absorption — and lead to muscle pain, mood disorders, abdominal pain, and kidney stones.
Vitamin D recommendations are — 600 IU per day for people 1 to 70 years old and 800 IU per day for individuals 71 or older — including whole foods, such as salmon, tuna, milk, mushrooms, and fortified cereals in your daily diet. You can also spend a brief time in the sun without sunblock — about 10 to 15 minutes a day for the natural production of Vitamin D.
In addition
Too much vitamin C or zinc could cause nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Too much selenium could lead to hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, and mild nerve damage.
General supplement safety
Follow these tips to stay safe with supplements.
- Do not use supplements to replace a balanced diet.
- Ask your doctor how much of a supplement to take if you’re not sure. You may experience negative side effects after taking too large of a dose of certain supplements.
- Always tell your doctor about all supplements you take before any surgery or procedure.
For awareness purposes only. For treatment, please consult your healthcare provider.
Published as received from the author. All responsibilities lie with the author only.
Ujjal Dutta {Author}
Corporate and Pharmaceutical Trainer
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