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Are Too Many Vitamins Dangerous?

Many people take vitamins and supplements each day to ward off potential health problems, but some people take excessive amounts. While the body is good at flushing out excess vitamins it doesn't need, there are some vitamins that are difficult to flush and can cause problems when they build up. Even water-soluble vitamins that leave the body rapidly can have negative effects when taken in excess amounts.

  1. Water-Soluble Vitamins

    • Excess amounts of some vitamins are less hazardous than others. Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B and vitamin C break down quickly and exit the body through urine, so taking large amounts is less likely to do harm. But even these vitamins can cause problems when too many are taken.

    Fat-Soluble Vitamins

    • Fat-soluble vitamins are more likely to cause problems, since they don't break down quickly. They include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. These vitamins are not readily flushed out of the system, but instead accumulate in the liver. When this happens, the vitamins can have a toxic effect on the heart, brain and vital organs and cause problems, including headaches, body aches, fatigue and nausea.

    Vitamin C

    • The most popular vitamin, many people take huge doses of vitamin C to ward off problems like the common cold and even cancer. Though it's water-soluble, too much vitamin C can have a toxic effect on the body and cause diarrhea and nausea. Excess vitamin C has also been linked to an increased incidence of kidney stones.

    Vitamin A

    • Most people get plenty of vitamin A in a normal diet through foods like cereals and milk and it's long been considered essential to maintaining healthy bones. But excess amounts of vitamin A have been linked to a greater likelihood of developing osteoarthritis. As a fat-soluble vitamin, it's also harder for the body to flush out and can build up in the liver and produce toxic effects on the body.

    Vitamin E

    • Many people take vitamin E supplements to prevent ailments like Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, heart disease and other problems that come with old age. But taking excessive amounts of vitamin E has been linked to an increased incidence of some of the problems it's taken to prevent, including heart disease and stroke.

    Bottom Line

    • More often than not, taking too many vitamins will produce only minor problems. However, for most people, taking a multi-vitamin provides more than enough of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins needed each day.

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