There are 13 essential vitamins needed for your body to function. A lack of any vitamin can cause you to develop health problems. However, you can get too much of a vitamin and experience side effects ranging from mild to severe and life threatening. Vitamins D, B3 and A are among those with the severest side effects when taken in large amounts. A well-balanced diet provides most recommended requirements for vitamins, which vary according to your age, general health and gender.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found naturally in small amounts in foods, such as sardines and tuna. Many dairy products, cereals and juices are fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D is available as a supplement and as an ingredient in multivitamins. Most of your vitamin D--between 80 and 90 percent--comes from exposure to sunlight, according to MedlinePlus.
Possible side effects of too much vitamin D include loss of appetite, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, nausea, metallic taste, weakness and sleepiness. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, daily amounts in excess of 2,000 international units may cause serious harm to your infant, reports MedlinePlus. Conditions that may be adversely affected by vitamin D include kidney disease, lymphoma, sarcoidosis, atherosclerosis and high calcium levels in the blood.
Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking vitamin D with medications, since it can alter the way some medications are absorbed in your body.
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, helps convert food into energy, helps your body make sex and stress-related hormones and is effective in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Vitamin B3 is readily available through diet, and it is available as a supplement, which may be prescribed for conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, arthrosclerosis and osteoarthritis.
Doses of niacin higher than 50 mg may cause side effects, such as a burning, tingling sensation of the face and chest, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also, liver damage and stomach ulcers can occur with high doses.
Use niacin only under the direction of a health care provider if you are on antibiotics, blood thinners, diabetes medications, aspirin or medications for blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin found in dairy products, fish and dark or yellow vegetables and fruits. Most multivitamins contain vitamin A.
Excessive amounts of vitamin A can produce vitamin A toxicity, with side effects such as fatigue, headache, blurry vision, dizziness, nausea, bone pain, itching and increased intracranial pressure. Severe toxicity, according to the Mayo Clinic, can lead to liver and eye damage.
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