Side Effects Of Taking Multivitamins

Multivitamins are taken daily by many to help the body function optimally. These vitamins are available in a variety of forms, such as chewable, tablet or liquid. Many different types of side effects can occur from multivitamin use, notes MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Talk to your doctor before starting use of multivitamins to ensure they are safe with your health history. Also, if you experience any side effects after starting a multivitamin program, let your doctor know.

Queasy Stomach

A multivitamin will sometimes cause your stomach to feel upset or queasy. This side effect will often be transient or it can be an ongoing problem. Try taking the multivitamin after a meal to see if having food in your stomach will help eliminate the stomach upset that might be due to taking the multivitamin on an empty stomach.

Prostate Cancer and Colon Polyps

The folic acid in multivitamins is linked to prostate cancer and colon polyps, which often appear before colorectal cancer is diagnosed, reports "Harvard Men's Health Watch." The typical Western diet contains foods fortified with folic acid. Thus also obtaining folic acid in a multivitamin can give your body too much of this substance.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is another possible risk of the use of multivitamins, notes "Harvard Men's Health Watch." Research is ongoing to determine the risk level of breast cancer when taking multivitamins. A Swedish study by Susanna Larsson and colleagues found an elevated risk of breast cancer after multivitamin use. The study adjusted for risk factors of breast cancer, and still women who used multivitamins had a 19 percent higher risk for breast cancer than women who did not use multivitamins, notes "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." An excess of folate in your body can accelerate the growth of cancerous cells, notes Science Today at the University of California. If you are above age 50, when DNA starts to mutate and the risk for cancer increases, you may wish to investigate if folate in multivitamins is placing you at risk of cancer. If you have a family history of cancer, speak to your doctor about any risks of cancer from multivitamins.

Bleeding

Taking a multivitamin in improper doses and getting too much vitamin E can cause problems with excessive bleeding, notes the Food and Drug Administration. Follow directions exactly for multivitamin use.