Although vitamins are important in the daily maintenance of health, taking a high amount of certain vitamins can cause serious health effects. This is especially true in children, who may see vitamin supplements as candy and accidentally take a high concentration of vitamins. Even children's multivitamins can be dangerous if taken in high numbers. Non-specific symptoms of vitamin toxicity include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rash. Certain vitamins cause specific symptoms of toxicity.
Vitamin A Toxicity
Vitamin A toxicity, or hypervitaminosis A, can result from an acute ingestion of the vitamin, or a chronic ingestion of large amount of vitamin A over a long period of time. According to Medline Plus, symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include nausea and vomiting, blurred or double vision, headaches, drowsiness and irritability. Children and infants can suffer from craniotabes, or a softening of the skull bones, especially if the toxicity is chronic. Another complication is an increase in the pressure of the brain inside the skull.
Vitamin D Toxicity
Vitamin D is important in the absorption of calcium, the main component of bone. Therefore, vitamin D toxicity results in excessive levels of calcium in the blood stream. MayoClinic.com reports that excess vitamin D levels can cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, poor appetitive and constipation. Because it causes an increase in calcium, children with vitamin D toxicity can develop kidney stones. The elevated calcium levels can also cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Vitamin E toxicity
Vitamin E is used for its antioxidant effects. In toxic range doses, vitamin E can cause nausea and abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headaches, and fatigue. Vitamin E can affect the mechanisms the body uses to clot off blood, resulting in easy bruising and, if the toxicity is chronic, increase the risk of bleeding in the brain and stroke.
Niacin Toxicity
Niacin is an important B vitamin used to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the diet. Although children do not take niacin on a routine basis, it is part of children multivitamin tablets. Children also can ingest excess niacin tablets used by their parents or grandparents. According to MayoClinic.com, ingesting toxic levels of niacin can result in rapid heart rate or tachycardia, flushing of the skin, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pain. Hepatotoxicity, or liver damage, can result from large ingestions of sustained-release preparations, and lead to jaundice and high blood sugar.
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