Vitamins come from plants, making them organic substances. Your body needs the nutrients in these organic substances, because they help cells grow and aid in organ function while they support growth and development, along with boosting your immune system. Vitamins have a lot of important jobs, but it is possible to take too many vitamins.
Vitamin Overdose
Vitamin overdose occurs when you take more than one dose of a specific vitamin or group of vitamins. This can lead to some potentially serious side effects, some of them life-threatening. A vitamin overdose of certain vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, can lead to fatal complications. Multivitamins contain minerals, in addition to vitamins, and large doses of minerals can cause undesirable side effects such as tooth staining, stomach bleeding, abnormal heartbeat, mental confusion and increased urination.
Vitamin D Toxicity
Most people receive an adequate amount of vitamin D through diet and sunlight. Your body can actually make its own vitamin D supply after you've been exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D toxicity occurs when you take a large dose of vitamin D supplements. It's nearly impossible for vitamin D toxicity to occur from overexposure to sunlight or from consuming too much through diet alone. The possibility of vitamin D toxicity is rare, even if you take vitamin D supplements, but some health conditions make you more susceptible to vitamin D toxicity. Kidney and liver problems make it easier to develop vitamin D toxicity when you take vitamin D supplements. Certain medications, such as thiazide-type diuretics, also cause a higher likelihood of developing vitamin D toxicity.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning your body cannot store it. Vitamin C is excreted through urine. While it's difficult to overdose on water-soluble vitamins, it's not impossible, especially if you take a vitamin C supplement. Large amounts of vitamin C are called megadoses, which some people take to help prevent colds. Megadoses of vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache and kidney stones.
Considerations
You may not need any vitamin supplements if your diet includes a wide variety of healthy foods. Ask your health care provider if you need a vitamin supplement. Let your doctor know of any other vitamins, supplements or medications that you take, as certain vitamins and minerals can interact with other vitamins, minerals and medications.
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