Multivitamins are taken to maintain your daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Different multivitamins will contain different types and amounts of vitamins. Before taking a daily multivitamin, you need to talk with your doctor to determine the safety. If you notice any adverse reactions after taking a multivitamin, you should call your doctor. You can experience an allergic reaction to the vitamins in the multivitamin or from ingredients commonly found in dietary supplements, such as soy, wheat and fish by-products. In rare instances you may develop a severe allergic reaction that could lead to death.
Vitamin Allergy
Your body can respond with an allergic reaction to virtually any substance. You may have an allergy to one of the vitamins of minerals in the multivitamin. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system is hypersensitive to a certain substance. For example, if your immune system doesn't recognize vitamin B as a safe substance, the immune system will cause the body to respond as if it were under attack. Chemicals such as histamine and immunoglobulin E are created to fight off the substance that has been mistaken as dangerous. These and other chemicals cause inflammation in soft tissue throughout the body.
Other Allergy Ingredients
If you experience an allergic reaction after taking a multivitamin, you may be having an allergic reaction to other ingredients used in the supplement that are unrelated to the vitamins. For example, many multivitamins may contain wheat, soy and fish by-products. Wheat, soy and fish are considered highly allergic foods. If the multivitamin contains any of these ingredients, it will state it on the product's label. If you have a known food allergy, talk with your doctor about choosing a multivitamin that doesn't contain a substance you're allergic to.
Signs and Symptoms
Common signs and symptoms of a vitamin allergy include asthma, fatigue, headaches, wheezing, sniffling, sneezing, itchiness, runny nose, skin rashes, hives, eczema and dizziness. You may also develop nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and abdominal cramping. Not all symptoms are related to an allergic reaction. Taking too many vitamins on an empty stomach can also cause gastrointestinal reactions.
Consideration
If you are diagnosed with a specific vitamin allergy, you may be able to find a supplement that doesn't contain that vitamin. Your doctor may recommend eating foods that are rich in the specific vitamin you which you have an allergy. Vitamins that naturally occur in food are not as likely to cause the same allergic reaction, notes HealthTree.com.
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