An upset stomach is common if you take vitamin supplements on an empty stomach. If you have food sensitivities and you develop adverse reactions, call your doctor. Some vitamins contain other ingredients aside from the vitamin itself, such as milk byproducts, gluten and gelatin. Food sensitivities are categorized into two different types: allergic reactions and food intolerances. Identifying the cause of your symptoms will help prevent and treat your condition.
Food Sensitivity Types
According to Dr. Lawrence Wilson, a medical doctor practicing as a nutritional consultant, more than 60 percent of the American population avoids certain foods because of adverse reactions. A diagnosis of a food allergy will confirm that your body creates immunoglobulin E antibodies when you eat a certain food. Food intolerances are reactions that occur in the body after eating a food that does not involve the immune system, such as lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar found in milk that many adults have difficulty digesting.
Vitamin Sensitivity
Vitamin supplements may contain various substances that can trigger your food sensitivities. For example, if the supplement contains milk byproducts, you may develop an allergic reaction to the proteins in the supplement or an intolerance to lactose. If you have a wheat allergy or celiac disease, you need to avoid all vitamin supplements that contain gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barely that is found in a wide range of supplements, foods and beverages. Supplements that contain gelatin may trigger a fish allergy because gelatin is commonly made from the bones of fish, according to the Food Allergy Initiative.
Vitamin Allergy
It is possible that you're allergic to the vitamin supplement itself. Most vitamins are synthetically made and may not be recognized as safe by your immune system. If your immune system mistakes the vitamin as a dangerous substance, it will trigger a chemical reaction in your body. Health Tree, an online medical information source, states that common symptoms of a vitamin allergy include asthma, wheezing, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hives and other skin rashes. Further evaluation is necessary if you are allergic to the synthetic vitamin. Allergy testing, using your skin and a blood sample, can determine what part of the vitamin is triggering the reaction. After receiving a diagnosis, you need to avoid consuming all products that contain the substance triggering your symptoms.
Consideration
If you do not have a known food sensitivity and you develop unpleasant reactions from taking vitamins, your symptoms may be a common side effect. The two most common side effects of taking vitamins are an upset stomach and an unpleasant taste in your mouth. Eating food before taking the vitamin may help reduce these side effects.
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