Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients for growth and development, maintenance of health and prevention of disease. Taking high-potency vitamins and minerals can be beneficial when you have a severe dietary deficiency or are being treated for certain medical conditions. Megadoses of vitamins and minerals, however, can have side effects or cause toxicities in the liver and kidneys. Consult your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking high-potency vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for immune stimulation and prevention of infections. High doses of vitamin A can reduce the risk of measles in children. A clinical trial involving more than 4,000 children at the Bandim Health Project in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in February 2011, found that high doses of vitamin A administered to newborns resulted in less hospitalization for measles and death in boys, but not for girls. It is not known why there is a difference between boys and girls.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that enhances calcium absorption, increases bone growth and stimulates the immune system. Vitamin D is produced in the body after skin exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide epidemic, due in part to insufficient exposure to sunlight among the elderly and people living in higher latitudes. Research by scientists at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, and published in "Critical Care" in March 2011 discovered that a single very high oral dose of vitamin D corrects the deficiency of vitamin D within two days in most patients without adverse effects.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral your body needs to build and maintain healthy bones and teeth and support heart and muscle function. A calcium deficiency increases your risk of osteoporosis, a condition characterized by bone loss and increased risk of fracture. Taking high doses of calcium can increase your risk of developing kidney stones.
Iron
Iron is a trace mineral that is vital for the production of red blood cells. Iron is part of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen to all the tissues in your body. High doses of iron administered intravenously to patients who are menstruating or undergoing blood loss can prevent or treat iron-deficient anemia. Research by scientists at Betsi Cadwaladr University in Wales and published in the "Journal of Drug Design Development and Therapy" in 2011 found that high doses of iron replenished iron stores and restored blood loss.
References
- World Health Organization; Vitamin a Deficiency; 2011
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; The Effect of High-Dose Vitamin a Supplementation at Birth on Measles Incidence During the First 12 Months of Life in Boys and Girls: An Unplanned Study within a Randomised Trial; B.R. Diness, et al.; February 4, 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin D; 2010
- "Critical Care"; Short-Term Effects of High-Dose Oral Vitamin D3 in Critically Ill Vitamin D Deficient Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study; K. Amrein, et al.; March 28, 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Calcium; 2010
- "Journal of Drug Design Development and Therapy"; When Is High-Dose Intravenous Iron Repletion Needed? Assessing New Treatment Options; David Gozzard; 2011
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