How can I tell if I'm taking too many vitamins?!
Question: I'm currently taking a lot of supplements in an effort to avoid going on medication for hypertention (runs in the family). I take an Omega 3, Calcium with Magnesium, Cq10, a Multi, an Evening Primrose Oil and a B complex. Am I doing too much? Missing anything?
Answers: I'm currently taking a lot of supplements in an effort to avoid going on medication for hypertention (runs in the family). I take an Omega 3, Calcium with Magnesium, Cq10, a Multi, an Evening Primrose Oil and a B complex. Am I doing too much? Missing anything?
Hey, here below is a published article that includes the conflicts (if so what not) of popping too many vitamins:
Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at Georgia State University in Atlanta, counsels plenty of people who are overdoing it.
"If you're eating two energy bars a day, plus a protein shake that is vitamin fortified, plus taking vitamin supplements, you don't need all that," says Rosenbloom.
But most people still aren't getting the right vitamins despite their best efforts, says Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston. "Most people need a multivitamin as 'insurance.' Everybody needs to eat more healthfully. While you're trying to get there, take supplements."
In fact, many people don't know what they're taking, Rosenbloom says. "They're picking up OJ at the store, and they don't know what's in it -- is it calcium-fortified, they don't know. People are taking vitamin C supplements but don't know how much."
A Tidbit of Data
A couple of years ago, the Institute of Medicine issued a report listing "tolerable upper intake level" for all vitamins and minerals -- the maximum safe amount that anyone should take.
Vitamin A
The upper tolerable limit for adults is 10,000 IU for vitamin A. You get it from animal foods, fish, and dairy products. Also, beta-carotene (from orange and yellow veggies) gets converted to vitamin A in the body. "But the body is smart enough that it doesn't convert all that to vitamin A," Rosenbloom explains.
If you're taking a multivitamin that contains 5,000 IU, plus getting A-fortified foods in your diet, plus eating foods that contain vitamin A, you're probably OK. "It's the supplements we worry about. It's easy to overdo it with pills," she says.
Vitamin C
"Most people think it's fine to take as much as they want," says Rosenbloom. "I know people who take 10,000 mg a day." However, the upper tolerable limit is 2,000 mg a day. "People at risk for kidney stones can increase that risk; people also can get diarrhea. Some people have complained of food poisoning, but it turned out they had taken too much vitamin C. People just aren't aware how potent these vitamin supplements are."
Vitamin D
"This can be tricky because we need some, and as we get older we need more," Rosenbloom tells WebMD. "But the risk is that we get too much, which can actually cause calcium to leach out of your bones." Vitamin D is found in some calcium supplements; some orange juice products are fortified with vitamin D. If you're somebody who can't drink dairy, getting vitamin-fortified orange juice makes sense. "But if you do drink dairy, and then you take a supplement, it's that layering that I get concerned about," she says.
Vitamin B-6
This is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you just pee out the excess, says Rosenbloom. The upper tolerable limit is 100 mg day, and in pill form it's easy to get that much. "In high doses, people have problems with temporary nerve damage -- they lose feeling in their hands and feet," she tells WebMD.
Fifteen years ago, women were told to take megadoses to help with depression and PMS, but that's been debunked, she says.
Vitamin E
People focus on E to prevent Alzheimer's, heart disease, macular degeneration, cancer, "the list goes on," says Blumberg. The upper tolerable level is 1,000 milligrams (1,500 IU); the RDA is 30 IU. "There is no way to get an overdose from diet or fortified foods. In an Alzheimer's study, people took 2,000 IU for four years and didn't have any adverse effects. In another study, people took 800 IU for six years, with no adverse effects, he says.
Read the Label
Pay attention to food labels, says Rosenbloom. "When you're grocery shopping, picking up an energy bar or breakfast cereal, look at the supplement facts panel. If you see 100% of RDA, you may not need a multivitamin supplement."
For a small fee, a nutritionist can evaluate your diet for deficiencies. Also, some online programs provide the same service.
"People are often very surprised when they see the nutrients they are getting and what they're not," says Rosenbloom. "Maybe they need a calcium supplement, maybe your vitamin C is low if you don't eat any citrus."
Won't Prevent the Inevitable
Blumberg's prudent advice: "Take a multivitamin. Take a calcium supplement, if you don't drink much milk. If you're taking medicine that interferes with nutrient absorption, if you're an older person whose calorie intake is low, if you're an athlete, if you're pregnant -- all of those are good reasons to take a multivitamin supplement."
Just stay away from those whopper-sized, 25,000 milligrams, vitamin A pills, he says.
"By and large, nutrient supplements -- vitamins, minerals -- are enormously safe," Blumberg says. "Even if you drink a gallon of OJ a day, eat fruits and vegetables, then take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, you're not going to even get close to toxicity."
Hope this helps! =)
vitamin d, antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory supplement (zyflamend)
I thought I had to take a lot of vitamins also but when I happen to mention to my doctor what I was taking he said most people do not need to take anything extra except a multi. He checked to make sure everything else was good. Normal healthy people get most of their vitamins through eating. The only thing I would take is vitamin C during the winter. Make sure you eat your veggies and you should fine.
That is not too much. People are under the mistaken idea that they get enough vitamins in their food but most foods are over processed, losing many nutrients and enzymes, before they even get to the grocery store. Fresh fruits and vegetables are picked before they get ripe so they don't get all the vitamins they should.
I would take the calcium, magnesium and evening primrose at bedtime and add vitamin D in the less sunny seasons. Also add potassium if your legs hurt.
and take the rest in the morning to early afternoon.
Ambivale has a good list to follow
too much vitamin A can cause your skin to turn orange temporarily too.
Keeper of the green is right the sewage plants are backed up with undissolved vitamins. It is best to take capsules and other forms than tablets.
Test your tablets by putting them in a glass of vinegar and if they are not dissolving properly within a half hour do not take them. Find a different brand. Most commercial brands you get in the grocery store aren't good.
about 15 years ago I had an aquaintence have his septic tank pumped. As an avid health nut, he religiously took his once-a-day vitamin. The roto rooter discovered that there were about 15,000 daily capsules floating in his septic tank and had backed it up. This man had been passing his vitamins in his stool all of those years. Not only did they not dissolve and become benificial to his body, they didn't even dissolve in his septic tank! Something to think about. I have always read that it is best to get your vitamins and nutrients from whole foods, like fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and pure water, which has natural minerals in it. i hope this helps. Be healthy
no that is not too much. a healthy diet will boost. make sure they are quality and digestible.
other things you can do:
avoid all regular salt, opt for sea salt instead. walk regularly - 30 min 3x a week is shown to help manage blood pressure and provide many health benefits- include mineral transport.
make sure you are taking the CoQ10 with fat. the b complex can be twice daily, but not near bedtime. instead of omega 3, try flax seed oil or cod liver oil for added benefits and a combo that will be used well.
the calcium magnesium is a good one, make sure you are getting plenty vit d - the sun is the best source for that. don't use sunscreens as they block absorption.
keep up the good work and good health.
Different vitamins produced different symptoms of toxicity. One of the common symptoms is numbness and tingling anywhere in the body. A lot of people spend many hours and many thousands of dollars visiting doctors only to find out they are taking too many vitamins.
If anything you are taking says it has an outragous % of the daily recomended value stop taking it for a while and start taking a smaller dose.
keepers answer is pure bull spit. It sounds like a commercial I have heard many times from a company selling better absorbed multi vitamins. If the bottle says its meets USP standards then it will dissolve unless you got a bad digestion problem . and 15000 pills would be 41 years at one a day. I personally have taken 50 pills a day for 40 years and I should have stopped up the New York City sewer system by now.