Can You Overdose on Vitamins?

Can You Overdose on Vitamins?

Too much of a good thing can have unexpected consequences. Overdosing on some other vitamins and minerals can have serious side effects.

These vitamins & minerals in particular do pose a risk when overdosed:

Vitamin A

Gorging on this vitamin compound in doses of more than 25,000 IUs (five times the RDA) can lead to liver damage, hair loss, blurred vision and headaches.

Vitamin B-6

Ingesting more than 400 mg a day (200 times the RDA) can cause numbness in the mouth and hands and difficulty in walking.

Vitamin C

It was once believed to cause kidney stones, but experts now say there is no solid evidence of dangerous side effects from vitamin C. High doses can produce stomachaches and diarrhea.

Vitamin D

In daily doses of 50,000 IUs (125 times the U.S. RDA), the sunshine vitamin can cause the buildup of calcium deposits that can interfere with the functioning of muscles, including heart tissue. While sunbathing will never create an overdose, taking too many supplements can.

Niacin

Doctors prescribe doses of 2,000 mg (100 times the RDA) to help lower cholesterol. But patients who take that much should be monitored for possible symptoms of jaundice and liver damage.

Iron

Those who want to bolster their red blood cell count, especially elderly people and menstruating women, have been taking iron supplements for years. Daily doses higher than 100 mg (six times the RDA) could interfere with absorption of zinc, a mineral that speeds wound healing and helps regulate the immune system.


Note:
Some of these overdosing are extremely high (eg. 100 times the recommended daily allowance), so taking as recommended by the supplement manufacturers or your physician (such as take twice daily) will not be a problem.

Special Considerations for Pregnant Women Regarding H1N1

It is known that that pregnant women are more likely to get sick than others and have more serious problems with seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu because of their lowered immune systems with the pregnancy. Because of this the CDC is recommending that pregnant women be the first group immunized against the H1N1 virus.

The CDC is recommending that pregnant women who will likely be in direct contact with patients with confirmed, probable, or suspected influenza A (H1N1) (e.g., a nurse, physician, or respiratory therapist caring for hospitalized patients), should consider reassignment to lower-risk activities, such as telephone triage.

If reassignment is not possible, pregnant women should avoid participating in procedures that may generate increased small-particle aerosols of respiratory secretions in patients with known or suspected influenza.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/pregnant.htm

Folic Acid & Pregnancy

Having a healthy baby means making sure the mother is healthy too.

One of the most important things you can do to help prevent serious birth defects in your baby is to get enough folic acid every day — especially before conception and during early pregnancy.

What Is Folic Acid?
Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.

The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida (an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column), anencephaly (severe underdevelopment of the brain), and encephalocele (when brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull). All of these defects occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy — usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant.

That's why it's so important for all women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid — not just those who are planning to become pregnant. Only 50% of pregnancies are planned, so any woman who could become pregnant should make sure she's getting enough folic acid.

Doctors and scientists still aren't completely sure why folic acid has such a profound effect on the prevention of neural tube defects, but they do know that this vitamin is crucial in the development of DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.

Getting Enough Folic Acid
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age — and especially those who are planning a pregnancy — consume about 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid every day. Adequate folic acid intake is very important before conception and at least 3 months afterward to potentially reduce the risk of having a fetus with a neural tube defect.

So, how can you make sure you're getting enough folic acid? In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated that folic acid be added to enriched grain products — so you can boost your intake by looking for breakfast cereals, breads, pastas, and rice containing 100% of the recommended daily folic acid allowance. But for most women, eating fortified foods isn't enough. To reach the recommended daily level, you'll probably need a vitamin supplement.

During pregnancy, you require more of all of the essential nutrients than you did before you became pregnant. Although prenatal vitamins shouldn't replace a well-balanced diet, taking them can give your body — and, therefore, your baby — an added boost of vitamins and minerals. Some health care providers even recommend taking a folic acid supplement in addition to your regular prenatal vitamin. Talk to your doctor about your daily folic acid intake and ask whether he or she recommends a prescription supplement, an over-the-counter brand, or both.

Also talk to your doctor if you've already had a pregnancy that was affected by a neural tube defect. He or she may recommend that you increase your daily intake of folic acid (even before getting pregnant) to lower your risk of having another occurrence.