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Is it possible to overdo it on vitamins?

By: Sue Gilbert



  • Vitamin D: This vitamin is potentially toxic, especially to children. Too much can lead to the deposition of calcium in soft tissue, causing irreversible renal and cardiovascular damage. Sometimes as little as 5 times the RDA can be toxic. During the warmer months, sun stimulated production of vitamin D, plus the consumption of two glasses of milk a day is adequate for kids and adults. Use a dietary supplement only if you don't drink fortified milk, and make sure the supplement does not exceed 100% of the RDA.
  • Folic Acid: During their reproductive years, women should get 400ug/day to help prevent neural tube birth defects. But megadoses don't give you more protection. In fact, they can cause harm by interacting to create dangerous zinc deficiencies.
  • Iron: For adults, daily intakes from 25 to 75 milligrams appear to be safe. However, iron supplements can be deadly to children and poisoning occurs when children accidentally eat iron supplement pills. A dose of 3 grams can be fatal to a two year old. A dose of 1,000 mg for every 10 pounds of body weight is fatal to an adult. Even at lower doses, too much iron from supplements can cause constipation, upset stomach, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Some people have enhanced iron absorption and are genetically at risk from iron overload or hemochromatosis, which can result in the failure of multiple organ systems.

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