We all are focused on making sure our bodies are at peak health condition. This means that some people may need to turn to vitamins to get those important vitamins that their body may be lacking. This can be a slippery slope if you aren’t careful. Although vitamins are proven to benefit you in various ways, taking too many can lead to potential harm due to vitamin toxicity. There are two types of vitamins: water and fat soluble. Below we will go over the vitamins included in each category and how an ‘overdose’ on them can have adverse effects on your body.
Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble: What’s the Difference?
As mentioned above, there are two types of vitamins, water and fat soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are more commonly produced than fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins are readily excreted from the body and not easily stored in tissues. Fat-soluble vitamins do not dissolve in water and are easily stored in your body’s tissues. In simple terms, the vitamins are opposites of each other. Below we’ve broken down exactly which vitamins are in each category.
Water-soluble vitamins:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
- Vitamin B7 (biotin)
- Vitamin B9 (folate)
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Vitamin C
Fat-soluble vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
What is Vitamin Toxicity?
In general terms, vitamin toxicity is when you ingest too much of the same vitamin which can cause very harmful effects on the body. This is not a universal diagnosis. Depending on the vitamins you ingest, this will impact the level of toxicity that is in your body. For example, ingesting too much vitamin A may lead to serious complications, such as increased spinal fluid pressure, coma, and potentially fatal organ damage. Overdosing on other vitamins can likewise cause potentially fatal side effects, such as liver damage.
For many people, especially those who have received a health scare that’s made them more interested in wellness, taking vitamins is an easy habit to adopt. While vitamins are a good place to start, especially if your doctor has informed you of a vitamin deficiency, proceed with caution and do not get overexcited and do something that could cause harm to your health.
Vitamin Safety
The most important thing you can do to help protect yourself from an accidental ‘vitamin overdose’ is by talking with your doctor and making sure to read the directions on each vitamin bottle you are taking. In addition to this, record your symptoms (if you have any) and relay them to your doctor to keep your health in check.
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