Overdosing on multivitamins can cause toxicity of certain nutrients. Although your body rids itself of water-soluble nutrients more easily than fat-soluble nutrients, taking too much of either type can cause unpleasant side effects and health problems. However, fat-soluble vitamins, which stay in your body for longer periods, are more likely to accumulate and cause problems if you overdose, and the problems they cause are often more serious. Water-Soluble Vitamins Some vitamins, including vitamin C, folate and the B vitamins, are water-soluble, and your body can absorb them easily. These vitamins are easily depleted by cooking with water or lengthy storage times, according to Colorado State University. When you take in excess water-soluble nutrients, your kidneys remove what your body can't use, excreting the excess through your urine. You are unable to store water-soluble vitamins, so you must take in an adequate amount of them each day. Fat-Soluble Vitamins Your body stores fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, in your liver and other organs.
It uses bile acids, fluids that help you absorb fat, to hold onto these nutrients for long periods and uses them as needed. Your body eliminates them more slowly than water-soluble nutrients. Fat-soluble nutrients consumed in excess pose a greater danger of toxicity because these substances can accumulate in your body over time. Excess Water-Soluble Vitamins Some people falsely believe it's safe to take megadoses of water-soluble vitamins, assuming their bodies will flush out the excess, but taking too much of them can cause problems. For example, too much vitamin C may cause kidney stones, according to researchers who published a study in "Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" in 2004. The Institute of Medicine has set a tolerable upper intake limit, or UL, for vitamin C, folate, niacin and vitamin B-6, warning that excessive use may be harmful. Excess Fat-Soluble Vitamins Your body stores fat-soluble vitamins, and excessive amounts can accumulate at toxic levels and damage your organs.
The only fat-soluble nutrient for which the IOM has not set a UL is vitamin K. Taking too much vitamin A can cause dizziness, nausea, headache, bone or joint pain, and can be fatal. Too much vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in your bloodstream, adversely affecting your heart and kidneys. Excessive vitamin E may impair blood clotting and increase your likelihood of hemorrhage. Fat-soluble minerals are equally dangerous. Iron overdose is the leading cause of poisoning death in children, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. References Colorado State University: Fat-Soluble VitaminsJournal of the American Society of Nephrology: Dietary Factors and the Risk of Incident Kidney Stones in Men - New Insights after 14 Years of Follow-upInstitute of Medicine: Dietary Reference IntakesColorado State University: Water-Soluble VitaminsNational Institutes of Health: Vitamin AU.Learn Why BPPV Treatment Should Include Vitamin D By UHN Staff • Jan 8, 2017 The room is spinning but you’re simply standing still.
The dizziness and spinning associated with vertigo can be completely debilitating, oftentimes leading to nausea and vomiting. But what causes vertigo, and how can you fix it? Studies show that benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is associated with osteoporosis and poor bone health. An effective BPPV treatment might be to address a vitamin D deficiency. BPPV is a very common disorder of the inner ear’s vestibular system, the system that helps us to maintain balance. It occurs when tiny pieces of calcium carbonate (called otoconia) detach and move around in the inner ear. When you are still, they settle, but when the head is moving, the otoconia shift and float around, disrupting the delicate system, sending false signals of movement to the brain and causing the primary symptom of vertigo, along with dizziness, nausea, and imbalance. Eat Right, Starting Now!Download this expert FREE guide, Complete Nutrition: Low-carb diet, high-protein foods, healthy meal plans, how to use a calorie counter, and more.
Create healthy meal plans and discover the Superfoods that can transform your plate into a passport to better health. In younger people, BPPV is most often caused by head injury. Other causes include repetitive head movements, high intensity exercise, infections, or holding the head in the same position for prolonged periods (as in bed rest or dental work). But in older populations, it is it generally associated with natural age-related degeneration of the inner ear. BPPV is especially common in women over 50 years, post-menopause. With age, calcium metabolism becomes imbalanced, which can cause us to lose bone density and develop osteoporosis. Researchers believe that the same problems with calcium metabolism that cause our bones to lose density might also be contributing to what causes vertigo, as BPPV is caused by degradation of calcium deposits in the ear. Numerous studies have found an association between osteoporosis and vertigo, with reductions in bone mineral density associated with the onset and recurrence of BPPV.
[1,2] In one study involving 29 women with BPPV, 81% had osteoporosis or osteopenia.[3] This remarkably high rate of osteoporosis in people with BPPV provides a strong link between bone health and vertigo. Vitamin D is well known for its importance in ; vitamin D supplementation can help reduce risks of falls and fractures and treat osteoporosis.[4] As osteoporosis and vertigo seem to be linked, does that mean that vitamin D and vertigo also are associated? The answer seems to be yes. Several studies have reported significantly low vitamin D levels in people with BPPV.[1,4,5] The Journal of Neurology published findings in 2013 that reported vitamin D levels in people with BPPV to be 4.5 ng/mL lower than healthy controls.[5] Very low levels have also been associated with the recurrence of BPPV. Although more research is needed to confirm the benefits of taking vitamin D for BPPV treatment, a small pilot study found that in four patients with low vitamin D and BPPV, supplementation with vitamin D prevented recurrence of vertigo for at least eight months.