Our body craves proper nutrition, exercise, and rest to stay in optimal health, but we cannot overdo vitamin and mineral supplements. Just as the right amount of vitamins can boost good health, going overboard on the prescribed amount can result in adverse health outcomes in some cases.
Instead of discovering the consequences of overdoing it, it is better to listen to health experts and stay up-to-date with the latest research, exercise caution, so as to not cause a serious threat to health.
Do you need supplements, really?
That is a moot question. We see a number of healthy centenarians in the world today and not all of them swear by some nutrition or vitality pill. Most of them have been eating regular food all their lives. That is because our body has a mechanism to absorb nutrients from the foods we eat and the drinks we consume. If you’re eating a balanced diet and don’t have any underlying health conditions, you’re likely getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need from your regular diet.
The word supplement means these pills or syrups of vitamins should be supplementing something that’s missing from one’s diet.
When does one not get enough nutrition from food?
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If the food you eat is not “balanced”
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If you have a condition or disease that prevents your body from absorbing certain nutrients
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If your intestine is not absorbing the correct nutrients
The water-soluble vitamins are not so much of a worry as if you take more than the required amount of supplements, your body will throw out the excess amount Through stools, urine, sweat mechanisms etc. However, not all excess vitamins are thrown out by the body. In persons with kidney problems, even water-soluble vitamins can cause toxicity. The fat-soluble vitamin will be stored in fat. Some water-soluble vitamins also accumulate to toxic levels. The piling up of fat-soluble vitamins can trigger health problems.
Watch out for classic toxicity symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and rash that are common with any case of chronic overdosing.
