Vitamins...

[meganth]

Can you take too many vitamins?

I've started taking Emergen-C along with my normal vitamin, but i don't know if that might be over doing it.

[Kellijo14]

If you take too much Vitamin C, your body will expell it by giving you diarrhea. If that's not a problem, then you're not taking too much Vitamin C. It's always a good idea to bulk up on that during the cold & flu season because it helps keep your immune system high.

I bought "Prescription for Nutritional Healing' and I use it as my guide. It has a section in the front that talks about all the different vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc, how much the body needs (for males, females & kids... I think) and what to look for in the ideal multivitamin. The major section is for ailments & conditions and what to take to help those. I use it all the time.

[KarenS]

Each vitamin is different; some if you take more than your body needs, you'll just pass it. Others can build up in your body and cause problems.

Vit C is no problem - if you take too much, your body will just get rid of it. You might get stomachaches ... and if so you'll know to cut back. And I always double up on C during the winter months. I also take an extra iron supplement (actually switch to a multi with added iron) right before and during my period.

A, B6, D, and Iron can cause damage if you consistently take too much - everything from liver damage to damage to your muscle tissue to interferance with the absorption of other vitamins.

But generally if all you're taking is a multi-vitamin, you're not going to have to worry about taking too much. It's when you get into taking mega doses of various vitamins that you need to be careful.

Karen

[meganth]

I'm terrible at taking vitamins, so one of my goals for the new year is to get into a better habit of taking them. In December alone i got a cold at the beginning of the month and strep/cold at the end, this latest one had me out of work 5 days and i'm still suffering from it. I'm normally a super healthy person who only gets sick once a year.

So i'm looking at the two different vitamin supplement facts and on your bad list, Karen, the only thing that seems to be in excess is B6, which totals 12mg or 600%. What does B6 do?

[KarenS]

Here you go - great resource for vitamins. I use it all the time.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb6.asp

Basically B6 should be taken at about 100mg per day. More than that and it can be bad. However, I'll also add (and please note I am not a doctor or a nutritionist or anything like that and this should not be interpreted as medical advice! :)) that I sometimes take an increased dose of B6 (about 300mg) for 2 days before my period and I think it really helps with the cramps. I'm not really consistent about it ... but my MIL sent me some information on using B6 and B12 combined with fish oil for PMS and it seems to work well when I remember it. :)

Karen

[BTB]

Yes, you can. It is possible to get toxicity from vitamins; this is more common with the fat-solubles (A, D, E, K), since they can be stored, but is theoretically possible with any vitamin.

Most vitamins are water-soluble, C among them. This means your body can not store them, and must absorb that day what it will use that day. But the mechanism for absorption from the gut is saturable, there's an upper limit to how much will be absorbed, and the rest will be left behind in the stool. At saturation levels, the gut can absorb more than is needed on a daily basis, so the 'extra' will be secreted in your urine. Besides being tough on the kidneys, taking megadoses is pointless; putting the expensive megavitamins directly into the toilet is far quicker and the result is the same. :)

[Leia]

BTB - does that mean that taking a stand alone vitamin c supplement is pointless if I am already taking a multi vitamin? If I did want to do so, would it be better to take it at a different time of the day?

[BTB]

There's the amount you need in a day, and the amount you are capable of absorbing. You can absorb more than the RDA, sure. Most multis don't contain a full complement of 100% the RDA anyway, they aim for it but there are practical limits; calcium, for example, is huge, and including 100% the RDA on calcium would make the pill too big to swallow, so most multis only include 15-20% the calcium RDA.

If you're taking a multi, you're probably getting 100% the C RDA, since it's easy to include - and, you eat, too, so you're getting more than that already. If you really want to take a C supplement, take a normal C supplement, not one that's thousands of times the RDA, and do take it at a different time of day to optimize absorption. If it's C alone, iron can help the absorption; if you drink fortified orange juice, you can consider that your C supplement and be done with it. :)

[looch]

So, I am planning on going off BCPs in April after my next ob/gyn appointment. Should I switch to prenatal vitamins now? I currently take a daily multiple with iron that has 400mcg folic acid and 18 mg iron. I also take a separate calcium supplement (as the multiple doesn't contain any calcium) that has 1000 mg.

[Kellijo14]

Everyone should be taking a multi-vitamin, regardless of whether they are taking bc or not. I think a vast majority of vitamins have folic acid and other multi-vitamins that are in pre-natal vitamins. You should really talk to your doctor about the iron thing though. Some people shouldn't be taking extra iron.

[looch]

These multi vitamins were actually recommended by my primary care doc, so I am all set with that. She said as long as the multivitamins don't have anything over 100% of the daily recommended dosage of iron, most people are fine.

[BTB]

So, I am planning on going off BCPs in April after my next ob/gyn appointment. Should I switch to prenatal vitamins now? I currently take a daily multiple with iron that has 400mcg folic acid and 18 mg iron. I also take a separate calcium supplement (as the multiple doesn't contain any calcium) that has 1000 mg.

Nah, you're fine. You don't ever actually *need* to take prenatals, lots of women continue with a "regular" multi throughout pregnancy and there's no difference in outcomes. If you want PNVs, or if your doc recommends them, it's fine to start them in April. Most of what your body needs more of in pregnancy isn't stored (iron's an exception); i.e. it's not possible to "stock up" on folic acid, despite popular opinion.

Everyone should be taking a multi-vitamin, regardless of whether they are taking bc or not.

Actually, the average person doesn't need vitamins at all. Dieticians recommend a balanced diet as the preferred source of vitamins and minerals, supplement pills are an "insurance policy" but it's entirely possible to get all you need from food. It's recommended that all women of childbearing age take folic acid daily - if you consumed 400 mcg through diet, though, you'd be fine and wouldn't need the pill. Again, an insurance policy, because folic acid is so effective in decreasing the incidence of neural tube defects, and once you know you're pregnant, the neural tube's already formed and it's too late to start eating (or swallowing a pill with) enough folic acid.

[looch]

Thanks BTB! I was hoping you'd respond! Your responses are always so thorough!