Side Effects of Multi-Vitamins
Typically there are no harmful side effects of multivitamins, if they are taken in proper doses. Still, if they are ingested in improper amounts, overdosing on certain vitamins or elements found in multivitamins can be harmful to your health.
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Types
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A normal type of side effect of multivitamins is bright yellow urine. Whatever vitamins your body can't absorb right away will be flushed out. This results in bright colored urine and is nothing to be alarmed about.
On a more serious note, an overdose of multivitamins can result in blood appearing in urine. According to Cigna, an overdose of vitamins A, D, E or K can result in this side effect. This must be addressed with professional medical assistance.
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Considerations
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A multivitamin should be taken with food so your stomach can absorb it easily. If a multivitamin is taken on an empty stomach, it may be too harsh and the result can be nausea or vomiting.
Overdosing on multivitamins can cause vomiting as well. When your body is overloaded with vitamins and elements it does not need, it will try to purge them. When vomiting is experienced due to an overdose on multivitamins, you should see a doctor.
Functions
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According to MedTV, high doses of Vitamin E can cause diarrhea. Vitamin A and D have also been shown to cause diarrhea as a side effect when taken in doses too high and beyond the recommended daily amounts. Overdoing it with multivitamins that contain these vitamins can result in diarrhea or very dark stools.
Sometimes, if multivitamins are over consumed, appetite suppression is a side effect. Folic acid, B complex vitamins, iron and manganese are vitamins and minerals usually found in multivitamins that can cause a suppressed appetite when taken in large dosages, according to 1stholistic.com.
Some elements of multivitamins can cause discolored teeth or skin if consumed in excess. Excess beta carotene can cause orange tinted skin. Too much fluoride can cause discoloration of the teeth. Consuming the typical dosage of these in a multivitamin shouldn't have these side effects. However if overdone, then these discolorations are a possible result.
Prevention/Solution
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Some of the vitamins in a multivitamin are water soluble, which means your body will flush out any excess of vitamins your body doesn 't need or can't absorb right away. This will result in harmless side effects such a bright yellow urine.
However, some vitamins are fat soluble. This means your body stores the vitamin even if you don't need it or have an excess stored already. This results in negative side effects. Do not overconsume these types of vitamins to avoid a potentially harmful side effect. If you are taking multivitamins and begin experiencing negative side effects, stop taking the vitamins and consult a doctor.
Misconceptions
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It is important to only consume the recommended daily amount of vitamins contained in a multivitamin. More is not necessarily better. You will not gain more benefits from taking an excessive amount of multvitamins. It is only when they are taken in proper dosages that you can reap the most benefits from them and avoid negative side effects.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit "Bowl of pills" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: rselph (Russell Selph) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
