Multivitamins typically contain three categories of nutrients:
- Water soluble vitamins – These can dissolve in water and usually do not get stored in the body and do not show serious effects even if taken in excess amounts like – B vitamins, Vitamin C.
Excessive intake of water-soluble vitamins does not generally cause serious side effects, even if the intake is close to the UL. This is because your body flushes out excess amounts of these vitamins through urine. Nevertheless, consuming several times more than the recommended dose may result in a number of problems such as excessive consumption of Vitamin C may lead to cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or migraine.
Consuming excess vitamin B3, also known as niacin, can cause stomach pain, high blood pressure, vision problems, and liver damage.
Skin lesions, photosensitivity, heartburn, and nerve problems have been seen at high doses of vitamin B6.
Finally, excess intake of vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, can weaken the immune system, cause neurological problems and lead to severe vitamin B12 deficiency.
- Fat soluble vitamins – These dissolve in fat and get stored in the body, and can reach toxic levels if you take them in excess – like vitamins A, D, E and K
Multivitamins that provide large amounts of fat-soluble vitamins can be harmful, as excess levels of these vitamins can build up in the body. For example, excessive intake of vitamin A can cause headaches, liver damage, weak bones, and birth defects.
Taking too much vitamin D can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, cognitive problems, heart problems, kidney failure, and even death in severe cases.
Additionally, excess amounts of vitamin E may result in bleeding, diarrhea, weakness, blurred vision, and reproductive problems. Vitamin K may interact with various medications, including antibiotics and blood thinners.
- Minerals – These are inorganic elements that can accumulate in the body and cause harmful effects if you take them in excess – iron, iodine, zinc, copper and selenium
Like fat-soluble vitamins, minerals can accumulate in the body if you take them in excess, potentially causing harmful effects.
For example, extremely high intakes of certain minerals such as iron, copper, magnesium and zinc can cause stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and headache.
Excess iron intake is particularly harmful because it can also lead to liver problems. For this reason, doctors recommend it to adult men and menopausal women.
Multivitamins with high levels of iron, copper and zinc may also prevent the body from absorbing other nutrients you consume.
Multivitamins containing too much iodine can cause thyroid problems. On the other hand, people with too much selenium may have garlic-like breath, hair loss, brittle nails, or a metallic taste in the mouth. Selenium intake above the UL can cause serious neurological symptoms, kidney failure, and even cardiovascular problems.
Each nutrient has a UL at which scientists believe it becomes toxic. Exceeding the UL of a nutrient can lead to overdose and serious side effects, such as liver damage and even death.
Multivitamins may also be contaminated with harmful compounds such as arsenic or lead. When you swallow these harmful compounds in large amounts or over a long period of time, they can cause a variety of health problems, including physical, muscle, and neurological problems, as well as birth defects. It is impossible to identify whether a multivitamin contains these harmful compounds just by looking at its label.