Vitamins - The Adverse Effects/Disadvantages
Vitamins are organic compounds needed by the body for essential metabolic reactions. Lack of vitamins can cause mild to serious effects. This is because of the fact that vitamins are very important for carrying out small functions in the body. As contrary to the belief held by many, vitamins help to maintain a healthy body and perform some of the most important and vital operations.
Keeping the importance of vitamins in mind, health expert urge people to take a prescribed amount of vitamins per day, either incorporated in their meals or taken as supplements. These vitamin supplements help the body to remain healthy. However, excess of everything can also have side effects. In the same manner, if vitamins are taken in excess either orally or combined with foods, they can cause some damage or problems.
Excessive Use of Vitamins
People who are healthy and take in enough vitamins in their diet do not need high doses of oral vitamins in form of pills or syrups. These pills or syrups are especially designed for people who have any vitamin deficiency and they have been recommended these supplements by their physician. Excessive and unnecessary use of vitamins can cause some adverse effects as not every vitamin may be good for your body.
It is the fat soluble vitamins that are likely to produce some pathological changes when given in large quantities.
Disadvantages/Adverse Effects of Vitamins
Even though adverse effects of vitamins are not very common, yet large doses of vitamins can cause some serious problems and disadvantages. In most of the cases, the vitamins soluble in water are harmless except for some special cases where they don’t suit the user due to some other problems.
Adverse Effects of Vitamin B
Excess of vitamin B also known as Thiamine produces a shock like state and anaphylactic-type (hypersentitivity) sensitization when it is injected in the body. Also use of Nicotinic acid, a kind of vitamin B is a fairly potent vasodilator and leads to dilation of blood vessels.
Pyridoxine, a form of vitamins B advances the peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa and thus reduces its effectiveness in the treatment of Parkinsonism.
Another form of vitamin B needed for cell growth and reproduction can cause adverse effects in people who suffer from pernicious anemia as it aggravates the neurological manifestations of the disease.
Adverse Effects of Vitamin C
Ascorbic acid is a form of vitamin C that can lead to oxalate kidney stones if taken in large quantities. Also, high doses of ascorbic acid could increase the acidity in urine that can precipitate the myeloma protein and damage kidneys.
Also large amounts of vitamin C should be avoided as it may cause Osteoarthritis, the breakdown of cartilage in joints.
Disadvantages of Vitamin D
Excessive use of vitamin D has been known to cause hypercalcemia with metastatic calcification in the kidney and blood vessels. Use of vitamin D2 should be done very carefully as it can lead to complications.
Disadvantages of Vitamin K
If large doses of vitamin K are taken, it can cause break down of red blood cells also known as Hemolytic anemia as well as jaundice.
If phytonadione, a form of vitamin K is injected it can cause severe adverse effects like such as cardiac irregularities, chest pain, cyanosis, decreased level of consciousness, circulatory collapse, rapid weak pulse, hypotension and cardiac or respiratory arrest.
If vitamins are taken in large quantities, it can result in Hypervitaminosis. It may cause changes in bone or skeletal development, hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), anemia, loss of hair, and related other symptoms.
The occurrence of these adverse reactions makes it important for you to manage your vitamin intake. Although the need for vitamins by the body cannot be denied, yet it is importance to recognize the level of need and regularize the vitamin intake according to it. It is best o consult a doctor before you buy a vitamin supplement for yourself to remain on the safe side. |
