The Dangers of Uncontrolled Intake of Vitamins and Dietary Supplements: A Warning from Doctors

Rodion Shvedov

27 minutes ago

Not all supplements are the same

Doctors are sounding the alarm – uncontrolled intake of dietary supplements can become life-threatening. You should be especially careful with vitamins, which every second takes today.

In the spring, many Russians traditionally want to help the body recover from the cold, maintain immunity and protect themselves from viruses and bacteria. Most believe that vitamins will help achieve the goal, and the more powerful, the better. In fact, uncontrolled intake of any drugs can end in failure.

Endocrinologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences Zukhra Pavlova explained that today many people really face a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. Claims that proper nutrition will help to do without any additives have long been erroneous. Now, neither in plants nor in animal meat is there the same supply of useful substances that were at least ten years ago. But this does not mean at all that pharmacy vitamin complexes can be taken without medical supervision.

“There is one extremely important nuance: supplements are useful only in certain quantities, and not all people need them. You can’t eat them for the future, but it’s quite easy to “revitaminize”,” the endocrinologist warns.

Before buying any drug, it is necessary to pass the appropriate tests and determine if there is a deficiency of some important trace elements in the body. Especially dangerous is the myth that absolutely all Russians need vitamin D all year round.

Vitamins D, E, A and K, in excess, will accumulate in adipose tissue. Some may be absorbed, but the remaining stocks can cause significant harm. No less sad are the consequences of excessive intake of B vitamins, which in normal amounts help maintain the health of the nervous system.

“A surplus of vitamin B6 has neurotoxic effects, that is, it can lead to damage to the nervous system, an excess of vitamin B12 can increase the activity of the blood coagulation system, and hence the risk of thrombosis, the risk of developing heart failure, and pulmonary edema,” said the expert.

“Over-vitaminized” with vitamin K, it is easy to get liver dysfunction, brain tissue damage, excessive sweating, hemolysis (decomposition of red blood cells), increased activity of the blood coagulation system. Not entirely safe and water-soluble vitamins, which are usually excreted from the body quite easily. For example, shock doses of vitamin C, which some treat colds, can lead to very sad consequences.