I ask this because I just recently started taking vitamins. I take daily vitamins and then I am also taking extra vitamin C and E among others. Is there a risk of doing some thing wrong since I would think a daily vitamin would have enough C to start with. Understandably I could be fine eating 1 orange or 10 and not have any side affects... but I almost never take pills or vitamins so I am not sure what would happen.
With what little knowledge I have of them is what you do not use gets "washed" away. So how much do I know my body is suppose to absorb and how much I am just wasting?
Also if I take vitamins to feel better in daily life... does that mean my body becomes addicted to them to function as good? I do not mean having withdraws as if I were an alcoholic or smoker etc, just that my body depends on having so much vitamin to function as good as it was. In other words if I start taking Ginseng does my body from now on depend on it to feel as "peppy".
2006-06-10 03:49:08 · 4 answers · asked by Brad 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Also like some peopel with medications or simple pills if you keep taking some thing your body becomes immune to that dosage and thus you need to take more and then even more. Are vitamins the same way?
2006-06-10 03:51:29 · update #1
just like any other med, you can overdose yourself with them also. which can be a bad as being low on vitamins. overdosing on certen vitamins can kill you.
2006-06-10 03:56:31 · answer #1 · answered by WIDOWMAKER54 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm pretty sure vitamin C is water soluble and is flushed out in urine, but I wouldn't take a whole lot of it. Also, vitamins A, D, and E are oil soluble and tend to build up in one's system if doses are excessive. I've also read that iron can be dangerous in very large doses, but I haven't had any problems. Vitamins aren't addictive. Your body uses what it needs and tries to store or get rid of the rest (which is why you should avoid so-called "megadoses" IMHO). Herbal supplements may cause some dependence, because you'll just get used to the feeling of being on them and thus feel lousy without them. You should use all supplements in moderation, and take a day or two off of your supplements every now and then to allow your body to flush out harmful nutrient buildups. Also, supplements are no substitute for a healthy diet that includes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. If you think supplements make you feel good and you still eat lots of junk, you should see the difference a healthy diet makes!
2006-06-10 04:21:38 · answer #2 · answered by anonymous 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Synthetic vitamins like ascorbic acid are not going to work as well as the vitamin C found in food. When you take a vitamin or mineral out of a food complex it becomes a chemical, and you can expect a pharmacological response from them. For instance, ascorbic acid, which comes from rice and corn starch and is more heavily processed and chemically transformed than white sugar, is not going work as effectively as the ascorbic acid in food, complexed as it is with essential cofactors like bioflavanoids, amino acids, and other nutrients. A high dose of ascorbic acid may boost your interferon momentarily, allowing you to fight off a virus, but it can cause a mild physical depedence, can pull calcium out of the bones (its 10 times more acidic than food vitmain c), and generate free radical damage in high doses.
You would be better served eating organically grown fruits and vegetables, whose antioxidant and phytonutrient profile is ininitely higher than anything that comes in a pill.
If you lifestyle does not allow for that, buy a good vitamin from a whole food manufacturer like Mega Food, or New Chapter. The difference is profound, and most people feel that immediately. If you think there is no problem with mass market vitamins, visit: www.centrumistoxic.com to find out the gorey details.
2006-06-10 07:22:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
too much of anything is bad for you - vitamins and supplements are great for everyone - but some people think if they take more - they get more. you have to be careful of certain ones - like C and E - because they will build up in your fat cells - because it takes longer for your body to use them - although vitamin B is a water soluble vitamin and will leave you when you urinate - if you would like to look at my personal website of vitamins, supplements and other items that may interest you, e-mail me your e-mail address - i will e-mail you back with the link - my e-mail address is bydwus@quixnet.net - just put in the subject " your personal website" - that way i wont think its spam
2006-06-10 04:01:22 · answer #4 · answered by fat_bastrd2003 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋