can one overdo vitamins? and is vitamin C good for respiratory problems?

Question

I eat home cooked food most of the time. Would that contain sufficient vitamins for me? and if I took a vitamin supplement plus the food, could that possibly cause me to overdo vitamins? And are there any effects to that?

Thanks!

Especifically, I was told by relatives to take Vitamin C, because I always have congested nose problems. Does vitamin C help? and how much is recommended?

Answer 1

One can certainly overdo the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K.

Of course, this isn't likely to happen, unless you take too many supplements, or have a diet high in liver.

The water soluble vitamins, like C, just get the excess washed out in the urine.

Answer 2

Whether or not you're getting enough vitamins from a home-cooked diet depends on how balanced your diet is. If you're following the food guide, you are probably getting enough of most of the major vitamins. Although it is possible to taken too many vitamins, adding a single vitamin supplement to your diet shouldn't be enough to tip you over into the 'dangerously too much' category unless your diet is seriously unbalanced.

There are two different classes of vitamins and each kind is processed differently by your body. Some vitamins and minerals are fat soluble and are stored in tissue when you consume too much. These reserves are then drawn on when you go a period of time without getting enough of that specific vitamin, but it also means that those vitamins will build up in your system, although only to toxic levels in the extreme cases. The other type (like Vitamin C) is water soluble and any excess will simply be flushed out of your body as waste.

Vitamin C can help boost immune response, and depending on what the cause of your nasal problems are, it might help. In any case, it certainly won't hurt to take it as part of a multivitamin. If you're eating fresh fruits and vegetables, you don't need a special dose of Vitamin C other than what will be in a multivitamin because most of the vitamin will just end up as waste.

Answer 3

While you could need vitamin C - I think I may be able to help solve your problem. While you could have food allergies or food sensitivities, one of the main 'nose congestors' is MILK! Yes - milk. You can have a chronic runny nose/congestion all your life from drinking milk, and when you give it up - that just stops! I would suggest that for 2 whole weeks you drink NO milk at all. Not in coffee, anything! Don't eat any milk products either, such any cheeses, butter, yogurt, etc. Drink Fortified Rice Milk or put it on you cereal. If you notice your congestion going away - try to stay off it forever, but do take calcium tablets and vitamin D, as that is a very important replacement for milk.

If you don't drink milk at all, then I would suggest that you get tested for food sensitivities through a naturopath. Chances are you could have them for wheat and all kinds of other things and when they are eliminated from your diet, the congestion could stop as well.

Answer 4

Vitamin C cannot be overdone because you pee out what you don't use. Effectiveness? I use it when I get colds but don't notice much really. One multivitamin per day no matter how well you think you eat is always a good idea (and can't overdo) because most of the food supply is nowhere as nutritious as we think it is.

Answer 5

YOU NEED TO RESEARCH THIS, BUT, I DO KNOW THIS, YOU CAN OVERDOSE ON VITAMIN A. A IS FAT SOLUBLE AND CAN BUILD UP IN THE SYSTEM. I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE OTHER VITAMINS OTHER THAN A THAT ARE FAT SOLUBLE. FOR ANY VITAMIN TAKING, YOU NEED TO BE EDUCATED BY RESEARCH, OR BY SEEING A DOCTOR, TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE DOING THE ONES YOU NEED FOR YOU.

Answer 6

ITS hard to over do vitamin C. BUT you can over dose on the others so careful.VITAMIN C is good 4 everything.