Vitamins and Minerals?

Question

My multi-vitamin has about 100 or more percent of the recommended daily dose for each mineral and vitamin. If I get extra vitamins and minerals from my meals and from this vegetarian protein shake I take, will I be getting too much vitamins/minerals? Could I overdose?

For instance, my multi has 35 mg, 175% of Niacin; my shake has 20 mg, 100%. In addition to that, I will probably be getting some extra niacin from the foods I eat. Am I getting too much?

Would it be safe to take my multi along with my two veggie shakes daily?

If you do not understand my question, please ask in your answer, as I will check back to answer anybody's questions.

Please tell me the source of your information- whether it is from google or you are a healthcare professional.

Answer 1

Vitamins A,D,E,K are fat-soluble, and can build up to dangerous toxic levels in your body, try not to get too much of them

Vitamin A from sources NOT beta-carotene can cause osteoporosis

Vitamins B,C are water-soluble, and if you get too much than your body can take, it'll just pee it out. Calcium is water soluble too I believe...If you take too much you can get kidney stones.

Iron can poison you

But of course, all this is like, extreme amounts. So don't worry for now.

Answer 2

First, talking vitamins, you have to understand that there are two types: water soluble and fat soluble. Niacin is a water soluble vitamin. Water soluble vitamins can be easily flushed out when the body has more than it needs, and you should not worry about having a lot of these (and by a lot, I mean what you're talking. Pharmalogical doses of ~1g is where concern may develop, but you're no where near this ballpark).

The fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K, are of more concern in large overdose, because they tend to accumulate in the body's fat stores, where they become toxic at high levels. Simply taking a multi, a shake, and your daily caloric intake, you are really not going to run into issues. Most people are deficient in Vit D anyway!

Vitamin overdose issues tend to occur in people taking individual supplements at large doses, etc. Nothing like you're situation, from what I understand.

The same pretty much goes for the trace minerals found in your multi, etc. Some people have to watch their Iron intake, but other than that, no issues here really.

And keep in mind, daily % values indicate an amount to prevent deficiency, and more than this suggetion is generally no problem. (Obviously huge amounts of something will have an affect, but for what you're describing you take, it would not be an issue.)

Hope this gives you an idea!

Answer 3

Any nutritionist will tell you that water soluble vitamins are passed through the digestive tract into the urine.

Oil soluble, A,E, etc. are absorbed into the fatty tissue of a person. Vitamin A can be toxic in large enough quantites.

I doubt your shakes and your vitamin will cause you any problem, but I would check with my physician.

Answer 4

Since you mentioned niacin several times, I'll focus on that...if your body gets too much niacin you can get a "niacin flush". Your face get flushed, hot and itchy. One way to avoid this is to take niacin in the form of niacinamide.

Otherwise, your supplement program sounds fine & safe. The RDA is just to determine what will prevent you from having a deficiency so you won't get sick.

Answer 5

It depends on the specific vitamin or mineral. Multi-vitamins are to be used as supplements to your diet. So, if you are getting 100% or more of your vitamins/minerals in your diet, then you don't need the supplement.

Answer 6

Hi. Most of the the values are the recommended MINIMUM, so you should not worry. You body will excrete what it does not need. My opinion.

Answer 7

Yes...your real vitamins are coming from the (organic) shakes.