Guided by information from commercials and recommendations of manufacturers, many people take vitamins year-round and uncontrolled, even without consulting a doctor. However, not everyone knows that an overdose of vitamins can be much more dangerous than their deficiency. Thus, the fear of vitamin deficiency leads to another problem - hypervitaminosis.
What is hypervitaminosis?
Vitamins are organic substances necessary for the normal development, growth and functioning of the human body. Their absence or deficiency can lead to quite serious diseases.
The need for an organism in vitamins varies and depends on many factors: age, sex, severity of the disease, the nature of work, etc. However, this need is at the same time a barrier that does not need to be overstepped, otherwise it threatens with unpleasant consequences.
Two forms of hypervitaminosis are divided: acute and chronic. Acute hypervitaminosis occurs with a single use of very large doses of the vitamin, chronic - with a long-term intake of vitamin D in higher doses. Also, hypervitaminosis can occur with the use of small doses of vitamin, to which there is a special sensitivity.
Most often, hypervitaminosis occurs when an overdose of fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K. These vitamins, in contrast to water-soluble, have the ability to accumulate in the body.
Overdose of vitamin A
Acute hypervitaminosis of vitamin A leads to headaches, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, loss of consciousness, skin rashes.
Characteristic symptoms of chronic overdose of vitamin A are: irritability, sleep disorders, frequent urination, dryness and hair loss. Along with this, there is a violation of liver function, a decrease in the production of prothrombin (a protein that affects blood coagulability), which leads to the development of hemolysis, bleeding gums, nasal bleeding. Painful spurs can appear on the bones.
Excess of vitamin A also affects the production of adrenal minerals, corticoids, which causes a delay in the body of sodium, chlorine, water, i.e. leads to swelling and bone pain. Often when an overdose of this vitamin, hyperpigmentation of the skin is observed, and during pregnancy this can lead to a developmental fetal disorder.
Overdose of vitamin D
Hypervitaminosis of vitamin D is very dangerous and can even lead to death. Typical manifestations of its overabundance are: loss of appetite, headaches, general malaise, nausea, the appearance in the urine of protein and leukocytes. In this case, the calcium salts are washed out of the bones and deposited in the adrenal, kidney, liver and blood vessels. And this threatens the formation of thrombi, exacerbation of atherosclerosis, changes in the activity of the cardiovascular system and other organs.
Essential damage to the excess of this vitamin can bring to children. Convulsions, stunted growth, kidney stones are not a complete list of negative consequences.
Overdose of vitamin E
Today, an overdose of vitamin E is a frequent occurrence, which is associated with information on the benefits of antioxidants. But "extra" vitamin E can lead not only to headache, weakness and impaired functioning of the intestines (diarrhea, spasms, enterocolitis), but also to serious malfunctions in the immune system.
Also, hypervitaminosis of this vitamin affects the activity of the central nervous system and can lead to a sharp jump in blood pressure, right up to the hypertensive crisis.
Overdose of vitamin K
Hypervitaminosis of vitamin K is observed very rarely, since this vitamin is non-toxic. However, it should be borne in mind that it is capable of causing a disruption in the process of blood coagulation, which may be undesirable in certain diseases.
Overabundance of water-soluble vitamins
Negative consequences lead to an overdose of water-soluble vitamins, which are excreted in the urine. So, the excess of vitamin B leads to intoxication, turns into muscle pains, increased pressure, increased liver.
An overdose of vitamin C leads to increased blood pressure, impaired cardiac activity, increased coagulability of blood, fragility of blood vessels.
Thus, in order to avoid the development of hypervitaminosis, the intake of vitamins, as well as medicines, should be carried out according to the prescription of the doctor and under his supervision.