Micronutrients are essential for the normal helth. However, if you taken them more than advised, that is, in overdoses you may face troubles instead of benefiting. Optimum levels are good to health. Micronutrients when taken in excess are known to have some negative effects on health.
In this article, we will have a discussion on harmful effects of overdose of micronutrients.
Overdose of Vitamins
| Vitamin | Effects |
| Vitamin A | Dizziness (a feeling that you are about to fall), headache, may lead to coma and death at extreme cases. Double vision, birth defects in infants when take in higher doses during pregnancy, weakens bones. |
| Vitamin D | Instead of depositing calcium on bones, it removes calcium from bones making them soft and easy to break. |
| Vitamin E | Overdose through dietary sources is very rare. Generally found in people taking supplements. Higher doses can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, excrete excess vitamin E through feces, prevents blood clotting in injury leading to excessive blood loss. |
| Vitamin k | It is rarest form of overdoses. But the effects are severe when overdose occurs, it leads to damage of cells and cell linings, liver damage at extremely higher doses of vitamin k |
| Vitamin B1 | Increases sweating, a sense of vomiting, restlessness, water is retained inside the body leading to swelling. |
| Vitamin B2 | Change in urine color (yellowish-orange), diarrhea, frequent urination. |
| Vitamin B3 | Increase pulse rate, flushed skin, itching, a sense of vomiting, pain in the abdomen, sometimes vomiting. |
| Vitamin B5 | Overdose is very rare but at extreme cases leads to diarrhea. |
| Vitamin B6 | A burning sensation in the heart, sleepiness, stomach pain, vomiting sensation, loss of hunger, headache. |
| Vitamin B7 | No symptoms of overdoses seen in normal persons. In case of pregnant women, it may lead to miscarriage. |
| Vitamin B9 | Very rare. In extreme cases, lead to heart attack, liver and prostate cancers. |
| Vitamin B12 | Itching, diarrhea. |
| Vitamin C | Abdominal and muscle pain, diarrhea, stomach upset, indigestion problem, rashes on face, increased stress, weakness results due to break down of red blood cells. In very rare cases, it causes stones in kidneys, decrease intake of iron and copper by the body, tooth decay, severe back pain. |
Overdose Of Minerals
| Mineral | Effects |
| Calcium | Leads to formation of kidney stones, feeling of sleeping, weakens muscles, frequent urination, vomiting sensation, create confusion, constipation(difficult to release feces). |
| Sodium | Major effect is seen in case of heart, it increases blood pressure and ultimately increase chances of heart attack. It is one of the electrolyte to maintain balance, so overdose results in altering functions of kidneys. |
| Chlorine | Impairs acid-base balance in the body, increase blood pressure, difficulty in breathing, convulsions(uncontrolled contraction of muscles), uneven heart beat. |
| Magnesium | No severe effects are seen. At extreme cases, it may alter kidney functioning, sometimes lead to uneven heart beat. |
| Manganese | Have effects on nervous system leading to nerve disorders, irritation, hallucination (similar to imagination)decrease copper and iron levels in the body. |
| Zinc | Headache, vomiting sensation, weakness, decrease hunger, decrease copper levels as well as good cholesterol levels. |
| Selenium | Hair loss, weakness, slightly damage to nerves, nausea(sense of vomiting) |
| Potassium | Alters heart beat, a feeling of burden in the chest, paralysis(some organs become non functional), vomiting |
| Iron | Constipation, vomiting, stomach pain, joint pains, weight loss, infertility, neural problems, sometimes lethal (can lead to death.) |
| Iodine | Goiter (enlargement of thyroid gland), muscle weakness, depression, weight gain. |
| Fluoride | Abdominal pain, abnormal taste, weakness, vomiting sensation, tremors, irregular heart beat. |
| Copper | Damage to brain, nerve disorders, lead to Alzheimer’s(forgetfulness), |
| Phosphorous | Decrease calcium and magnesium levels in bones leading to loss of bone density, increase blood pressure. At extreme cases, lead to death due to bone and heart related diseases. Create imbalance in levels of electrolytes. |
