In most cases a multivitamin can be taken with no problems, but there are some cases in which multivitamins can have unexpected side effects. If, at any time you feel your multivitamin supplement is having some negative side effect on you, seek medical advice from a doctor as soon as possible. Also, if you are in certain situations, you should not embark on a course of multivitamins without first getting the advice of your doctor. These situations include pregnancy, old age and any situation in which you have a long term illness or are on other medication.
The side effects recorded for multivitamins are many and varied, but in most cases are limited to small numbers of people. These effects include stomach upsets, allergic reactions and overdoses of certain vitamins, which can cause further health complications.
Vitamin Overdoses
When you get your vitamins through your diet, it is generally very difficult to end up taking too much of something, unless you have a really unusual diet. However, with any vitamin supplement, the ingredients are taken in much more concentrated doses than you would encounter otherwise. For this reason you can find yourself in a situation where you are taking too much of one or more particular vitamins.
There are ideal, recommended amounts of each vitamin and mineral defined by research and medical bodies. In general, multivitamins are designed to comply with and reflect these, but there are inevitably times when the balance in a person’s own particular diet and intake goes wrong. The body cannot process more than certain amounts of some vitamins, and in some cases having an excess can cause serious health problems.
In some cases the body is not able to pass superfluous unused vitamins, which can impact on many of the body’s systems, including the brain, digestive and cardiovascular functions. If you are taking more than one vitamin supplement, this may be a particular risk so it’s always best to get trustworthy advice from a professional where you can.
Allergies
We humans are all notoriously different, and our reactions are no exception to this. You may have allergies you do not even know about, and which a multivitamin may flare up. The concentrated doses of vitamin you get from a multivitamin product mean that your system is being exposed to these ingredients on a level you may not have experienced before. This means that a previously unknown allergy may be triggered, and your health may deteriorate as a result.
Stomach
One of the most common types of side effect for multivitamins is an upset stomach. If you do find your stomach or digestion is affected negatively while taking a course of multivitamins, be sure to get medical advice before continuing with it.
Products
It may seem to go without saying, but given the impact that these products can have on your health, for good and bad, it really is vital to only purchase multivitamins from reputable sources. After all, the point is to make you healthier!