Update: Vitamins

When I first started reading articles about taking vitamin supplements, it was really hard to figure out what I should be doing for my own health. I’ve done my best to summarize all my findings and hope that it’s not too confusing. Doctors do recommend taking a multivitamin supplement, but my concern was whether I would be overdoing it with fortified foods. Fortified foods are those that have been enriched with vitamins. If I was going to have to constantly check labels, I think I would be pulling out my hair nonstop. Luckily for me, I found an article today that helps clear up my questions.

1. I should be worried if I am taking megadoses. I specified in my other post to aim for the daily value.
2. Unfortified foods are definitely not a problem because it is difficult to overdo it by eating alone.
3. According to Andrew Shao, Ph.D. and senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, “most multivitamins have such a wide margin of safety that even when you’re combining them with fortified foods, it’s still not going to cause you to keel over.”
4. Scientists do not know yet if going over the daily value by a little is a problem. There may be smaller symptoms associated depending on which vitamin or mineral is taken.
5. Since more and more foods are being fortified, the three nutrients to watch for overdosages are calcium, vitamin D and folic acid. The daily safe upper limits are as follows: 2,000-2,500 mg of calcium, 4,000 IU of vitamin D and 1,000 mcg of folic acid.

I’ve concluded that as long as I’m not overloading on megadoses of vitamins and fortified foods I should be fine. You can view the most recent chart that shows the tolerable upper intake levels (UL) of essential vitamins and minerals here. Whew. Finally out of that jungle of a mess.

Nierenberg, Cari. “Getting Too Much of Vitamins and Minerals.” WebMD. WebMD, LLC., n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/effects-of-taking-too-many-vitamins&gt;.

Reade, Catherine. “The New Tolerable Upper Intake Levels.” IDEA: Health & Fitness Association. IDEA Health & Fitness Association, February 2002. Web. 20 Jan 2012.