Hypervitaminosis
Abnormally high vitamin storage causing physiological and psychological symptoms.
Hypervitaminosis occurs when the body stores too much of a vitamin, leading to physical issues like pain, nausea, and a fast heart rate, as well as psychological effects such as confusion, hyperactivity, and irritability, and can become toxic. The specific name for the condition depends on the vitamin involved; for instance, too much vitamin A is called hypervitaminosis A. This condition mostly involves fat-soluble vitamins, particularly D and A, because the body retains them longer than water-soluble vitamins.
Excessive vitamin levels usually come from taking too many supplements. Fat-soluble vitamin toxicity can also result from consuming large amounts of heavily fortified foods, though natural foods rarely provide dangerous levels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Reference Intake guidelines set a "tolerable upper intake level" for most vitamins. Healthy people who have not gone through long periods of vitamin deficiency can avoid overdose by sticking to the recommended dose on a multivitamin label and not taking multiple supplements that contain the same vitamins.
Signs and symptoms include a few described effects.
Causes: Apart from a few exceptions, such as some B-complex vitamins, hypervitaminosis typically involves the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which are stored in the liver and fatty tissues. These vitamins build up and linger longer than water-soluble ones. Conditions include hypervitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis D, vitamin B3 toxicity, megavitamin-B6 syndrome, and vitamin E toxicity.
Prevention: For healthy individuals who have not experienced avitaminosis or a lack of vegetables for at least two years, prevention means not exceeding the usual or recommended amount of vitamin supplements.
Epidemiology: In the United States in 2004, 62,562 people reported overdosing on vitamins (including multivitamin/mineral products), with nearly 80% of cases in children under six. This led to 53 major, life-threatening outcomes and three deaths (two from vitamins D and E, one from a multivitamin with iron). For comparison, 19,250 people died from all types of unintentional poisoning in the U.S. that year. In 2016, 63,931 people reported vitamin overdoses to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, with 72% of cases in children under five. No deaths were reported that year.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Toxicology
- Causes
- Excessive consumption of vitamins
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hypervitaminosis is primarily caused by fat-soluble vitamins, especially D and A, which are stored in the liver and fatty tissues and remain longer in the body than water-soluble vitamins. Conditions include hypervitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis D, vitamin B3 toxicity, megavitamin-B6 syndrome, and vitamin E toxicity. Generally, toxic levels of vitamins stem from high supplement intake; toxicities of fat-soluble vitamins can also be caused by a large intake of highly fortified foods, but natural foods in modest levels seldom deliver extreme or dangerous levels. The Dietary Reference Intake recommendations issued by the United States Department of Agriculture define a 'tolerable upper intake level' for most vitamins. Prevention in healthy individuals not having any periods of avitaminosis or vitamin lack for at least 2 years is by not taking more than the expected normal or recommended amount of vitamin supplements.
Reader's Guide
Hypervitaminosis is notable as a condition arising from excessive vitamin intake, primarily from supplements rather than natural foods. The source article emphasizes that toxic levels are generally caused by high supplement intake, and that fat-soluble vitamins (especially D and A) pose the greatest risk due to their storage in the body. The article provides epidemiological data from the United States: in 2004, 62,562 individuals reported overdose exposure to all formulations of vitamins, with nearly 80% of these exposures in children under age 6, leading to 53 major life-threatening outcomes and 3 deaths (two from vitamins D and E, one from a multivitamin with iron). In 2016, 63,931 individuals reported overdose exposure, with 72% of exposures in children under age 5, and no deaths reported. The article notes that these figures may be compared to the 19,250 people who died of unintentional poisoning of all kinds in the U.S. in 2004. The condition's significance lies in its preventability: healthy individuals can avert vitamin overdose by not taking more than the recommended amount listed on supplement containers and by not concurrently ingesting multiple supplements containing the same vitamins.
Did You Know?
- Hypervitaminosis can cause both physiological symptoms (pain, nausea, tachycardia) and psychological symptoms (confusion, hyperactivity, irritability).
- Toxic levels of vitamins generally stem from high supplement intake, not from natural foods.
- In 2004, 62,562 individuals in the United States reported overdose exposure to vitamin formulations, with nearly 80% in children under age 6.
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