Can You or Your Child Overdose On Vitamins

Can You or Your Child
Overdose on Vitamins? How

to Know and What to Do
People often worry that picky-eating toddlers aren’t getting all the
vitamins they need from food. This is why vitamins for kids can seem
like a great idea. Many people think that by giving children vitamins,
they can ensure kids are getting everything they need. Studies show
that about a third of kids between 2 and 5 years old get a multivitamin
each day.
And it’s not just kids — adults often turn to vitamins to help round out
their diet or improve their health. About half of all adults in the
U.S. report taking some kind of vitamin in the last month.
But vitamins come with risks, too. It’s possible to overdose on

vitamins. And some vitamin overdoses can lead to serious health
complications. Most children (and even adults) prefer gummy
vitamins because of their texture and taste. But it can be easy to
overdose on these colorful, fruity-flavored jellies.
If you have vitamins — especially gummy ones — at home, here’s

what you need to know about vitamin overdoses.
Can you overdose on vitamins?

Adults and children can overdose on vitamins, but only certain
vitamins and minerals cause serious health issues.
Kids are more likely to overdose on vitamins than adults. Children

younger than 6 years old account for the majority of vitamin overdose
cases in the U.S. These overdoses are usually accidental and
happen when an adult isn’t around.
According to the National Poison Data System (NPDS), vitamins are
among the top-five causes of accidental ingestions in children.
Studies show that about 4,600 kids go to the emergency room every
year for vitamin overdoses.
Which vitamins can you overdose on?

It’s possible to overdose on all vitamins. An “overdose” means that
someone has exceeded recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of a
vitamin or mineral.
Most multivitamins contain the RDA (or close to it) of each vitamin
and mineral. So, if you take more than the serving size (usually one
vitamin), you can overdose on all the vitamins that make up your
multivitamin. So it’s possible to have multiple vitamin overdoses from
taking a single pill.
Some vitamin overdoses are more dangerous than others. These

particular vitamins can be dangerous for adults and children.
Iron
Iron overdoses are one of the most serious types of vitamin

overdoses because they can be deadly. Taking more than 20 mg/kg of
elemental iron can lead to serious health conditions like liver and
heart failure. The number of pills someone needs to take to overdose
on iron depends on the amount of iron in the vitamin and the person’s
weight. Children are more likely to overdose on iron because they’re
smaller.
Vitamin A
Most people develop vitamin A overdoses from taking too much

vitamin A over time. Vitamin A overdose can lead to many
symptoms including hair loss, trouble walking, bone and muscle pain,
and vision changes. Children are more vulnerable to vitamin A
overdoses than adults because of their small size.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports bone health, but too much vitamin D can lead to
serious medical problems by raising the level of calcium in the blood.
People with vitamin D overdoses can develop confusion, vomiting,
muscle weakness, and kidney problems. Adults shouldn’t take more
than 4000 IU of vitamin D per day, the cutoff for children is less —
1000 to 3000 IU depending on age.
Vitamin C
While you can overdose on vitamin C, it’s not one of the more serious
vitamin overdoses. Vitamin C overdose can cause some side effects
like upset stomach and diarrhea. But the body will remove the extra
vitamin C, and, most of the time, people recover without extra
medical help.
Calcium
Many vitamins and supplements contain calcium. If you’re taking

more than one supplement, always double-check for ingredient
overlaps that can increase your risk of an accidental overdose. Your
calcium intake can add up quickly, especially when combined with
the calcium you get from food. Calcium overdoses can lead to mild
symptoms like stomach upset and diarrhea, and more serious
symptoms like confusion and kidney injury.
What are the symptoms of a vitamin

overdose?
The symptoms of a vitamin overdose depend on the vitamin and the
amount taken. Some vitamin overdoses start off with mild symptoms
like stomach upset and vomiting, and then progress into more
serious symptoms. Other vitamin overdoses cause very few or no
symptoms.
If you think you or a family member has overdosed on vitamins, don’t

rely on symptoms to make a decision. Symptoms may become
serious very quickly. It’s safest to seek help right away.
What to do if you took too many vitamins

If you or your child just ate a bunch of vitamins — whether gummies
or another kind of vitamin — what should you do?
First, call your local poison control center or the National Capital
Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. They can let you know if you should
go to an emergency room for immediate care.
If you or your child took vitamins without iron and vitamin A, you
might be able to remain at home. But you shouldn’t make this
decision on your own, since certain vitamin overdoses can be life
threatening, especially in young children.
Care at home
If the poison control center says you or your child can remain at
home, you should be on the lookout for vitamin overdose symptoms.
These can include:
 Stomach upset
 Nausea and vomiting
 Diarrhea
 Flushing (usually due to vitamin B3/niacin)
 Change in urine or stool color
 Bad headache
 Dizziness
 Muscle pain
Your child probably won’t want to eat while having these symptoms.
It’s important to make sure your child stays hydrated, so encourage
them to drink plenty of fluids. You may want to use oral electrolyte
solutions.
If your child is showing signs of dehydration, call your healthcare

provider immediately. In kids, this might include:
 Not urinating or making wet diapers as much as usual

 Acting more tired or sleepy
 Dry lips and mouth
 Making less tears when crying
Care in the emergency room
If poison control recommends getting immediate care, go to your

nearest emergency room. You may need:
 Bloodwork
 X-rays to look for signs of pill fragments
 A procedure called GI tract irrigation to make the vitamins leave the body
quicker
 Medications to bind vitamins (especially iron) and remove it from the body
How many vitamins should you take?

You should take the recommended amount of vitamins suggested on
the supplement bottle, usually 1-2 a day. If you take more than that in
one day, you’ve taken too many.
Experts from the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine
have developed guidelines that cover how much of each vitamin a
person needs each day.
These guidelines include:

 Recommended daily allowance (RDA): This is the average amount of
each vitamin or mineral a person needs in a day.
 Tolerable upper intake limit (UL): This is the highest amount of vitamin
or mineral a person can safely consume each day without it making them
sick.
Your vitamins shouldn’t exceed the RDA for any single vitamin or
mineral. It’s also important to keep your diet in mind as you choose
vitamins. It’s possible to exceed your upper intake limit from your diet
and vitamins. It’s a good idea to focus on your diet before turning to
vitamins.

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Can You or Your Child

Overdose on Vitamins? How

But vitamins come with risks, too. It’s possible to overdose on

If you have vitamins — especially gummy ones — at home, here’s

Can you overdose on vitamins?

Kids are more likely to overdose on vitamins than adults. Children

Which vitamins can you overdose on?

Some vitamin overdoses are more dangerous than others. These

Iron overdoses are one of the most serious types of vitamin

Most people develop vitamin A overdoses from taking too much

Many vitamins and supplements contain calcium. If you’re taking

What are the symptoms of a vitamin

If you think you or a family member has overdosed on vitamins, don’t

What to do if you took too many vitamins

If your child is showing signs of dehydration, call your healthcare

 Not urinating or making wet diapers as much as usual

Care in the emergency room

If poison control recommends getting immediate care, go to your

How many vitamins should you take?

These guidelines include:

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