These days, you might feel like you want to take as many vitamins as you can get your hands on. If they help you fight off viruses, bacteria, and stay strong and healthy, the more the merrier, right? Or is there such a thing as too much when it comes to taking vitamins and minerals.
At dose and remedy, we know our supplements. And yes, there is an optimum amount of vitamins and minerals that you should be taking. Here’s how to know what it is.
How Many Vitamins and Minerals Should I be Taking?
The reason that the answer to this question doesn’t have a one hundred percent straight forward answer is because the supplements a person should be taking are all specific to gender, age group, and personal health. However, supplements do have guidelines to let you know several rules of thumb for how to gauge what your intake should be.
The RDA, or Recommended Dietary Allowance, lets you know the amount of a supplement you should be taking to each day. The UL, or Tolerable Upper Intake Level, is as it sounds - it shows you the highest amount of the supplement you should be taking before you’re putting yourself at risk for negative side effects.
If your Vitamin A pills say that their IU is 10,000mg, you might get 5,000mg from the pills themselves. Then, by eating a balanced diet of vegetables and fish, you could be getting your other 5,000mg. Pairing up a good diet with your vitamins is just as important - or even more important - than taking the supplements themselves.
When you’re shopping for vitamins, always make sure that you’re paying attention to the label. The supplements facts panel is going to tell you the information you need to know about how many vitamins you should take. If you see a Vitamin A pill that claims it gives you 15,000mg when the UI is actually 10,000mg, you’ll know that’s a bottle you should put back on the shelf.
Can You Take Too Many Vitamins and Minerals?
Yes, you can take too many vitamins and minerals in one day. It’s incorrect to assume you can simply take as many vitamins and minerals as you want, because you could actually be getting a toxic dose.
For example, the UI for vitamin C is around 2,000, but some people could be mistakenly taking up to 10,000mg through an overdose in vitamins and in the food they’re consuming. Too much vitamin C in the system at once can cause stomach cramping, diarrhea, and more severe consequences in people who are at risk for kidney stones. An overdose of vitamin D can even cause the blood vessels to harden.
One multivitamin, an immune supplement, and a few other personalized vitamins like magnesium, omega 3, or vitamin C, should be about enough to make up a reasonable daily dose. If you’re thinking you’re going to have to take a handful of thirty vitamins a day to stay healthy, then you can rest easy.
If you’re ever uncertain about any of the supplements that you’re using, consult with a doctor to ask for their recommendations.
At dose and remedy, we believe in supplementing lives for the better. A dose of immunity’s proprietary blend of herbal ingredients does just that, and is proven to help keep you strong during tough times.