Why is it important to get the dosage right?
We are all unique in our individual requirements; with each person needing a slightly higher or lower dosage than the next. It is important to remember that there is no real advantage from getting more of a certain vitamin and mineral than your body needs. In fact, any excess of water-soluble vitamins (all B vitamins) are quickly excreted in urine and will rarely accumulate to toxic levels. An exception is water soluble Vitamin C, which can cause diarrhoea if taken in excess. So, you would literally be flushing money down the drain!
Fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K. When they are consumed, before going to the bloodstream, they are first dissolved in fat. Your body uses what it needs and then stores anything extra in the liver and in the fat tissues. If they are continuously taken in large amounts, vitamin toxicity can occur, or a condition called ‘hypervitaminosis’, which can be acute or chronic. This is a rare condition, however it can be serious and cause some side effects like diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, dehydration, weakness, fatigue, stomach pain, loss of appetite, vision changes. If left untreated it can lead to more serious health problems, like liver or kidney damage.