Question

Can vitamins cause toxicity?

Answer 1

The vitamins toxicity can be fined if we know the difference between the vitamins that are water soluble and that is fat soluble. The vitamin that is water insoluble or fat soluble is stored in the liver and kidney.

Complete step-by-step answer: Before going into the solution of the question first let us discuss what vitamins means and their classification.
Vitamins are the essential minerals required for our body for the carrying out proper life process. It is required in very small quantities for maintaining good health and growth of the body. The vitamins can be supplied to the body either through a proper diet or as supplements like multivitamin tablets etc. and many of the vitamins are produced by the body itself.
Important vitamins which are required for the proper functioning of our body are:
- Vitamin A, Vitamin B (${{B}_{1}},{{B}_{2}},{{B}_{3}},{{B}_{5}},{{B}_{6}},{{B}_{7}},{{B}_{9}}\,and\,{{B}_{12}}$), Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin K
Vitamins are of two types water soluble and fat soluble.
Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble and others are water soluble. Water soluble vitamins are not absorbed into the cells, the body uses the vitamins for the life process and they are digested and are eliminated from the body. But vitamins that are fat soluble are dissolved in fat and it is stored in fat cells and can be stored for a longer period of time. Hence over accumulation of these fat soluble vitamins will result in toxic effects on health and body.
Hence we should be always careful about taking supplements for fat soluble vitamins.
So we can conclude that the vitamins taken in overdose and stored in the body for long term will cause a toxic condition.

Note: If Vitamin A is taken in overdose or stored in the body more than the permitted amount then it will affect the skin. It Causes irritation, redness. Other symptoms are nausea, bone pain, migraine and in extreme situations can lead to death or coma.
If vitamin D is taken in extreme dosage then it causes kidney stones, nausea, excessive urination or vomiting, weight loss etc.
If vitamin E is present in extreme dosage then there is risk of hemorrhage, stroke and prostate cancer in men.