Here are 5 vitamins you should not take unless your doctor recommends you to.
Overwhelming your body with more than necessary intake of vitamins can do more harm than good
HIGHLIGHTS
- Too much of vitamin A can cause lung cancer
- Excess of vitamin B6 can cause skin lesions, nausea and heartburn
- Vitamin E in excess can cause cancer
Vitamins are essential for the body to grow and work properly but these should be taken as supplements only when your diet fails to provide you with it and only when your doctor prescribes you to do so. But these vitamins without any prescription, if taken daily, in excess can prove to be fatal.
Here are 5 vitamins you should not take unless your doctor recommends you to:
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps in maintaining a healthy vision and neurological function. But a study by the National Cancer Institute, USA, suggests that too much of this vitamin can increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer in smokers. Not only that, the excess intake of this vitamin can also cause liver damage.
The better alternative for getting vitamin A is including sweet potatoes, carrots and tropical fruits in your diet.
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2. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is essential for maintaining a good energy level and building the immune system. But, the intake of more than 100 milligrams a day has proven to do nerve damage, cause painful skin lesions, nausea, heartburn and increased sensitivity to the sun. Rather than popping the vitamin B6 pills, you should include fish, potatoes, avocado and pistachios in your diet.
3. Vitamin C
Like vitamin A, vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant. It helps to boost the immune system and is abundantly found in vegetables and fruits. But the excess intake of it can increase the likelihood of developing kidney stones. You can opt for kiwifruit, strawberries, oranges, papayas, broccoli and tomatoes instead of taking vitamin C in supplement.
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Vitamin E
A research by Johns Hopkins University found that the overall risk of death was higher in people who took vitamin E supplements. The risk of heart failure and cancer were also noted to be increased in them. Instead of the supplements you can go for almonds, spinach and pumpkins, as they are abundant in vitamin E.
5. Multivitamin
You might think that this all-in-one vitamin can be the answer to all your problems but this is as far from the truth as it gets. As much as the selling companies boast about how these multivitamins are beneficial in preventing early deaths, heart disease or cancer, studies show that this is not the case. Moreover, they are a waste of money. Overwhelming your body with more than necessary intake of vitamins can do more harm than good.
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