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Vitamin supplements

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It's long been known that humans can overdose on calcium (mineral) and fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and some members of the water soluble B group of vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins tend to accumulate in human bodies if taken in high doses, which is difficult from normal food / diet, but much easier when taking supplements. If you take too much vitamin C, it comes out in urine, so can actually be used to increase acidity of urine, and thus treat / less chance of recurrence of urinary tract infections. Also worth noting that most people get most of their vitamin D from sunlight, and only a small proportion from food / supplements. It depends on colour of skin and location (relative to equator / poles).

There are several recorded incidents of polar explorers suffering ill health after running out of conventional food and eating only liver from huskies, polar bears, seals etc - whatever they could kill. Liver was the most palatable piece of the body, although it's strange that they would eat no muscle meat. Liver is a rich source of fat soluble vitamin A.
 
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Only last Thursday ie 2 days ago, was I prescribed D3 by my GP - but then - he did know I am deficient as I am ?osteopenia so he did a Vit D blood test whilst waiting for the bone scan. Should get results of that on Monday then may have to decide whether to do anything or not. (don't fancy the drugs for it unless I have to)

You have to have enough Vit D in the first place for the body to absorb ingested calcium properly whether as a supplement ot from calcium rich foods so you are fighting a losing battle with your bones anyway at my age, if you are low in D.

There are so many things in the body that are dependent on summat else.

eg Metformin can cause (and does but not always!) a B12 deficiency and that's been known for donkeys ages - but do they test for it routinely? Nah. certainly worth having a conversation with your GP about though if you think you might be, even ask for the test if you've been on Met for any length of time.

You can overdose on nearly all supplements and Vits so in my book - so unless it's a low dose multi-vit (that probably doesn't do you any good but there again most likely shouldn't do you any harm) - I don't think it's advisable to take 'stuff' without proper medical advice. Having said that I did take EP oil capsules for a while for me PMT - did it work? Nah ......
 
Suggests that certain vitamin supplements cause problems if you have particular conditions - eg. B3 not good for diabetics:

No, it said that an excess of B3 might impair blood glucose control. And the amounts it is stating are ridiculous. Apparently, if you have more than 100mg per day, it'll impair your glucose control. But if you take more than 35mg a day, you'll start flushing and having other symptoms long before you start impairing your glucose control - which is also estimated to only have a 5-10% impact anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B3#Toxicity
Although high doses of niacin may elevate blood sugar, thereby worsening diabetes mellitus,[20] recent studies show the actual effect on blood sugar to be only 5?10%. Patients with diabetes who continued to take anti-diabetes drugs containing niacin did not experience major blood glucose changes.

One recommended daily allowance of niacin is 2?12 mg/day for children, 14 mg/day for women, 16 mg/day for men, and 18 mg/day for pregnant or breast-feeding women.[7] The upper limit for adult men and women is 35 mg/day, which is based on flushing as the critical adverse effect.
 
I don't take too much notice of the Daily fail. I know some things don't work well together and have always found the advice of the pharmacist helpful.

Some time ago hubby read an article out which started 'All diabetics need to inject insulin...'
 
A friend of mine in her mid-40s has recently been diagnosed with a fractured femur due to a combination of vit D deficiency and running! Partly due, apparently, to the fact she shuns the sun (when it appears!) and wears factor 60 if she has to go out in it as she burns so easily.
 
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