Vitamin overdose: when health benefits turn into toxicity for kidneys and skin

Uncontrolled use of dietary supplements (BAS) can lead to toxic damage to the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. According to therapist Olga Titarenko, these products are often perceived as harmless plant complexes, but they can cause severe organ failure or provoke dangerous complications when combined with medications.

Hepatotoxicity and Organ Damage

Concentrated extracts used for beauty and weight loss may be destructive to the body. High doses of catechins found in green tea extract can damage the liver, particularly if taken on an empty stomach. Other substances, such as garcinia and usnic acid, directly harm liver cells. Additionally, aristolochic acid, found in some Chinese medicine blends, can lead to irreversible kidney failure.

Dangerous Drug Interactions

Dietary supplements are chemical compounds that react with therapeutic drugs. Specific risks include:

• Omega-3 and garlic: Combined with anticoagulants, these may cause internal bleeding, including cerebral hemorrhages.
• St. John's wort: This herb activates liver enzymes, which can rapidly reduce the efficacy of antidepressants, contraceptives, and hypertension medications.
• Iron and magnesium complexes: When taken with antibiotics, these minerals bind in the intestines, preventing the medication from being absorbed.

Therapist Anna Kuznetsova notes that supplements often undergo simpler registration processes than medicines, which reduces safety guarantees and composition control.

Vitamin Hypervitaminosis

Excessive intake of vitamins can lead to toxicity that is more difficult to treat than a deficiency:

• Vitamin C: Doses exceeding 2,000 mg may contribute to the formation of oxalate kidney stones.
• Vitamin A: Excess amounts are toxic to the liver and dangerous during pregnancy.
• Calcium: Uncontrolled intake increases the risk of vascular calcification.
• Selenium: Overdose can cause hair loss and severe nervous system damage.

Hidden Active Ingredients

Some supplements contain undisclosed potent substances. Experts have found sibutramine in weight loss products, sildenafil analogues in "male" enhancements, and corticosteroids in chondroprotectors. Clinical pharmacologist Aleksey Ryabtsev states that adding prescription drugs to over-the-counter supplements is a legal violation that threatens patients with undiagnosed heart failure or impaired liver function.

Warning Signs and Professional Evaluation

Patients should stop taking supplements immediately and seek medical help if they experience symptoms of liver intoxication: nausea, bitterness in the mouth, skin itching, darkened urine, or yellowing of the sclera (eyes).

Special caution is required for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, individuals with chronic kidney or liver disease, and patients preparing for surgery. Breastfeeding women should avoid all supplements without a doctor's prescription due to the risk of active substances entering breast milk.

Important: This article is for general information and does not replace medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change treatment without a qualified clinician.

Source: This article was adapted from an original Russian-language publication by Pravda.Ru.