You’ve undoubtedly considered indulging in one too many of those sweet, squishy nutritious multivitamin daily booster. If you wolf more than you should, a doctor explains what will ** happen.

Although mild symptoms are expected if your child consumes too many gummy vitamins, you should contact Poison Control right once.

  • You should contact Poison Control right away if you or your child have had too many gummy natural vitamins for energy.
  • If you consume too many gummy vitamins such as Rite multivitamin, however, you’re unlikely to need medical help.
  • When you consume too many vegan gummy vitamins, you may get diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or headaches.

According to Dr. Ken Spaeth, director of occupational and environmental medicine at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, eating too many gummy vites might cause irreversible health damage. “Taking excessive doses of the best vitamins, especially tasty ones like the gummy version, would be a very bad idea and potentially deadly,” Spaeth added. “While taking the authorized doses poses no risk, taking a complete bottle of vitamins can result in permanent and serious harm.”

Gummy vitamins, though undeniably more appealing than conventional vitamins, make it difficult for children to distinguish between them and candy. This may result in unintentional overconsumption. Poison control centers report receiving calls every day about children consuming excessive quantities of gummy vitamins — sometimes as much as 20, 30, or even 40 at a time.

“The risk comes from ‘fat-soluble’ vitamins like vitamin A, D, E, and others that are found in multi-bear, multi-worm, and other gummy multivitamin species,” Spaeth explained. “The body is unable to quickly eliminate excessive amounts of this type, and the resulting build-up of high levels can cause harm to a variety of organ systems, including the brain.”

“Consuming a complete bottle of vitamins in any form, gummy or otherwise, would almost certainly result in dangerous doses of both water- and fat-soluble vitamins. Minerals like zinc, magnesium, manganese and other trace minerals are typically included in multivitamins, and ingesting a complete bottle would likely result in dangerous quantities.”

“Children are more vulnerable to harmful impacts in general,” Spaeth remarked. “Adult vitamins are dosed higher since adults are larger, have a bigger body mass, and fully formed organ systems, whereas children’s vitamins are dosed lower and are typically designed to satisfy the demands of a developing body.”

However, regardless of age, ingesting a bottle of gummy vitamins should be discouraged due to the serious health risks. If someone you know ignores this advice, call a poison control center or go to the nearest emergency room.”

Spaeth points out that each multivitamin brand has its own list of vitamins, so it’s difficult to vouch for all of them because the types and amounts of vitamins differ.

Here’s what happens if you or a child consumes too many gummy vitamins, and when medical help is required.

 Is it possible to overdose on gummy vitamins?

It is possible to consume too many gummy vitamins, however, this does not always necessitate medical intervention. Gummy multivitamins are made up of a range of vitamins and minerals, some of which are hazardous in high concentrations and others that aren’t. These are a few examples:

  • Fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E are among them. Because these vitamins are stored in fat, dangerous levels can build, though the symptoms are usually minor.
  • Water-soluble vitamins: Vitamin C, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin B6 are all common ingredients in gummies. Because water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, excess amounts are eliminated in the urine and do not result in an overdose.
  • Minerals: Potassium, calcium, salt, and zinc are among them. Minerals assist the body to maintain its water balance and execute specific functions such as blood clotting and bone formation. You can overdose on minerals, but most of them make you puke first.

 

What happens if you consume an excessive amount of gummy vitamins?

The type of supplements in your gummy vitamins and how many you consume will determine the adverse effects you may encounter. Overdosing on vitamins might cause the following symptoms:

  • Stomach ache
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Headache
  • Irritability
  • Nausea
  • Fever

“A one-time overdose is unlikely to cause any symptoms, but you should still call poison control,” advises Susan B. Daly, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician at Be Pediatrics in Savannah, Georgia.

If your child has been taking more gummy vitamins than recommended for a long time, they may develop chronic toxicity, which necessitates a trip to the doctor.

Chronic toxicity manifests itself in the following ways:

  • Pain in the muscles and bones
  • Hair loss is a common problem.
  • Calcium deposits
  • Distress in the digestive system
  • Headache

While the number of vitamins and minerals in children’s gummy vitamins should not result in a lethal overdose, caregivers should regard taking too many vitamins as an emergency and contact Poison Control right away. Gummy vitamins should also be kept out of the reach of children.

General recommendations: It’s crucial to note that the suggested dosage for each gummy vitamin varies. Follow the packaging directions to determine how many gummy vitamins are too many.