6 Vitamins That Can Put You at Risk for Cancer, Stroke, and Nerve Damage

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The food supplement market is not as tightly regulated as the drug market. This makes consumers more vulnerable to being mis-sold. It is important to note that most dietary supplements are safe, but some can pose health risks, especially when taken in large doses.

What are dietary supplements?

A dietary supplement includes everything from vitamins and minerals to botanicals and biosimilars.

However, most people use “supplement” to refer to an individual vitamin or mineral preparation or multivitamin. The evidence for the benefits of dietary supplements is mixed.

However, evidence linking dietary supplements to health problems is accumulating. Harvard Health provides a review of studies linking high-dose vitamin supplements to a range of health problems.

The health authority preempts its assessment by saying:

“Most supplements are safe take, but there are exceptions.”

It says:

• High doses of beta-carotene are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in smokers.
• Extra calcium and vitamin D can increase the risk of kidney stones
• High doses of vitamin E can lead to stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
• Vitamin K can interfere with the anticoagulation of blood-thinning drugs.
• Taking large amounts of vitamin B6 for a year or longer has been associated with nerve damage that can lead to impaired body movement.

It is important to note that supplements may play an important role in some high-risk groups.