Cebu City - It is a common practice for us to consume more than the daily requirement of vitamins because of taking vitamin supplements, and consuming fortified or vitamin-enriched foods. Vitamins are any group of organic compounds which are essential for the body specifically for growth and development but are only required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.

Vitamins are generally classified as water-soluble vitamins (B complex and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, K). In terms of the level of toxicity, fat-soluble vitamins tend to be more toxic than their water-soluble counterpart because they are stored in the body for a long period of time. Water soluble vitamins are dissolved in liquids you take and will be absorbed into the tissues. They are not stored in the body. That’s why they need to be replenished regularly through diet or supplements. Any excess of water-soluble vitamins is excreted through urination, this explains the fact that water-soluble vitamins rarely accumulate to toxic levels.

Surely, the saying “too much of a good thing can become a bad thing” applies in this scenario because taking excess vitamins can be harmful to your health in the long run. It is recommended to consult with experts including your physician or nutritionist-dietitian to determine the safe requirement of vitamins per day. // PDO I Noah Vincent D. Gallo, RND