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Can u get addicted to vitamins?
I take iron vitamins because my iron level in my body is very low. I was a preemie and so was my mom. My mom has recently started taking my iron vitamins on a regular basis and I'm concerned because she takes (I think) 2 a day. Are there any risks of having to much iron and could she be addicted??
4 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Let me just say you can be addicted to anything. Addiction is a mental problem not solely related to the effects achieved by the addicted to material.
But yes iron taken in excessive doses can become dangerous. It ionizes in the body and the positive Fe ion combines with OH ions and produces free radicals. These radicals can be damaging to things like protein, DNA and enzymes.
If your concern continues or grows then speak to your doctor.
Hope this helps =D
- 1 decade ago
It is impossible to be addicted to vitamins, that's just silly. But there are hazards to taking in too much iron, namely haemochromatosis which lead to heart problems among other things.
The average person truly needs a mere milligram of iron per day, which is easily ingested in an average. A lot more than that could lead to a variety of health problems down the road.
- Lyall pivoLv 51 decade ago
No. you cant, but it can be toxic and dangerous. Read this article.
Excessive iron can be toxic, because free ferrous iron reacts with peroxides to produce free radicals, which are highly reactive and can damage DNA, proteins, lipids, and other cellular components. Thus, iron toxicity occurs when there is free iron in the cell, which generally occurs when iron levels exceed the capacity of transferrin to bind the iron.
Iron uptake is tightly regulated by the human body, which has no regulated physiological means of excreting iron. Only small amounts of iron are lost daily due to mucosal and skin epithelial cell sloughing, so control of iron levels is mostly by regulating uptake.[28] However, large amounts of ingested iron can cause excessive levels of iron in the blood because high iron levels can damage the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, preventing them from regulating iron absorption, high blood concentrations of iron damage cells in the heart, liver and elsewhere, which can cause serious problems, including long-term organ damage and even death.
Humans experience iron toxicity above 20 milligrams of iron for every kilogram of mass, and 60 milligrams per kilogram is a lethal dose.[29] Over-consumption of iron, often the result of children eating large quantities of ferrous sulfate tablets intended for adult consumption, is one of the most common toxicological causes of death in children under six.[29] The DRI lists the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults as 45 mg/day. For children under fourteen years old the UL is 40 mg/day.
Regulation of iron uptake is impaired in some people as a result of a genetic defect that maps to the HLA-H gene region on chromosome 6. In these people, excessive iron intake can result in iron overload disorders, such as hemochromatosis. Many people have a genetic susceptibility to iron overload without realizing it or being aware of a family history of the problem. For this reason, it is advised that people do not take iron supplements unless they suffer from iron deficiency and have consulted a doctor. Hemochromatosis is estimated to cause disease in between 0.3 and 0.8% of Caucasians.[30]
The medical management of iron toxicity is complex, and can include use of a specific chelating agent called deferoxamine to bind and expel excess iron from the body.