So, in general, it's safe to take two different supplements per day. If you are taking medications, consult your healthcare provider before taking any supplements or dietary products. Research has been done on the effect of taking several dietary supplements at once. Just because supplements are safe in moderation doesn't mean that more is better.
Combining several supplements or taking doses higher than recommended may increase the risk of them causing harm, Kitchin said. However, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that people may continue to consume supplements. For example, a vitamin B12 supplement may be a good idea for older adults and people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Instead, consult a nutritionist, dietitian, or health professional who specializes in dietary supplements to help clear up the confusion.
According to the NIH, overdose is almost always due to taking supplements, as opposed to exposure to sunlight or eating foods rich in vitamin D. The symptoms of taking more supplements than the body needs vary depending on the nutrient and the amount ingested, and may only show up in blood tests. The popularity of supplements has skyrocketed over the past two decades, but a lack of regulation and the increase in the number of products available may be leading people to overdo it. However, some studies show no evidence that many popular supplements have real health benefits, leading many scientists to change some of their recommendations.
Different genetics, family history, or even a previous diagnosis can also influence the need to take a supplement. The USPSTF refrained from making recommendations on the use of single or combined multivitamins and nutritional supplements (other than beta-carotene or vitamin E) for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer due to insufficient testing. In addition to not taking all your supplements at once, it's important to know that you're taking them correctly. According to Rodgers, it's important that you strive to increase your intake of nutrient-rich whole foods before relying on supplements to fill any gaps.
According to the NIH, you're more likely to experience side effects from dietary supplements if you take them in high doses or if you use many different supplements. In addition, a previous study found that men who took vitamin C supplements had a higher risk of developing kidney stones. Even if none of the supplements individually exceeds the maximum limit for a given nutrient, the combination of several tablets (such as a multivitamin supplement) and an additional vitamin D capsule, for example, may result in a higher dose than the recommended dose. For example, people with an inherited condition called hemochromatosis should be careful with iron supplements, as hemochromatosis causes toxic levels of iron to build up in the body, according to the NIH.
