How Too Many Vitamins Can Affect Your Kidneys

Vitamins are a super important part of our diet. They help control a ton of vital functions in our bodies, and not getting enough of them can actually lead to serious health issues—even death in extreme cases.

There are two main types of vitamins:

• Fat-soluble vitamins – like vitamins A, D, E, and K. These get stored in the body.
• Water-soluble vitamins – like the B vitamins, folic acid, and vitamin C. These don’t stick around and usually get flushed out in urine.

While we usually get vitamins through food—and sometimes supplements—many people don’t realize that getting too much of certain vitamins can actually harm your kidneys and your body in general. Let’s take a look at how.

How Excess Vitamins Can Harm Your Kidneys

Most foods contain vitamins, and we consume them every day. Some folks also take supplements to boost their intake. But here's the catch: when your body has more vitamins than it needs, especially water-soluble ones, it tries to flush the extra out through urine. This process can stress your kidneys, and in some cases, lead to real damage. Here are a few examples:

• Vitamin D: Too much of it can lead to kidney stones really quickly because it causes calcium to build up in different parts of the body.
• Vitamin C: Also linked to kidney stones and can make peeing painful.
• Vitamin B12: If taken excessively, especially by people with kidney disease, it can worsen kidney function.

Other Side Effects of Too Many Vitamins

Overdoing it on vitamins can affect more than just your kidneys. Here’s what can happen to the rest of your body if you take too much of certain vitamins:

• Vitamin A: Can cause headaches, hair loss, dry skin and mouth, enlarged liver or spleen, and even make bones more likely to break due to buildup in the liver.
• Vitamin D: May cause calcium deposits in soft tissues like the heart, lungs, and airways.
• Vitamin E: High doses can lead to nausea, fatigue, bleeding, vision problems, rashes, and headaches.
• Vitamin C: Too much can trigger kidney stones and lead to severe diarrhea.
• Vitamin B6: Excess can cause headaches, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, tingling, and stomach pain.
• Niacin (Vitamin B3): Taking more than 3 grams a day can mess with your liver, cause gout, ulcers, vision loss, high blood sugar, and irregular heartbeat.