Health And Fitness News 

Is Mega Vitamin Therapy Safe

Mega vitamin therapy is championed by some, including some scientists, and criticised by many others. It is said that it is practised by a lot of natural therapists, and certainly by some members of the public. What is the truth? And what exactly is mega vitamin therapy?

The latter question is not so easily answered. In the broadest sense, it is said that it is the use of vitamins at many times the recommended daily allowance, to treat (and/or prevent) health problems. But given that many consider the RDA to be too low to support optimal health, this is somewhat meaningless.

Many natural therapists and nutritionists (and some doctors) may in fact be suggesting higher levels of supplements that are still within the newer, broader guidelines used by both Canada and the US. This set of guidelines is called the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). The DRI is actually 4 different guidelines - the Estimated Average Requirements, the Reference Daily Intake, the Adequate Intake, and the Tolerable Upper Intake.

The latter has the most significance in relation to what is considered mega vitamin therapy. It is defined as: "the highest average daily intake level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the potential risk of adverse effects may increase." (http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=295)

So, what in some writings may be considered 'mega vitamin therapy', may in practice be within the tolerable upper intake. Natural therapists usually practice within these guidelines.

But if we consider mega vitamin therapy as being supplements taken beyond this Tolerable Upper Limit, then some of the criticisms may in fact be valid.

The criticisms center around the safety and effectiveness of mega vitamin therapy. Some of the question marks around one of mega vitamin therapy's advocates, Linus Pauling, are explained here.

One thing to keep in mind with vitamins, is that they usually work together. Phyllis A Balch writes that:

"you must recognize that nutrients work synergistically. This means that there is a cooperative action between certain vitamins and minerals, which work as catalysts, promoting the absorption and assimilation of other vitamins and minerals." (Prescription For Nutritional Healing)

She suggests taking a multi vitamin when you take single vitamin and mineral supplements for this reason. But taking large doses of single vitamins is going to throw associated vitamins and minerals out of balance, in a much bigger way than if you were sticking with recommended doses. Thus, taking large doses for a long period of time is not really a good idea at all.

Some vitamins, and most minerals, are toxic if taken in large doses. You can check out the symptoms of a vitamin overdose here. Whilst it is the fat soluble vitamins that tend to pose the most threat, because these are stored in the body, some water soluble vitamins can still prove dangerous if taken excessively. For example, vitamin B5 is taken by many acne sufferers in large doses, yet it can produce some significant side effects. One sufferer's experience of using vitamin B5 for acne are described here.

Whilst sticking to the range described by the RDI (or the old RDA) and the tolerable upper limit, will generally be quite safe, it's probably better to use other, less contentious treatments for health problems, unless you are directly supervised by a doctor.