Supriya Yadav, Microbiologist at Vital Neutraceuticals Pvt. Ltd.
“Too much of anything is good for nothing” is an age old saying that stands true even today in this pandemic. If you are consuming ashwagandha juice, multivitamin tablets, haldi doodh, etc. make sure that you do not overdose even on these natural immunity boosters to avoid side effects. Just like getting enough key nutrients is important for a healthy diet; similarly, consuming the right amount of immunity boosters has become a must in this pandemic for all of us. But most of the people do not realize that consuming excessive amounts of some nutrients and immunity boosters can be harmful. Food producers often fortify foods with large amounts of vitamins and minerals to make their products appear more nutritious so they will sell better. But you must be careful about the nutritional content and be alert while consuming any nutritional supplement so that you do not surpass the safety limits.
Key Highlights:
- About 32% of the young population that take supplements exceed the limit for zinc, and 21% exceed the limit for vitamin A.
- Survey regarding consumers outlook about vitamin and mineral supplements showed that 60% of the people opted for supplements made of natural/botanical ingredients.
- Covident (RIM) can be an all in one solution for a healthy immune system as it contains 15 ingredients accommodated within permissible consumption limits in 7-gram sachets.
As the nutrition month is getting over you need to understand that nutrients that do not supply calories to your diet can be dangerous if you take in too many of them. Fat-soluble vitamins are especially prone to causing adverse effects because you store them in your adipose tissue. Also, the use of herbal plants for herbal remedy is getting popular; certain herbal supplements may cause dangerous side effect when taken with prescription drugs. Major immunity boosters available in the market contain ingredients like ashwagandha, giloy, neem, turmeric, multivitamins and zinc; and if you use immunity boosters have you asked yourself whether you are consuming the right ingredients in the right dosage? If not, then the below mentioned information will guide you with the right quantity of these nutrients to be consumed.
Here are some tips to guide you with the right intake of Immunity Boosters to avoid side effects:
- 1. Ashwagandha
- 2. Giloy
- 3. Vitamins and Minerals
- The high intake of Vitamin A can cause hair loss, liver damage, severe headaches, bone pain, blurred vision, dry skin and vomiting. Ideally 600 micrograms/day of Vitamin A should be consumed. Vitamin A helps for healthy vision, skin, bones, and other tissues in the body.
- The Vitamin D or cholecalciferol side effects are abnormal heart rhythm, constipation, frequent urination, muscle weakness and confusion. Ideally 10 micrograms/day of Vitamin D should be consumed to avoid adverse effects or getting low vitamin D. Vitamin D helps to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
- Excess Vitamin E intake can interfere with the body’s ability to clot blood, which can be harmful for those on blood thinning medication. Ideally 7.5-10 milligrams/day of Vitamin E should be consumed. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells.
- Vitamin C or ascorbate tablets side effects can cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, abdominal cramps, headache, insomnia. Ideally 40-60 milligrams/day of Vitamin C should be consumed to boost immunity.
- Zinc toxicity can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, disturbance of copper metabolism, low copper status, reduced iron function, reduced immune function. Ideally 10-12 milligrams/day of Zinc should be consumed.
- 4. Turmeric
- 5. Neem
If you are consuming Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) as juice or kadha to boost your immunity and fight against the virus, do not forget to consider the safe dosage as the side effects of overdose might cause vomiting, diarrhoea, or upset stomach in some people. The side effects of the herbs differ from one person to another, and it advisable to talk to your healthcare provider before using them. Make sure your consumption of Ashwagandha does not exceed the safe dosage limit of 3-6 grams/day (as powder) and 0.5-1 grams/day (as an extract). If consumed as per body requirements, apart from being a strong immunity booster, Ashwagandha can reduce blood sugar levels and fight viral respiratory infection.
Giloy is known as ‘Amrita' which literally translates to ‘the root of immortality' among the herbs and medicinal plants. Nowadays, with tremendous marketing, it is being used on a large scale in every household as an immunity booster, but you should know that overdose of Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), might hinder your blood sugar levels. Especially, the diabetic patients should be more cautious while consuming giloy juice or powder available in the market so as to monitor their blood sugar levels. So, you might wonder, what is the right dosage to avoid these effects? The right dosage of 5-10 grams/day (as powder) while 0.5-1 grams/day (as an extract) can be helpful against viral respiratory infection, cough, and fever by exhibiting anti-inflammatory, immuno-stimulatory, and immunomodulatory effects.
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that are required for your health. Most of this requirement should be maximally covered through your food. But you can easily overdose with these nutrients when you take it as a supplement without knowing the right dosage. Knowing the right dose as per your body needs is particularly important which can be achieved if you consult your doctor about your daily food and nutrition intake. Studies show that about 32% of young population that take supplements exceed limit for zinc and 21% exceed the limit for vitamin A. Also, a study showed that 28% of the population consume eye health supplements to stay protected from blue light.
Following are the side effects of too much of vitamin and mineral consumption:
Survey regarding consumers outlook about vitamin and mineral supplement showed that 60% of the people opted for supplements made of natural/botanical ingredients. So, if you are consuming multivitamin tablets, beware about the overdose consequences and adjust your doses accordingly.
Turmeric (Haldi), an integral part of Indian kitchens, has been used as a natural remedy for all our problems since ancient times. Usually excess consumption does not cause significant side effects; however, some people can experience stomach upset, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhoea. A study evidenced that a person who took exceedingly high amounts of turmeric, experienced a dangerous abnormal heart rhythm. News reports suggest that the doctors have complained about people who never consumed turmeric apart from their daily food have started to drink ‘haldi doodh’ or ‘haldi paani’ in the name of immunity booster which will eventually affect their bodies. To stay on the safer side and avoid side effects of overdose you must have 1-3 grams turmeric as powder daily in your food preparation or as a golden milk or turmeric tea.
If you are consuming neem as juice or in any other form, you should note that the excess neem consumption has side effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, blood disorders, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, brain disorders, and even death! Neem oil and neem bark are not safe during pregnancy. Also, it is not recommended for males and females planning to conceive. Not only in this pandemic, but in your daily lives as well, never exceed the permissible limit of 1-3 grams/day to get benefitted by the medicinal and therapeutic properties of neem.
In this new normal world, immunity boosters have also become an inevitable part of our daily lives along with masks and sanitizers. You might be using herbs such as giloy, ashwagndha, neem, etc. or using essential nutrients such as vitamins (A, D, C, E) and mineral Zinc to a great extent these days to boost immunity and stay protected against infections. However, best of the nutrients can also harm our body if not taken in right quantity. So, why not consume permissible content of every nutrient instead of overdosing on any one of them? Covident (RIM) can be an all in one solution for healthy immune system as it is a unique blend of 15 ingredients (Ashwagandha, Giloy, Kalmegh, Neem, Kalonji, Grape seed, Turmeric, Ginger, Bhui Amla, Vitamins-A,D,E,C and Mineral Zinc) accommodated within permissible consumption limits in 7-gram sachets which can be cut open anytime, anywhere to consume. Instead of purchasing and consuming giloy juice, neem extracts, turmeric milk, kadhas and multivitamin tablets separately, it is advisable to consume Covident (RIM), which will provide cumulative benefits of 15 ingredients with right quantity and right dosage. Two sachets a day can be helpful in managing respiratory systems against viruses and boosting immunity to make you feel confident about your immune system when you step out in the new normal world.
So, think twice before you grab any supplements like vitamins, minerals, or any botanicals. To stay away from the adverse effects, always ask yourself whether you need to buy these supplements individually when you have an all in one solution with right ingredients, right quantity and right dosage available?
