New publications
Vitamins are not always good for the body
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Nowadays, many people are not sure about natural sources of useful substances, so they increasingly turn to specialists to determine the vitamins or minerals necessary for the body. Tableted or soluble vitamin complexes are becoming increasingly popular.
Recent studies by European scientists have proven that the use of some vitamins in too high a concentration can cause irreparable damage to the human body. Doctors believe that too much vitamin C or E can lead to a deterioration in general health and even a reduction in average life expectancy. Vitamin C, as well as vitamin E, are necessary for humans, but exceeding the concentration can be dangerous.
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an organic compound that is one of the most essential substances for human life. The normal functioning of bone and connective tissue, as well as the neutralization of superoxide radicals, depend on vitamin C. Detoxification of the liver and bile ducts is impossible without ascorbic acid in the human diet. The human body is unable to produce vitamin C on its own, but its daily requirement is about 40 milligrams. Many vitamin preparations contain ascorbic acid, but the problem is that the required dosage is often exceeded several times.
Vitamin E is sometimes called a vitamin that can provide youth and beauty. This comparison most likely arose after it became known about the restorative functions of vitamin E. The daily requirement of an adult is about 3-4 milligrams, but in vitamin complexes the dosage is often exceeded by tens of times.
For several months, scientists from Scotland conducted research, the results of which showed that too concentrated vitamin preparations can be harmful to health. The experiments were conducted on small rodents, which were given large amounts of vitamin E and C every day for two months. To the surprise of specialists, vitamins that should protect a living organism from diseases, strengthen the immune system and ensure good health, in large doses led to death. Scientists were able to establish that exceeding the daily norm of the above vitamins negatively affects overall health and average life expectancy. The data obtained after the experiment showed that the life expectancy of rodents that consumed too many vitamins was reduced by 25-30%.
The study's leaders claim that if a small amount of recognized beneficial substances is consumed, the effect will be expected: vitamins C and E participate in the detoxification of the human body, strengthen the immune system, which is necessary in the conditions of modern ecology, and have a positive effect on the neutralization of free radicals. Vitamins can harm health only if consumed in too concentrated form.