If a woman takes excessive amounts of many vitamins and minerals while pregnant her child can be affected. Table 1 also gives the lowest doses at which toxicities have been reported in reliable scientific publications. The literature contains many case studies where nutrient overdoses are presumed to affect health adversely. The nutrient amounts and time that people with toxicity problems took the nutrients are frequently not given so it is difficult to determine minimum toxicity levels. Size, age, sex, genetic background, as well as general health and previous nutritional status of individuals also affects responses to overconsumption of vitamins and minerals.
Some nutrients have specific pharmacologic effects at high dosages.
Pharmacologic doses sometimes, but not always, reduce symptoms of certain diseases and metabolic conditions, and complicate the diagnosis of certain diseases. They also influence treatment of some diseases and metabolic conditions. Medications may interact with vitamins and minerals and influence medicine effectiveness. Adaptation Individuals can adapt to taking large amounts of a vitamin or a mineral. If one desires to stop taking large doses of a vitamin or mineral, the intake should be gradually decreased.