Here's What Happens When You Binge on Gummy Vitamins

Gummy vitamins were traditionally sold to kids as substitutes for tablets and liquid vitamins. But obviously, choking on pills has been a challenge even for adults that's why many are choosing chewable gummies over traditional vitamins.

While gummy vitamins are undisputably tastier and more convenient than traditional supplements, many still question if they are good or bad for our health. And whether or not the nutrients they contain are enough and better absorbed in the body.

Are Gummy Vitamins Absorbed Better Than Pills and Other Traditional Vitamins?

The truth is both pills and gummy vitamins aren't designed for instant results. While it's evident that gummy vitamins have more downsides than traditional multis, many of us, especially seniors, hate swallowing pills and tablets — in this case, powder supplements like Root'd would be our best option!

Unlike gummy vitamins that typically have fewer nutrients and contain high amounts of sugar, Root'd is a sugar-free electrolyte and multivitamin powder packed with 25 essential vitamins and minerals recommended by the FDA. It's also infused with probiotics and enzymes to promote better digestion and absorption. *

You can also read a separate blog we’ve created to help you weigh the pros and cons of gummy vitamins compared to pills and powder supplements.

While it’s vital to ensure that your body efficiently absorbs the nutrients from supplements, it’s also important to know how much of these vitamins you can only take to avoid toxicity or hypervitaminosis. 

How Many Gummy Vitamins Can You Take a Day?

The amount it takes before you overdose on gummy vitamins depends as each brand differs in terms of formulations. Your age, gender, weight, and any underlying health issues also play an important role in determining the right dosage for you.

Men should not take more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) of sugar per day, and no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) for women, as recommended by the American Heart Association. Taking gummy vitamins will likely make a dent in your daily threshold since they typically contain 2-8 grams of sugar per serving. Too much sugar contributes zero nutrients but an insane amount of added calories that may lead to obesity or worse, poor heart health. * So, instead of looking for the best gummy vitamins, aim to maintain a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

What Happens if You Eat Too Many Gummy Vitamins?

A boy who ate 150 gummy vitamins for breakfast was rushed to the emergency room with a broken arm after tripping and experiencing muscle weakness and stomach pain. Having a fractured arm was already bad, but things got worse when he lost consciousness and slipped into a coma. Physical and blood examinations also revealed that the patient was dehydrated due to profuse urination.

Other common symptoms of vitamin overdose are:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Seizures
• Headache
• Bloated tummy
• Diarrhea or Constipation

Kids naturally love sweet treats, so they may find it hard to differentiate gummy vitamins from typical candies. In fact, Poison Control Center gets phone calls almost every day about kids accidentally eating too many gummy vitamins. While this incident is usual among children, adults may also have the tendency to ingest larger-than-normal-dose. It’s important that we know how to handle this kind of situation to avoid further complications.

What to Do if You Eat Too Many Gummy Vitamins?

Here are recommended steps to do as first aid if you or your kid ingested too many gummy vitamins or other forms of supplements:

1. Wipe and rinse your mouth.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Immediately contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. You can also check webPOISONCONTROL for specific guidance based on age, substance, weight, and amount of ingested.
4. Strictly follow the recommendations from Poison Control. They may advise you to go or take your child to the emergency room, where experts can monitor symptoms and assist in flushing the toxins out of the body.
5. If possible, document the number of vitamins and the time you or your child took them to help determine toxicity.