What Happens to Your Body If You Eat Too Many Vitamin Gummies (2024)

If swallowing pills makes you grimace or you're unable to chew tablets safely, gummy vitamins may make an easy alternative that tastes yummy going down. While multivitamins have been available in the U.S. since the 1940s, per the National Institutes of Health, one company claims to have created the first gummy vitamin in 1997. Since then, many supplement brands have been producing these nutritious confections. According to Grand View Research, in 2022, the global dietary supplements market was valued at $163.9 million.

According to a 2020 study in Clinical Toxicology, 65% of gummy vitamins on the market are made for children (hence brightly colored character-themed packaging), yet, plenty of adults take gummy multivitamins too. "Multivitamins are supplements containing different minerals and vitamins that people need in order for their bodies to function properly. Many individuals don't get the required levels of essential nutrients from food intake, and this causes adverse health outcomes. Dietary supplements like multivitamins help bridge this gap," says Kevin Huffman, D.O., CEO and founder of AmBari Nutrition.

Whether it's berry punch or tropical citrus, their candy-like taste and texture are a good reminder to take them daily, especially for those who may forget about their multivitamins. On the flip side, their candy-like flavors may cause some to overeat gummy vitamins. So, what happens if you eat too many gummy vitamins? This article will be a tell-all about taking gummy vitamins in excess.

What Are Vitamin Gummies?

Gummy vitamins are gelatin-based alternatives to vitamins in powder, pill or other forms. While every gummy vitamin brand is unique, it's common for gummy vitamins to contain ingredients such as glucose syrup, sugar, water, fruit and vegetable juice concentrate, natural flavors and oils. Besides their various colors and shapes, gummy vitamins appeal to consumers due to their fruity flavors. Gummy vitamins can be multivitamins, single nutrients like the all-popular vitamin C gummies or offer a nutrient combo such as omega-3 gummies with vitamin D.

What Happens If You Eat Too Many Vitamin Gummies

Sweet, chewy and sometimes even coated in sugar—gummy vitamins resemble chewy candies in many ways, but the difference lies in their contents. Gummy vitamins contain essential nutrients and minerals, depending on the brand. Their flavors outshine chalky chewable vitamins and multivitamin pill aftertastes, which could be a risk factor for eating too many. Here are some things you may experience if you take too many gummy vitamins.

You May Experience Digestive Upset

"Signs that you may be taking too many vitamins at once include digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea," says Whitney Prude, Pharm.D., BCPS, NBC-HWC, owner of Whole & Happy Living. More specifically, excess amounts of vitamin D can raise calcium levels in your body and lead to nausea and vomiting. Magnesium is known for its laxative effects, and in large amounts, unabsorbed magnesium salts in the bowels could trigger gastric movement, leading to diarrhea, per the NIH. According to the NIH, zinc can also be a digestive delinquent when there's too much, causing nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and gastric distress.

Your Sense of Taste and Smell Could Be Off

Your favorite foods may smell or taste differently if you take too many nutrients. Aside from causing digestive problems, several nutrients taken in excess can influence your taste buds, altering your taste and smell. According to a 2021 review in the Australian Prescriber, zinc can change your taste and smell even at nontoxic levels. Selenium can leave behind "garlic breath" or a metallic taste, while a bitter taste in your mouth can signal too much folic acid.

You May Get Too Little or Too Much Iron

Low iron levels are common in early childhood and pregnancy, increasing the chances of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Iron can be difficult to add to gummy vitamins because of their taste and form; therefore, many brands leave them out. Young children and pregnant people at risk of iron deficiency should seek the help of a medical provider for iron supplementation. "While many gummy vitamin brands do not contain iron, be aware that some do. When eaten in excess, iron can have detrimental side effects ranging from gastrointestinal distress to iron poisoning," says Dahlia Rimmon, M.S., RDN.

You May Increase Your Intake of Added Sugars

Daily gummy vitamins could offer you more added sugars than you hoped. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage limiting added sugar intake to make room for nutrient-dense foods. Added sugars typically come from sweetened beverages, desserts, sweet snacks and candy. The American Heart Association encourages no more than 25 grams of added sugar daily intake for women and 36 grams for men. Some gummy vitamin varieties offer 3 to 8 grams of added sugar per serving, contributing anywhere from 8% to 32% of added sugar intake daily. "Although convenient and tasty, gummy vitamins may contain added sugars and calories, which can contribute to weight gain and dental issues if consumed excessively," says Prude. People who may need to watch their added sugar intake closely to help better manage their blood sugars may need a gummy vitamin with low amounts of added sugar or switch to vitamin form free of added sugars.

How Much Is Too Much?

"If you are taking more than the recommended number of vitamins on the bottle, you are taking too many. Some people think that "if some are good, then more is better." This is simply not the case. Vitamins and supplements are not benign, and they do have side effects and can be dangerous when taken above the recommended amount," says Prude. Many gummy multivitamins carry fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as omega-3 fats and choline. Here are a few common types of nutrients they may contain:

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

"Fat-soluble vitamins —vitamins A, D, E and K— have the potential to accumulate in the body and reach toxic levels if taken in excessive amounts over time," says Prude.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

"Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and the B vitamins are typically excreted through urine if taken in excess, but extremely high doses can still lead to adverse effects," says Prude.

Minerals

Calcium, potassium and magnesium are minerals that many gummy vitamins contain. But like vitamins, excess amounts of minerals can cause harm. "Taking too much of certain vitamins or minerals can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients. For example, taking high doses of calcium can interfere with your body's ability to absorb iron, which may lead to iron deficiency. Plus, high doses of zinc over an extended period of time can result in a copper deficiency," says Alyssa Pacheco, RD.

Below is a breakdown of nutrients common to gummy vitamins, the upper limit (UL, the level at which they become toxic) and how many gummy vitamins you must take to reach toxicity. Please note the table serves as just an example, since it's only based on one vitamin brand—Smarty Pants Kids Formula and Smarty Pants Adult Formula. The specific number of gummies it takes to meet the UL depends on the brand, and many gummy vitamin brands are on the market. You can see that for most of the given nutrients, it would take a massive amount of gummies to reach the UL for this particular brand. However, other gummy brands may contain far more nutrients than this.