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Think you can’t overdose on face cream? Or the more vitamins and minerals you take, the better?
Think again. As our beauty routines become more complicated, we need to be wary of inadvertently overdosing on ingredients or mixing and matching products with potentially dangerous results.
“We’re overloading ourselves with too many topical products and crazy amounts of supplements,” says aesthetics expert Dr. Mervyn Patterson of Woodford Medical.
It warns that this can cause skin damage, interfere with medical tests, and possibly lead to serious health problems.
Keep reading to know more…
Be aware of biotin
Biotin, or B7, is a very popular vitamin and widely used in supplements for hair, skin and nails. It is water soluble, meaning it does not accumulate in the body and large quantities are not needed. “Biotin is only useful as a supplement if you have a deficiency,” says nutritionist Emma Bardwell, who warns that overuse can carry dangers, including interference with thyroid and heart tests.
Last year, the British Generic Manufacturers Association wrote to healthcare professionals warning that biotin may affect thyroid function outcomes, and patients should be asked about using biotin or supplements for skin, nails and hair before performing the test.
Surprisingly, biotin can also interfere with cardiac test results. In 2019, the FDA recalled that high doses of biotin can significantly interfere with tests used to measure troponin, a protein in the heart muscle that is released into the bloodstream during a heart attack, with concerns about falsely high or low results depending on the proof.
“If you go to hospital with chest pain, your troponin levels will be measured,” says Dr Oliver Guttmann, consultant cardiologist at Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK. “Biotin could be used to check these levels, so a biotin supplement may affect the measurement. The concern is falsely low/negative troponin levels, as heart attacks can go undetected.’
Likewise, biotin is used to monitor the thyroid, so erroneous measurements may occur. Dr. Guttman says falsely high and low measurements have been detected, depending on which tests were used.
The NHS says less than 0.9 mg a day is unlikely to cause harm. But in the wild west of the supplement world, it’s easy to buy tablets containing up to 12 mg. While the packaging recommends consulting a doctor or pharmacist in case you are taking medications or have any medical conditions, we are so conditioned to consider supplements safe, how many actually do? Make sure you follow their advice.
Be careful with vitamin A
Hailed as a wonder skincare ingredient, retinol increases collagen production. But in April this year, the EU warned about overexposure and is implementing new legislation to limit retinol levels in products.
Experts warn that excessive use of retinol (applied in the form of creams and serums) can irritate and thin the skin.
“The contribution of vitamin A from cosmetic products to overall consumer exposure, although low, may be of concern for consumers with the highest vitamin A exposure (5 percent of the total population) from of foods and food supplements,” stated the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety.
‘If you have too high a concentration in your system, it can damage the liver and cause thinning of the bones. “I wouldn’t be as concerned about skin irritation as I would be about the systemic effect,” says Dr. Patterson, although he cautions that overuse of retinol alone can irritate and thin the skin.
The UK RDA for women is 600 mcg (men’s is 700 mcg), while the NHS website recommends not exceeding 1,500 mcg through food and supplements. The Mayo Clinic warns that more than 3,000 mcg daily in the long term can cause the problems already mentioned, as well as joint and bone pain, headaches, nausea and diarrhea.
Vitamin A is often marketed as a beauty supplement that can be purchased cheaply and easily in very high doses. In fact, it’s feasible to take one, along with a general multivitamin (which provides more than 100 percent of your daily needs), eat a serving of spinach and carrots, and then use a topical cream containing retinol, all of which adds up to almost 10,000 mcg. .
…and with too much vitamin C
“The recommended daily dose for adults is 40 mg a day, but this is the lowest level, to prevent things like scurvy,” says Bardwell. ‘There is a tendency to take very high doses of vitamin C for skin health and immunity. The upper limit is 2,000 mg per day and even 1,000 mg can cause stomach problems: nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal discomfort.
It is easy to consume these levels, especially in powder form. “High doses are unlikely to cause harm, but they certainly can cause discomfort when taken orally, and are likely to be very expensive intravenously.”
Don’t mix and match
If you’re a fan of the TikTok trend of layering skincare products, be careful, as mixing ingredients can be harmful.
“The skin can only absorb so much and mixing products can be problematic,” says Dr. Patterson. Retinol (or other forms of vitamin A) and vitamin C cream applied at the same time can cause irritation, as can vitamin C and AHAs, or retinol and salicylic acid, which can be overly drying to the skin.
Dr. Patterson advises against using two products with the same active ingredients and “limiting yourself to five basic products from the same range.”
Something smells bad…
Ideally, we should consume our omega-3, for example, in oily fish. In addition to this, those taking blood thinners should use supplements, which are said to help combat dry, irritated skin and improve hair and nail health, with caution due to fears of an increased risk of bleeding.
Omega-3 supplements should be used with caution by those taking blood thinners.
“Too high a dose of omega-3 can change how the body uses it, which could make warfarin (anticoagulant) more powerful,” says Dr. Guttman.
The British Heart Foundation recommends that if you take omega-3 supplements, aim for approximately 450mg per day (and choose those that contain omega-3s DHA and EPA). It is known that fish oil can thin the blood; A study of 56 healthy adults taking 640 mg daily for a month decreased clotting.
Dr. Guttman says, “People react differently, but stay within the recommended limits and tell your doctor about supplements.”
Other lesser-known side effects of very high doses of fish oil may include heartburn and diarrhea.