“I took everything people said was good”... Supplement devotee distraught over “liver damage” says hair loss was “a bonus” [Smart Wellness]

[Financial News] As more content features pharmacists and influencers recommending supplements and organizing group buys, many people are being drawn in by videos and taking overlapping doses of multivitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other products. But even essential nutrients can turn into “toxins” if intake exceeds the body’s capacity to process them, so caution is needed.
Nutrients can cause serious illnesses not only when they are deficient but also when they build up in excess. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, which are excreted in urine, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals accumulate in the body and gradually become toxic. That is why health authorities and medical professionals have established an “upper intake level” for each nutrient.
Selenium, recently touted for boosting immunity and its antioxidant properties, has also been found to cause selenium toxicity (selenosis) when consumed in excess. According to a paper titled “Skin Manifestations of Social Media Diet and Supplement Trends” in Cureus, an international journal indexed in PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s database, excessive selenium intake can cause a metallic taste in the mouth, garlic-scented breath, chronic fatigue and gastrointestinal problems. If the side effects persist, hair follicle cells and nails can be damaged, leading to extensive hair loss as well as nail separation and deformity. The researchers warned that most symptoms improve once intake is stopped, but full recovery can take several months.
Vitamin A, essential for skin regeneration and protecting eyesight, also requires caution. Long-term, unsupervised use of high-dose vitamin A products or derivatives can shorten the hair growth cycle and cause extensive telogen hair loss, along with severe headaches from increased intracranial pressure and dry skin.Niacin (vitamin B3), one of the B vitamins involved in energy metabolism and relieving fatigue, is another substance to watch. It is commonly used in detox products and high-dose energy supplements, but taking too much can rapidly dilate capillaries, causing facial flushing, a burning sensation on the skin and itching. If this is mistaken for a simple allergic reaction and use continues, it can lead to liver toxicity.

Not all “essential supplements” are safe. According to a large cohort follow-up study by the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than 20% of all cases of drug-induced liver injury were attributed to health supplements (HDS) taken without a prescription, rather than prescription medications. The so-called “supplement cocktail”—mixing supplements without considering the body’s capacity to metabolize them—overloads the body’s detoxification system.
Information spreading on social media is also considered one of the factors encouraging supplement misuse. Much of the content featured in the media explains only isolated benefits of particular nutrients and fails to properly disclose daily upper intake levels or side effects.
Medical experts advised, “Taking more supplements isn’t better. The key is to precisely address nutrient deficiencies while staying within the upper limits,” adding, “Before taking an additional supplement, compare the full ingredient lists of the supplements you already take and check that you are not exceeding the daily upper intake level for any particular vitamin or mineral.”
Meanwhile, upper intake levels for nutrients can be found in the “Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans,” provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

[email protected] Kim Hyeon-seon Reporter