Brain Health Warning: Neurologist Says Zinc, Vitamin A & D May Be Toxic in Excess | Health

Neurologist says zinc, vitamin A and D may be toxic in excess

Your brain is a powerhouse of your overall health – coordinating your thoughts, emotions, and movements. According to experts, while billions of nerve cells in your brain make it possible for you to move around and function properly, it is important to take care of them. Taking supplements for strengthening your brain seems to be a good idea, but a neurologist has issued a stark warning saying that certain ones could prove “toxic” to your brain.

According to Dr Bai Bing Chen, if you fail to stick to a few recommended dosages of the dietary supplements, these could instead harm your overall brain and nervous system.

Supplements you must be aware of for brain health

Many people across the world depend on supplements that guarantee they get their daily dosage of macro- and micronutrients, which may be missing from their regular meals. A few of these are:

Zinc

While zinc is a commonly used mineral supplement that helps boost immunity and keep colds and coughs away, taking too much of it can be detrimental to your health. Zinc is essential for our bodies and can be found in multiple food sources. But the problem is when people take supplements daily for months, they can easily go over the safe limit,” Dr Bing told his followers on TikTok.

He said too much zinc disrupts copper absorption in your body – and low levels of copper can cause myeloneuropathy, which damages your spinal cord and leads to numbness, tingling, and trouble walking.

Dr Bing advises taking no more than 25 mg of zinc supplements daily to avoid any untoward health emergencies, which include anemia and weak bones.

Vitamin A

Also known as retinol, vitamin A has many vital functions for your brain. It supports neuroplasticity and synaptic connections – crucial for learning, memory, and overall cognitive health. It also regulates key genes that influence neurogenesis and neuronal survival – especially in your brain regions like the hippocampus. However, if the vitamin A levels in your body are not balanced, it can cause toxicity.

“Too much of this can lead to a condition called pseudotumor cerebri, which is increased pressure in the brain that mimics a brain tumour,” Dr Bing explained. The toxicity leads to:

Vitamin D

Vitamin D – one of the most crucial nutrients – supports your brain health by aiding neurological development and function, regulating neurotransmitters, and offering neuroprotective benefits like clearing amyloid plaques, reducing inflammation, and protecting against oxidative stress.

It is important to maintain adequate vitamin D levels; too much or too little can lead to a risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and neuropsychiatric conditions.

“Taking too high doses of vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in your blood, which can affect the brain, leading to things like confusion, fatigue, depression, and sometimes even psychosis,” said Dr Bing. If you take vitamin D supplements, take at least 10 micrograms a day, and exceeding the level can be harmful for both your brain and body.