Multivitamin, Iron and Gummy Overdose: First Steps and Poison Help

Urgent: what to do first

In the United States, if a child or anyone may have swallowed too many vitamins, iron or gummies, act now. Do not wait for symptoms.

• Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. MedlinePlus says this national toll-free line reaches your local poison control center from anywhere in the US. It is free and confidential, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can call for any reason. [1]
• Call 911 (or your local emergency number). MedlinePlus says to call the local emergency number (such as 911) if someone has overdosed. [1] The NHS (UK) lists loss of consciousness, stopped breathing, severe difficulty breathing and a seizure as signs that need an emergency response. [2]
• If it was on purpose, call 911, or call 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US). MedlinePlus notes an overdose can be by accident or on purpose. [1]
• Do not make the person vomit and do not give anything to eat or drink. The NHS (UK) gives this first-aid advice for poisoning because the person could choke. [2]
• Have this ready: the person's age, weight and condition; the product name, with ingredients and strength if known; the time it was swallowed; and how much was swallowed. [1] Take the container to the hospital if possible. [1]

Outside the US, see Poison Help by country. The general steps are on poisoning: what to do first.

This page is not a substitute for expert help. MedlinePlus says its overdose article should not be used to treat or manage an actual overdose. [1]

Why iron is the main concern

Iron deserves special mention because the sources we read describe an iron overdose as especially dangerous for children.

• MedlinePlus says iron overdose is particularly dangerous for children, and a severe overdose can happen if a child eats adult multivitamins, such as prenatal vitamins. [1]
• If a child eats too many pediatric multivitamins, the effect is usually minor, according to the same page. [1] That is not a reason to leave any product within a child's reach.
• The NHS says very high doses of iron can be fatal, particularly if taken by children. [3]
• MedlinePlus notes children may eat large amounts of iron pills because they look like candy. [1]

Not every multivitamin contains iron. See multivitamins with and without iron and iron overdose and child safety.

What an iron overdose can look like

MedlinePlus describes the pattern as follows. This is for recognizing a problem, not for deciding that nothing is wrong.

Symptoms can take hours or days to start with some poisons, according to the NHS, so a lack of symptoms is not reassurance. [2] The NHS notes that someone without symptoms may not need treatment but may still need monitoring for several hours. [2]

In hospital, treatment may include fluids, tests that check iron levels, and medicine to help remove iron from the body. [1] MedlinePlus says the sooner a person is treated, the better the chance of survival. [1]

Gummy vitamins and other formulas

Proper evidence not found for overdose data specific to gummies. We searched MedlinePlus, the NHS and NCCIH pages for gummy vitamin overdose and found general poisoning advice only. The same first steps apply to any vitamin, gummy, chewable, powder or blend: call Poison Help with the product in hand. Poison Help can advise on products not covered here; MedlinePlus says you can call with any questions about poisoning. [1]

Other ingredients can also cause harm in large amounts. For example, the NHS says taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period can build up calcium in the body, weakening the bones and damaging the kidneys and heart. [4] Do not assume a vitamin is safe because it is sold without a prescription. For product-specific questions, ask Poison Help.

Preventing a child from reaching supplements

• The NHS advises storing medicines and chemicals out of reach of children, ideally in a locked cupboard. [2]
• MedlinePlus advises keeping dangerous products where children cannot get to them. [5]
• Do not call vitamins "candy" and do not leave them on a counter, in a bag or in a purse.
• For gummy and chewable products, see children's multivitamins.

After the emergency

Tell the child's pediatrician or your own clinician what happened and which product it was. To check what is in a product, read the Supplement Facts panel guide.