Are You Taking Too Many Vitamins? The Critical Nutrients You Need and the Ones You Don’t Need As Much Of with Chris Kresser

Oct 6, 2025

Chris Kresser, a leading functional medicine clinician and author, dives into the complexities of nutrient supplementation. He emphasizes that more isn’t always better, particularly with vitamins like D and K2. Kresser explains the risks of over-supplementation and highlights the importance of getting nutrients from whole foods, especially nutrient-rich organ meats. He also shares practical tips on how to incorporate these foods into your diet and discusses common nutrient deficiencies and the impact of bioavailability on absorption.

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ADVICE

Safe Vitamin D Testing And Dosing

Test vitamin D and avoid long-term very high doses unless supervised.
Start with 2,000–4,000 IU/day and adjust by testing, using 40–60 ng/mL as a target range.

INSIGHT

Vitamin D Should Be Personalized

Individual vitamin D needs vary widely by genetics, skin, body composition, and location.
A personal vitamin D range is better than a one-size-fits-all target and 40–60 ng/mL fits most people.

ADVICE

Pair Vitamin D With Cofactors

Always pair vitamin D with cofactors like K2, magnesium, and vitamin A when supplementing.
These nutrients guide calcium to bones and reduce the risk of soft-tissue calcification and toxicity.

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This episode is brought to you by Maui Nui and AquaTru.

Getting the right nutrients is essential. But in today’s world, more isn’t always better. From vitamins to organ meats, Chris Kresser breaks down what we actually need, what we’re missing, and where we might be overdoing it.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, we’re revisiting one of our most talked-about moments with Chris Kresser. He explains how the body naturally processes nutrients from whole foods compared to the impact of over-supplementation in our modern world. Chris highlights the importance of vitamin D, K2, and magnesium, as well as the benefits of organ meats and concerns surrounding bioavailability.

Chris Kresser, M.S., L.Ac., is cofounder of the California Center for Functional Medicine, founder of the Kresser Institute, and host of the top-ranked podcast Revolution Health Radio. A New York Times bestselling author and one of the most respected voices in Functional Medicine and ancestral health, Chris has trained over 2,000 clinicians worldwide. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in health and fitness by Greatist and has appeared in major outlets like Time, The Atlantic, NPR, and Fox.

In this episode, Dhru and Chris dive into:

Which nutrients you can get too much of (1:57)
Optimal vitamin D levels and the risks of over-supplementation (4:07)
Vitamin K2 and magnesium in conjunction with vitamin D (11:01)
Nutrient-rich organ meats and tips for adding them to your diet (12:41)
Key nutrients missing from most diets (24:06)
Calcium and bioavailability (27:29)
Final thoughts (29:59)

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