Final answer:
While the body excretes excess water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C, making toxicity rare, excessive intake of vitamin C supplements when dietary intake is already sufficient could be unnecessary and result in wasting money.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a student asks whether she is wasting her money by consuming excess vitamin C which her body excretes, the answer is nuanced.
While the body does need vitamin C, it is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning any excess beyond what is required for normal bodily function is typically excreted in the urine.
This makes toxicity from overconsumption rare, but it also means that taking vitamin C supplements in excess of dietary needs could be seen as unnecessary spending if one's diet already provides sufficient vitamin C.
Vitamins like A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble and can be stored in body fat, leading to accumulation and potential toxicity if taken in excess.
Therefore, it's important for health maintenance that the supplementation of vitamins be aligned with individual dietary needs.
Discussing this with a health professional is recommended to determine the appropriate intake of vitamins.