Side Effects of Vitamin A
There’s a saying that too much of a good thing can be bad and in the case of vitamin A, that’s definitely true. If you’re getting a lot of vitamin A from your diet, you may want to think twice about taking extra vitamin A supplements.
Here are the recommended amounts to get based on age:
Adults: Less than 10,000 IU per day.
Ages 14-18: Less than 9300 IU per day.
Ages 9-13: Less than 5700 IU per day.
Ages 4-8: Less than 3000 IU per day.
Ages 3 and under: Less than 2000 IU per day.
Taking more than the recommended amounts may lead to the following side effects in adults:
Osteoporosis
Taking too much vitamin A has been linked to an increased incidence of osteoporosis and fractures in seniors.
Liver Damage
Too much vitamin A may cause liver damage, especially in people who already have liver disease or in alcoholics.
Digestive Problems
Excessive use of vitamin A may cause nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
Other side effects in adults may include fatigue, mental changes, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), weight loss, and more.
Children’s Side Effects
When children take more vitamin A than is recommended they may experience vomiting, diarrhea, headache, visual disturbances, fatigue, irritability, peeling skin, and more.
Pregnancy
Taking more than 10,000 IU of vitamin A per day during pregnancy, especially the first trimester, may be lead to birth defects. Make sure to keep a good tally of all the vitamin A you’re eating from all sources so that you don’t go overboard.
Type V Hyperlipoproteinemia
If you have Type V hyperlipoproteinemia, a form of high cholesterol, you may be more susceptible to vitamin A toxicity.
