Vitamin A: Know what excess of this important vitamin can do to your body
Important point to know
Though vitamin A is essential for the body, several times we do not care about the dosage. Vitamins have always been seen as the saviors. However, the toxicity of vitamins is a fact.
Whenever you see the signs of vitamin toxicity, immediately consult your doctor and take necessary measures to detox yourself from the excess of vitamins.
Who is at more risk of a vitamin A overdose?
Women who are going through menopause and older men should avoid consuming more vitamin A. In a nutshell, people who are more at risk of having osteoporosis should be very careful about the vitamin A dosage. If these people are getting vitamin A food abundantly, they should avoid consuming the supplements in order to not put their body at risk.
What are the critical side effects of an overdose of vitamin A?
Apart from the mild signs mentioned above, which should not be ignored and taken to the notice of a doctor, there are several critical signs of a vitamin A overdose. These signs are:
- Liver damage
- Jaundice
- Severe pain in joint areas
- Unexplained headache
What happens when you over consume vitamin A?
The various side effects are:
- Vision issues
- Poor appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to sunlight
- Hair loss
- Headache
- Dry skin; which gets itchy sometimes
- Stunted growth
What is the normal intake amount of vitamin A?
As per the data gathered from several health agencies, the amount of vitamin A adults need is 700 micrograms for men and 600 micrograms for women.
Experts have said that one should always try to fulfill the vitamin A requirement from the diet itself.
Another interesting fact is that most of the vitamin A is stored in the body in the liver as retinyl esters.
Vitamin A or retinol improves vision
Vitamin A is known for its role in improving the vision of human eyes. Also known as retinol, vitamin A helps the body’s immune system work efficiently against illness and infection.
Apart from this, it also keeps the skin including the lining of the nose healthy.
It is also known to lower the risk of certain cancers like cervical, lung and bladder cancer.
Overconsumption of essential vitamins leads to toxicity
Vitamins are essential to the body, no doubt. But contrary to what many believe, an overdose of it does not give the body extra benefit or does not make the body retain the benefits. In fact, having excess vitamins, no matter how essential they are, leads to toxicity and has severe side effects on the body.
According to experts the side effects due to overconsumption of vitamin A can range from headache to liver damage to even birth defects.