The hypervitaminosis A or excess vitamin A in the body it can cause, among others, the following symptoms:
Hair loss. Dry skin. Joint weakness. Lack of appetite. Blurred vision. Irritability. Drowsiness. Chapped lips. Headaches. Hypercalcemia. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
As a measure to return to normal levelsit would be appropriate to eliminate the intake of any product that provides vitamin A or even limit some foods.
How do I know if I have a high level of vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a vitamin that can be found in foodand that is of the type liposoluble (absorbed in a fatty medium) and stored in the body in the liver.
The fact that it is stored in the body together with a high administration of it, can cause excess.
exist two types of vitamin A:
Preformed Vitamin Awhich is found in foods such as liver, eggs, dairy products, or oily fish.Provitamin A carotenoidswhich are transformed into vitamin A within the body, whose main sources are vegetables, fruits and vegetables (mainly orange in color), the most characteristic being beta-carotene.
An excess of this vitamin could cause some of these symptoms:
Anemia. Bone and muscle pain. Diarrhea. Double vision. Hair loss. Lack of muscle coordination (ataxia). Enlargement of the liver and spleen. Loss of appetite. Nausea.
Important: If you are a smoker, recent research has shown that using beta-carotene products is associated with increasing the risk of lung cancer.
If you suffer from any of the symptoms described, chronicallyyou can consult with your doctor to confirm it through blood tests, so you can check blood levels, Just as you can ask about the diet you follow and whether you use products.
Serum LevelsValores (mcg/dl)Low 60
At this point we emphasize that beta-carotene is not toxic even in high doses, because the body can transform it into vitamin A as needed.
Causes of excess vitamin A
Excessive supplementation: Do not follow the instructions for use of food supplements and ingest high quantities of the product.Acute intoxication: Hypervitaminosis that occurs from ingesting high amounts in a short period of time.Chronic poisoning: Hypervitaminosis that occurs as a consequence of ingesting high amounts (> 25,000 IU per day) and for a long time.Lack of coordination in the consumption of supplements and certain medications: The co-ingestion of products that are a source of vitamin A and that add up to amounts exceeding the daily dose.
How to regulate excess vitamin A?
The most effective way to begin treating excess vitamin A will be stop taking sources of said vitamin (such as products and foods rich in it).
For example, if we find ourselves taking a “Cod Liver” product which is quite rich in vitamin A and, at the same time, we also take another product that directly provides said vitamin, we could be exceeding the daily dose.
When reducing or eliminating food sources, we must make sure to continue maintaining others that nourish us correctly.
Such as avoiding vitamin A deficiency is important, the opposite is identical, avoiding vitamin A toxicityand we once again emphasize the importance of moderation and monitoring of the recommended daily doses when we find ourselves taking vitamin A food supplements,
Special mention goes to the pregnantsince ingesting high amounts of vitamin A could cause malformations in the fetus.
Most people make a full recovery within a few weeks. In most important conditions (such as liver or kidney damage) the doctor will be able to apply the appropriate pharmacological treatment.
Conclusion
Although it is a not very common conditionas long as the daily dose is kept adjusted and do not ingest huge (and meaningless) quantities of the vitamin, we can rest assured. Those people who have developed hypervitaminosis, by stopping taking the product, will be able to return to normal levels around 4 weeks approximately.Remember the importance of maintain a nutritional balance and contact your doctor If you experience any of the symptoms of hypervitaminosis A.
Bibliographic Sources
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/medical-tests/vitamin-a-blood-testhttps://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/002400.htm
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2024-03-27 08:59:01
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