Fat- vs. water-soluble Risks of high doses Risk of death Safety Bottom line Taking vitamins is part of the daily routine of millions of people worldwide. The correct amount of vitamin A is crucial for the development of a fetus. Use to remove results with certain terms Most people improve simply by decreasing their intake of vitamin A. Collagen supplements can help improve skin health. Natural Medicines. In 2017, vitamins were responsible for 59,761 toxic exposures in the United States, 42,553 of which were in children under age 5, as listed by the National Poison Data System. More recent findings, however, indicate that retinoids can be delivered to tissues through multiple overlapping delivery pathways, involving chylomicrons, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), retinoic acid bound to albumin, water-soluble -glucuronides of retinol and retinoic acid, and provitamin A carotenoids. Accessed Aug. 17, 2017. While rare, taking too much vitamin A, D, or E can lead to potentially harmful side effects (5). National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. For example, vitamin D deficiencies are often treated with high-dose vitamin D injections or supplements that deliver over 50,000 IU of vitamin D, which is much more than the UL (26). Vitamin A doses are measured in micrograms of retinol activity equivalents (mcg RAE). (See also Overview of Vitamins Overview of Vitamins Vitamins are a vital part of a healthy diet. While some diseases and conditions can be helped by elevated vitamin use, a healthcare professional should always be consulted before following high-dose vitamin regimens. However, taking in too much of it can have toxic effects on the body a condition known as hypervitaminosis A. Here's how to recognize the symptoms of vitamin A toxicity and how to treat it. Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Getting the right amount of vitamin A in your diet, bulging of the soft spot on the top of an infants skull, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114665/, merckmanuals.com/home/disorders-of-nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-a, merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional-disorders/vitamin-deficiency%2c-dependency%2c-and-toxicity/vitamin-a, lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-A, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/, mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-a/NS_patient-vitamina, 6 Health Benefits of Vitamin A, Backed by Science, The 4 Best At-Home Vitamin D Tests of 2023, 11 Best Postnatal Vitamins of 2023, According to a Dietitian, orange and yellow vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots), fortified foods (which have added vitamins) like cereal. Although not considered part of standard treatment, they might be of some benefit to humans. Pregnant people should avoid ingesting Vitamin A supplements during pregnancy or while trying to conceive, as they can have teratogenic effects, which leads to developmental disturbances of the embryo/fetus. Vitamin B3 is used therapeutically to manage cholesterol. The recommended daily amount for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 90 mg a day for men. Vitamin E appears to be an effective treatment in rabbits, This page was last edited on 9 June 2023, at 18:20. Vitamin E also has antioxidant properties. Potential complications of excess vitamin A include: Your doctor will start by asking you about your symptoms and medical history. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adult men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) is 900 MCG REA, or 3,000 international units (IU). Patients who take a variety of supplements are getting much more vitamin A than they should, says Dr. Young. include protected health information. Too much vitamin A can have harmful effects (toxicity). The signs of vitamin A poisoning can be sudden or delayed in onset. health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health Evidence Research on oral vitamin A for specific conditions shows: Acne. See additional information. What is Accutane? Yet, when taken in concentrated doses in supplement form, its easy to take too much, and doing so can lead to negative health outcomes. Answer: Most traditional fish oil supplements (from the oil in fish meat) do not contain significant amounts of vitamin A and should not be of concern when taken with a multivitamin. Vitamin A helps keep skin and mucous membranes that line the nose, sinuses, and mouth healthy. Overuse of supplements may lead to toxic effects in the body By Brandon Peters, MD Updated on March 22, 2020 Medically reviewed by Lana Butner, ND, LAc Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak Table of Contents View All What Are Vitamins? This condition may be acute or chronic. Free radicals might play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. More commonly, oversupplementation of vitamin A for weeks to months can eventually result in a poor hair coat, rough or dry skin . Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is found in chicken, egg yolks, dairy, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, kale, cabbage, and broccoli. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins do not dissolve in water and are easily stored in your bodys tissues (2). Nevertheless, it is important to recognize the symptoms and understand the causes of vitamin toxicity. This content does not have an Arabic version. Rash, which may cause the affected skin to peel later. Niacin fact sheeet for health professionals. Its important to note that while these vitamins have no observable toxicity, some of them may interact with medications and interfere with blood testing results. Common symptoms include: In acute vitamin A toxicity cases, symptoms should resolve over time. Postnatal vitamins are crucial to feeling your best after giving birth. Find out how it can disrupt your bodys. Both types usually cause headache and increased intracranial pressure. What is hypervitaminosis A? . It reduces the amount of oil released by oil glands in your skin, and helps your skin renew itself more quickly. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Please confirm that you are not located inside the Russian Federation. Anyone who is pregnant should consult a doctor before taking any supplemental vitamins. For example, taking very high doses of vitamin B6 can lead to potentially irreversible nerve damage over time, while taking large amounts of niacin typically in excess of 2 grams per day can cause liver damage (3, 4). Here are the 8 most common signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Last medically reviewed on January 20, 2020, While vitamin A deficiency is rare in developed countries, certain people may be at a higher risk. The doctor will also ask about any vitamins or medications a person is taking. More research is needed to fully elucidate the effects. Are they safe, and do they work? Fractures may occur easily, especially in older people. Overdosing on certain vitamins can lead to serious complications and, in rare circumstances, even death. It is found in milk, soy oil, and leafy greens. It is essential to store multivitamins and vitamin A supplements out of the reach of children. A look at deficiency in biotin, the B vitamin that helps the body convert carbohydrates. Hubbard BA, et al. Both acute and chronic types of hypervitaminosis A cause headaches and rashes. A healthy and varied diet will provide most people with enough vitamin A. Symptoms vary based on whether toxicity is acute or chronic. Fat-soluble vitamins are more likely to cause toxicity, although water-soluble vitamins can do so as well. For all adults, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) the most vitamin A one can take without experiencing negative health effects is 3,000 mcg RAE, or 10,000 IU. 2011;306(14):15491556. Symptoms arise as a result of altered bone metabolism and altered metabolism of other fat-soluble vitamins. With over 2,800 cancer clinical trials underway at Mayo Clinic, your generous gift could help us find answers and change lives for people with cancer. During pregnancy, 120 mg a day are recommended. Theres one very important exception to that rule: Vitamin A is teratogenic, which means it can cause fetal development issues. A person with acute hypervitaminosis A may experience one or more of the following symptoms: A person with chronic hypervitaminosis A may experience one or more of the following symptoms: For children, additional symptoms may include: For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub. Due to the way vitamins are absorbed and used by the body, some vitamins pose a lower risk of a onetime toxic dose. A unique symptom of excess beta-carotene consumption, called carotenodermia, causes a yellow or orange coloration of the skin, but this condition is not dangerous. These vitamins include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B7 (biotin), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) (9, 10, 11, 12, 13). People have daily or near daily headaches read more . While harmless, it is an important indicator of vitamin B3 toxicity. It's not clear if vitamin A supplements offer the same benefits as naturally occurring antioxidants in food. Informa Healthcare, 2nd edition. If you have questions regarding vitamin dosing, its best to consult a medical professional. This can happen if a person takes too many supplements or uses certain creams for acne over a prolonged period. When very large doses of vitamin A are ingested, dogs may develop rapid signs of vomiting, drowsiness, irritability, and peeling of the skin. [21] Children are particularly sensitive to vitamin A, with daily intakes of 1500 IU/kg body weight reportedly leading to toxicity. Antioxidants are substances that might protect your cells against the effects of free radicals molecules produced when your body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation. Foods that contain vitamin A include: According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended dietary allowances for vitamin A are: Taking more than the recommended daily allowance for several months can cause vitamin A toxicity. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA)the amount most healthy people need each day to remain healthyhas been determined for most vitamins. In addition to orange-colored vegetables and fruit carrots, sweet potatoes, squash and papayas you also need lycopene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein. Pre-vitamin D can be produced in the skin, but with more people spending the majority of their time indoors or living at latitudes with seasonally reduced sun, sunlit skin alone may not provide all the vitamin D needed. Facts & Comparisons eAnswers. The symptoms of a vitamin overdose depend on the vitamin and the amount taken. Multiple vitamin overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of multivitamin supplements.