Vitamin A poisoning

Excessive intake of vitamin A by the human body can cause poisoning syndrome, called Vitamin A toxicity. It was first reported in the 1960s. Arctic explorers developed headaches, vomiting, and drowsiness within hours of eating polar bear livers. 90 to 95% of vitamin A in humans and animals is stored in the liver. In recent years, due to the abuse of vitamin A concentrates in China, the number of people who have symptoms of poisoning has continued to increase, mainly because parents lack the knowledge of rational application of vitamin A. They believe that the more dosage is better, the medical staff also lack vigilance and deserve attention. According to research, infants and young children who take vitamin A at a dose of more than 300,000 international units (containing vitamin A850 international units per gram of common cod liver oil; vitamins 5 to 65,000 international units per gram of cod liver oil) can cause acute poisoning. Chronic poisoning can occur if you take 50,000-100,000 international units daily for about 6 months. In addition, children's sensitivity and tolerance to vitamin A can have large individual differences, and some children may also experience mild symptoms of poisoning when taking cod liver oil that does not exceed the above range.

Was this article helpful?

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.