For many of us, taking supplements is a good way to boost our levels of vitamins we may fall short on. On the other hand, many of us take these vitamin supplements without actually checking our levels to see if there is a need for them. When this occurs, it can increase the risk of vitamin overdosing, which can have very detrimental effects on your health.
Specifically, a recent study found that overdosing on vitamin A could increase the risk of osteoporosis, a bone disease that increases the risk of bone fractures.
Vitamin A overdose increases risk of bone fractures
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Reports on vitamin A show that it helps with vision and boosting your immune system, making it an essential vitamin to have in your body. On the other hand, and as with many things you put in your body, moderation is key.
Excessive amounts of vitamin A in the body have been found to be toxic, and these dangers have been known for centuries.
Vitamin A is found in foods like cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk, yogurt, spinach, carrots, red peppers, mangos, and in meat like pork, beef, or lamb. If your diet includes these foods, then you most likely will not need to supplement vitamin A. But as there is an increase in the use of multivitamins, many of us still ingest this additional amount.
One condition that can arise because of the build-up of too much vitamin A is hypervitaminosis A, which causes vitamin A to store in the liver and lead to vision, bone, and skin changes. In severe cases, the pressure in the liver caused by too much vitamin A can increase pressure on the brain.
An overdose of vitamin A is considered taking in over 1.5mg a day. The National Health Services suggests consuming more than that recommended amount over the course of years is what can contribute to vitamin A overdose.
Because women over the age of 50 are already more prone to osteoporosis, it’s even more important that this demographic avoid vitamin A overdose, as it can increase their risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
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It is recommended that if you are a female over the age of 50, you should avoid supplementing vitamin A and avoid organ foods like liver, which tend to be high in vitamin A. Instead, taking in the recommended amount through your diet, which should include a variety of foods, is enough to ensure you get adequate levels of vitamin A without the risk of overdosing.
If you’re concerned that you are deficient in vitamin A, or any vitamin for that matter, you should always speak to your doctor first and have yourself tested. Simply heading to the store and picking up a multivitamin may have long-term detrimental effects.
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