Hypervitaminosis A is having too much vitamin A in the body.
There are two types of vitamin A hypervitaminosis:
Chronic vitamin A toxicity develops after taking too much vitamin A for long periods.
Treatment involves simply stopping the use of too much vitamin A.
Most people fully recover.
Taking too much vitamin A during pregnancy may cause abnormal development in the developing baby. Talk to your health care provider about eating a proper diet while you are pregnant.
Call your health care provider if you think that you or your child may have taken too much vitamin A, or you have symptoms of excess vitamin A.
To avoid hypervitaminosis A, avoid taking more than the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin. Recent emphasis on vitamin A and beta carotene as anticancer vitamins may contribute to chronic hypervitaminosis A, if people take more than is recommended.
Vitamin A toxicity
Mason JB. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 225.
Zile MH. Vitamin A deficiencies and excess. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW III, Schor NF, Behrman RE, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 45.
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
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