vitamin A serum test is elevated to me...

Hi,

I had my blood serum test  for Vitamin A and it came back at 178? not sure what that means..but I looked it up and normal levels are from 50 to 200 micrograms?  well isnt my level elevated?  my doctor says its normal, but somehow I tend to get side effects from too much vitamin A even in my diet.
In 2000 I started taking supplements and the vitamin A was 5000IU, the supplements were from a health food Store.  I took those for a year and noticed my hair was shedding more than normal, but still continued the pills..as I had a very good diet,  and then stopped taking them when I  got pregnant and took Materna instead.  Shedding subsided a little. After the baby I started taking Centrum Forte for almost three years and I felt fine  physically, but I always had such oily skin and hair shedding all the time.  I would eat lots of dairy too, and on top of the supplements I already had a good diet.  I stopped taking the supplements in 2005.  My hair grew in again and my skin wasnt as oily..., until late 2006 started taking the childrens chewables as I got pregnant again and didnt want too much vitamin A.  I had a miscarriage in 2.5 months.   SO I took the  Serum test in the winter of 2007.  I noticed that whenever I stop eating foods rich in vitamin A I dont get the side effects, but as soon as I do , it starts over again.  I guess I must have overloaded all those years on it and now its become like toxic.  I wasnt really aware of the high levels of vitamin A and its side effects until now.
Now I am trying to avoid foods with this vitamin, especialy dairy, salmon and carrots.  
Can I ever bring this down to a normal level again?
What do you think about this?

[Renee Radenberg]

I have to agree with your MD that your Vitamin A blood levels are within normal limits. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin which means that it stays in our body. The vitamin can build up to toxic levels if mega-doses are taken. The recommended daily dose for Vitamin A for males is 900ug a day and non-pregnant females is 700ug. The tolerable upper intake level for both male and female is 3,000ug/day. Beta Carotene is the precursor to vitamin A and has no known negative effects except a yellow-orange coloring of the skin. Suggest you do not take any supplement and only intake beta-carotene food sources (bright orange and yellow fruit and vegetables) for benefit of the vitamin.

[kela712]

Hi,  

Thank you for replying to my question,  I know that vitamin A stays in our body which is why that scares me,  I now am always trying to monitor my diet that I dont get too much.
I noticed that even when I eat dairy, right away my skin gets oily.  Can vitamin A ever leave the body?  and what about eating my greens as you only mentioned orange and yellow vegetables.

thank you.

[Renee Radenberg]

Vitamin A is needed in the body for various functions. When we take supplements that are more than amount needed daily, then the body builds it up and can become a medical issue due to toxic levels. Your blood levels indicate normal levels so just consume the vitamin from plant sources and not from animal sources, since you state you have sensitivity to it. Yes, dark green vegetables have Vitamin A and beta-carotene in them too. I had forgotten to mention them. Thank you