The video explores the safety of vitamin A, addressing concerns about its toxicity and scarcity in food. It highlights rare instances of toxicity from excessive consumption of polar bear and chicken liver in infants. The comparison between synthetic and natural vitamin A is made, with emphasis on the toxic side effects of the synthetic version. The potential for toxicity from vitamin A supplements is also discussed, though such cases are rare.
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Myth or Fact: Is Vitamin A Actually Dangerous?
Transcript
Myth or fact is vitamin A actually dangerous? Vitamin A has been much maligned. People accuse it of being toxic, dangerous, and some suggest that we avoid it altogether a lot. Do people say that? Is there any truth to it? This video will explain. The first thing to know is that unsafe or toxic vitamin A intake from foods is almost unknown. There are rare cases of vitamin A toxicity from ingestion of polar bear liver and one documented case of infants who are fed very large amounts of chicken liver puree every day for months. Fortunately, the effects of vitamin A toxicity wear off quickly when vitamin A intake is stopped or brought down to normal levels. Other than those unusual instances, vitamin A toxicity just isn’t seen from foods. So if vitamin A toxicity from foods is so rare, then how did Vitamin A get its bad rap? There is a synthetic form of vitamin called iso retinoid that was introduced to the market in the 1980s for treatment of severe acne. Although helpful for acne, isot, Tritin has many toxic side effects, especially if taken during pregnancy Since that time, however, there appears to be more suspicion and confusion and unfounded rumor about the safety of natural vitamin A. Although isotretinoin is a synthetic form of vitamin A, it really can’t be compared to natural vitamin A in terms of safety. What about vitamin A supplements? It is possible for people to take too much vitamin A from supplements, however reported incidences of vitamin A toxicity are rare and have historically averaged fewer than 10 cases per year. Worldwide staying within recommended daily intake levels and vitamin A supplements are perfectly safe. Still not sure think you should get all of your vitamin A from carrots. Is vitamin A safe during pregnancy? Check out my other videos on vitamin A to find out and if you wanna know anything else about vitamin A questions or comments, put them below.