Vitamin A – also known as retinol – is important for a healthy diet.
According to the NHS it boosts your immune system, helps vision in dim light and keeps skin healthy.
But having too much in your system can be toxic.
Indeed, the danger of too much vitamin A has been known for centuries.
According to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) a diary from 1547 refers to group of explorers falling ill after eating polar-bear liver, which contains high amounts of the vitamin.
These days our dietary sources of vitamin A are unlikely to include that particular animal.
Instead, we tend to get it from cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk and yoghurt, fortified low-fat spreads and a different liver – usually pork, beef or lamb.
You can also get it from eating beta-carotene rich foods such as spinach, carrots, red peppers and mango, since the body can convert the nutrient into vitamin A.
Additionally, some people may consume it in supplements – it’s present in many multivitamins and fish liver oil.
However, having too much vitamin A in your body can cause a condition called hypervitaminosis A.
It can be acute – happen over a few hours or days – or chronic – gradually building up over a long period of time, and excess amounts area stored in your liver.
Symptoms include changes to vision, bone pain and skin changes.
However, chronic toxicity can lead to liver damage and increased pressure on your brain.
Most people develop it after taking high-dose supplements.
Additionally, the NEJM study discovered a link between high amounts of vitamin A and risk osteoporosis and bone fracture.
Other potential complications include liver damage and kidney damage due to excess calcium.
According to the NHS, having more than an average of 1.5mg a day of vitamin A over many years may make them more likely to fracture when you’re older.
This is a particular concern for older women who are already at risk of osteoporosis.
The Department of Health recommends that if you take vitamin A supplements you shouldn’t eat liver or liver products, such as pâté, more than once a week.
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