Friday, February, 10, 2012

Hypervitaminosis A

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Vitamin A toxicity


Symptoms
  • Abnormal softening of the skull bone (craniotabes -- infants and children)
  • Blurred vision
  • Bone pain or swelling
  • Bulging fontanelle (infants)
  • Changes in consciousness
  • Decreased appetite
  • Dizziness
  • Double vision (young children)
  • Drowsiness
  • Headache
  • Increased intracranial pressure
  • Irritability
  • Liver damage
  • Nausea
  • Poor weight gain (infants and children)
  • Skin and hair changes
    • Cracking at corners of the mouth
    • Hair loss
    • Higher sensitivity to sunlight
    • Oily skin and hair (seborrhea)
    • Skin peeling, itching
    • Yellow discoloration of the skin
  • Vision changes
  • Vomiting

Signs and tests
  • Bone x-rays
  • Blood calcium test
  • Cholesterol test
  • Liver function test
  • Blood test to check vitamin A levels

Review Date: 05/23/2010
Reviewed 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., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)