A vitamin A deficiency or overdose can be extremely dangerous, according to a new study.
Researchers say the nutrient plays a crucial role in energy production within cells and that too much or too little can have a complex negative effect on the body.
“Although vitamin A deficiency is not very common in our society, over-use of this vitamin could cause significant disregulation of energy production impacting cell growth and cell death,” said the studys co-author Ulrich Hammerling.
Researchers involved with the study say their findings are particularly important because combinations of foods, drinks, creams and containing added vitamin A make an overdose more possible than ever before.
“Using too many products enriched with vitamin A could lead to negative, even fatal, consequences,” said Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB Journal.
According to WebMD, vitamin A is key for good vision, a healthy immune system and cell growth. The recommended dietary allowance for adult females is 700 micrograms per day and 900 micrograms per day for male adults.
Dietary sources of the vitamin include eggs, whole milk, liver and fortified cereals.