Vitamin A is one of several vitamins required in a healthy diet. Found in several forms, with varying activity in your cells, vitamin A supports your vision, helps maintain a functional immune system and plays in a role in the development and maturation of several cell types. Vitamin A palmitate, a specific form of vitamin A, can benefit your health when consumed in moderation, but it can also cause toxicity when consumed in large amounts.
Reason for Toxicity
There are several different forms of vitamin A found within your diet and in supplements, and not all of these are toxic. Many foods contain vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, an inactive vitamin precursor that does not cause toxicity. However, vitamin A palmitate is a preformed, biologically active form of vitamin A, which accumulates in your body and eventually has a toxic effect on your cells. Due to this accumulation, as well as the biological activity of the compound, you can overdose on vitamin A palmitate, causing a condition called hypervitaminosis A, or vitamin A toxicity.
Toxic Intake Levels
Due to its potential toxicity, you must monitor your intake of vitamin A palmitate. Vitamins and other dietary supplements -- like cod liver oil -- contribute to your vitamin A intake and can potentially cause toxicity. In general, you should limit your total vitamin A consumption to less than 3,000 mcg, or 10,000 IU, daily, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. If you consume large amounts of vitamin A palmitate-containing supplements and exceed your upper tolerable intake level for the nutrient, you might develop acute or chronic hypervitaminosis A.
Short-Term Effects
Shortly following one or a few large doses of vitamin A palmitate, you might develop acute hypervitaminosis A. As a short-term effect of this toxicity, your body might try to eliminate any unabsorbed vitamin in your digestive tract via vomiting or diarrhea, and you might experience headaches or irritability. Without medical attention, you run the risk of developing more serious symptoms as a result of the overdose.
Chronic Effects
Prolonged exposure to excess vitamin A can also cause long-term or even irreparable tissue damage. Vitamin A palmitate toxicity harms your brain by increasing intracranial pressure, and it can also damage your nerves and increase your risk of seizure. In addition, vitamin A palmitate accumulation proves toxic to your liver, causing liver swelling and possibly leading to jaundice. Finally, vitamin A palmitate can alter your blood calcium levels, possibly leading to kidney toxicity.
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