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vitamin A

Dosage: RDA: 1) adults & children > 10 years: 5000 IU 2) children 7-10 years: 3300-3500 IU 3) children 4-6 years: 2500 IU 4) children 6 months-3 years: 1500-2000 IU 5) infants up to 6 months: 1500 IU 1 mg = 3333 units severe deficiency: 1) 100,000 IU/day for 3 days 2) followed by 50,000 IU daily for 2 weeks 3) then 10,000-20,000 IU daily for 2 months Capsule: 25,000 units, 50,000 units Pharmacokinetics: - retinyl esters are storage forms of vitamin A Adverse effects: 1) not common (1-10%) -> irritability, vertigo, lethargy, malaise, fever, headache, drying or cracking of skin, hypercalcemia, weight loss, visual changes, hypervitaminosis 2) fracture a) 2-fold increase risk of fractures in postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy with high intake of vitamin A b) high serum levels of retinol (but not beta-carotene) associated with 1.6 fold increased risk of fracture in 50-75 year old men [4] Drug interactions: 1) carbamazepine: increased clearance of carbamazepine 2) cholestyramine, mineral oil: decreased absorption of vit A 3) oral contraceptives: increased absorption of vit A 4) isotretinoin, etretinate: increased toxicity 5) vitamin A can antagonize the ability of vitamin D to enhance Ca+2 absorption [3]

Related

vitamin A deficiency (hyporetinemia)

Specific

alpha-carotene beta-carotene retinol; vitamin A1

General

vitamin

Properties


References

  1. Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs, Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al eds, 1998
  2. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998
  3. Prescriber's Letter 9(2):8 2002
  4. Journal Watch 23(5):42, 2003 Micahaelsson K et al Serum retinol levels and the risk of fracture. N Engl J Med 348:287, 2003 PMID: 12540641 Lips P Hypervitaminosis A and fractures. N Engl J Med 348:347, 2003 PMID: 12540650
  5. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA National Formulary

Component-of

alpha tocopherol/ascorbate/biotin/biotin/cobalamin/ergocalciferol/folic acid/multivitamin/nicotinamide/panthenol/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin k alpha tocopherol/ascorbate/biotin/cholecalciferol/cobalamin/folic acid/nicotinamide/panthenol/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin k alpha tocopheryl acetate/ascorbate/cholecalciferol/cobalamin/nicotinamide/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a ascorbate/biotin/calcium carbonate/cobalamin/ferrous fumarate/folic acid/magnesium oxide/nicotinamide/pantothenate/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin e/zinc oxide ascorbate/biotin/calcium carbonate/cobalamin/ferrous fumarate/folic acid/magnesium oxide/nicotinamide/pantothenate/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin e/zinc/zinc oxide ascorbate/cholecalciferol/cobalamin/copper sulfate/ferrous fumarate/folic acid/kelp/magnesium oxide/magnesium sulfate/nicotinamide/pyridoxine/riboflavin/vitamin a/zinc sulfate ascorbate/cholecalciferol/cobalamin/folic acid/magnesium oxide/nicotinic acid/polysaccharide iron complex/potassium iodide/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin e/zinc oxide ascorbate/cholecalciferol/cobalamin/nicotinic acid/pyridoxine/riboflavin/sodium fluoride/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin e ascorbate/cholecalciferol/ferrous sulfate/sodium fluoride/vitamin a ascorbate/cholecalciferol/sodium fluoride/vitamin a ascorbate/cobalamin/folic acid/nicotinic acid/pyridoxine/riboflavin/sodium fluoride/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin d/vitamin e ascorbate/cobalamin/nicotinic acid/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin d/vitamin e ascorbate/ferrous sulfate/nicotinic acid/pyridoxine/riboflavin/thiamine/vitamin a/vitamin d/vitamin e ascorbate/ferrous sulfate/vitamin A ascorbate/ferrous sulfate/vitamin A/vitamin D ascorbate/vitamin a/vitamin d cholecalciferol/vitamin a ergocalciferol/vitamin a kelp/vitamin a vitamin a/vitamin d vitamin a/vitamin e