Vitamin A

Vitamin name: vitamin A
Active Ingredients: Vitamin A
Type: fat-soluble vitamin

Therapeutic actions: Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is involved in the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Vitamin A helps us to see in dim light and is necessary for proper bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction. Vitamin A is commonly known as the anti-infective vitamin, because it is required for normal functioning of the immune system.

Indications: Night blindness, corneal drying (xerosis), triangular grey spots on eye (Bitot's spots), corneal degeneration and blindness (xerophthalmia), impaired immunity, hypokeratosis (white lumps at hair follicles, softening of the cornea (keratomalacia).

Overdose: As vitamin A is fat-soluble, disposing of any excesses taken in through diet is a lot harder than with water-soluble vitamins B and C. As such, vitamin A toxicity can result. This can lead to nausea, jaundice, irritability, anorexia (NOT anorexia nervosa), vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, muscle and abdominal pain and weakness, drowsiness and altered mentality.
In chronic cases, hair loss, drying of the mucous membranes, fever, insomnia, fatigue, weight loss, bone fractures, anaemia, and diarrhoea can all be evident on top of the symptoms associated with less serious toxicity.
Large doses of vitamin D3 may cause hypercalcemia, a decrease in renal function, and nephrocalcinosis. Monthly blood tests to monitor serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels should be done to protect against vitamin D3 toxicity. Those with underlying kidney disease should avoid high doses of vitamin D3.

Interactions: Tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start taking Vitamin A.

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.