Vitamin A Question... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

spixiet · 01-08-2011, 08:15 PM

As part of my food plan, I've been eating a lot of fruits and veggies, and very frequently, when I log my foods, my daily intake of Vitamin A is 300-1000% of the recommended daily value. For example, today my food intake included cereal, almond milk, a banana, Louisana style red beans with turkey sausage, a tangelo, an apple, a small amount of popcorn, and a Butternut squash soup with jalapenos and bacon. Calories - about 1400, but my Vitamin A intake logs at 902% of the recommended daily value. In addition, I take a standard multi-vitamin with even more vitamin A. (and no, my skin is not orange

)

My understanding is that too much vitamin A can lead to loss of bone density, but for some reason, I was thinking that there is a difference between Vitamin from food sources as opposed to supplements with regards to recommended daily value. Does anyone happen to know? I'm not eating a pound of carrots a day or anything in the name of weight loss, but between squashes, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, lettuce, kale, bok choy, peppers, green onions, broccoli, tomatoes, and the many other nummy veggies I work into my menus, my Vitamin A consumption does worry me a bit

twinmommaplusone · 01-08-2011, 08:28 PM

The DRI for Vitamin A is 700 with a max of 3000. Are you sure you are eating 9x the DRI? That would be incredibly dangerous, maybe you should see what the website consideres the DRI for Vitamin A to be?

You are right, Vitamin A can in fact be dangerous, I'm not worried about your healthy intake I would tend to more concerned with why you are taking a multi?

Personally, I don't feel if a person is eating a nutritious balanced diet that they need a multi-vitamin, except maybe once-twice weekly, lots of vitamins are soluble where some are not and stay inside the body and in fact become toxic to us. I believe if you monitor your intake you can get an educated evaluation of what sorts of nutrients you might lack and take a specific supplement to meet your satisfaction.

spixiet · 01-08-2011, 08:45 PM

I'm taking the multi-vitamin partially out of habit, and partially because my vitamin D and B12 tend to be low...

I'm using Nutritiondata.com and their daily intake is set at 5,000 IU (not sure if the range you mentioned was IU or micrograms)...so I'm at 900% of that. However, that intake is pretty much all in the form of beta carotene, which I didn't believe was toxic, but I thought I'd throw the question out there and see if anyone knew~

twinmommaplusone · 01-08-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spixiet

I'm taking the multi-vitamin partially out of habit, and partially because my vitamin D and B12 tend to be low...

I'm using Nutritiondata.com and their daily intake is set at 5,000 IU (not sure if the range you mentioned was IU or micrograms)...so I'm at 900% of that. However, that intake is pretty much all in the form of beta carotene, which I didn't believe was toxic, but I thought I'd throw the question out there and see if anyone knew~

Not sure then Honey, I thought all Vitamin A was represented the same, I've taken a sports nutrition and basic nutrition classes in college and just recall ever learning there was a difference. Have you tried googling it? I LUV Google! tehehehe! Good Luck

Goddess Jessica · 01-08-2011, 09:13 PM

So you're running at around 45,000 IU's of Vitamin A in a day? Looking at your menu and your calorie intake I am a little shocked by this. You're not chugging carrot juice and even your butternut squash soup shouldn't put you at this (while still being under 1400 calories). I'm a little worried about this website's math.

That being said, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I would keep your diet consistent and talk to your doctor at the next visit if you're concerned or get a referral to visit a nutritionist.