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Washington, DC -- Too much vitamin A -- particularly megadoses -- can lead to serious health problems, a panel of scientists led by Tufts' Robert Russell said yesterday. The scientists' report represents the first changes in over a decade to the "Recommended Dietary Allowances" of vitamins A and K, and 12 minerals including iron and zinc. According to the New York Times, Russell and the panel reported that more than 3,000 micrograms "can cause severe liver disease, and in pregnant women, birth defects." According to the new report, the safe level is 900 micrograms for men, 700 micrograms for women. That should be easy for most Americans. Russell, a senior scientist at Tufts, told the Associated Press that many Americans already consume enough vitamin A through diet alone. However vegetarians, he said, should be extra vigilant. While deep green and orange vegetables are good sources of vitamin A, Russell and the panel found that they don't provide as much of the important vitamin as once thought. "New evidence shows that it takes twice as much of [dark green and orange vegetables] to yield the same amount of vitamin A in the body as we previously understood," he told Agency France Presse -- France's major news service. To compensate, Russell told the Wall Street Journal that vegetarians need to increase their intake of these dark-colored vegetables. "We're not talking about eating huge amounts or burying yourself in kale," Russell told the Associated Press. "It's easy to meet the recommended dietary allowance even with this new factor, by eating half a cup of cooked carrots a day." The Wall Street Journal also noted: "Cooking doubles the body's absorption of vitamin A, so people who prefer raw vegetables need more." Russell also cautioned that before taking a supplement, consumers should check to ensure they contain safe levels of the vitamins and minerals covered in the panel's new report. According to the Dow Jones News Service, "Of most concern are megadoses in health food stores, often measured in confusing 'international units.' Know that 10,000 international units is the same as 3,000 micrograms, a dangerous amount, Russell warned." Posted 01-10-01 Image
of Robert Russell courtesy CNN.com
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Too
Much Vitamin A Can Be Dangerous 