Vitamin-A

The vitamin A test is a diagnostic screening that is used to detect irregularities in vitamin A levels throughout your system. It is vital to maintain an optimum level of vitamin A in your bloodstream as low levels of this micronutrient are associated with severe medical complications.

But why is vitamin A so important? What impact does it have on your body? Vitamin A, or Retinoic acid, is the nutrient responsible for cell division, reproduction, vision, growth, and immunity. Furthermore, its antioxidant properties protect your system from damage caused by free radicals (gateway to heart disease, cancer, etc. and are released on exposure to radiation and tobacco smoke).

Moving on, let's first look at the impact of vitamin A toxicity, which essentially refers to an overload of vitamin A in your system. Upon excess consumption of vitamin A, the nutrient is stored inside your liver. The vitamin keeps accumulating, and as time passes, you will start noticing certain symptoms.

This toxicity can take two different approaches, namely: chronic and acute vitamin A toxicity. The symptoms for both these ailments are as follows:

• Acute vitamin toxicity
• Irritability 
• Vomiting 
• Nausea 
• Increased pressure on the brain 
• Drowsiness
• Abdominal pain 
• Chronic vitamin toxicity 
• Bone pain
• Sensitivity to sunlight 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Rough and dry skin
• Cracked fingernails 
• Swelling of bones
• Mouth ulcers
• Yellow skin
• Confusion
• Respiratory infection
• Hair loss
• Itchy skin
• Peeling skin

In case the ailment is ignored for quite some time, you might experience a couple of complications. These complications include:

• Liver damage 
• Kidney damage
• Osteoporosis 
• Excess calcium build-up in the body

If you notice any of these symptoms, get the vitamin A test done now. The primary treatment for vitamin toxicity revolves around reducing your vitamin A intake. This means you must stay away from all food items that are rich in the above nutrient, such as:

• Liver
• Milk 
• Eggs
• Fish
• Green leafy vegetables
• Tomato products 
• Fortified foods

On the other hand, lower than normal amounts of vitamin A can cause vitamin A deficiency. The deficiency is not quite common and is generally found in developing countries. This deficiency can cause decreased immunity, vision problems, etc. The following symptoms can mark the onset of a vitamin A deficiency:

• Dry skin
• Dry eyes
• Infertility
• Night blindness
• Delayed growth 
• Chest and throat infections 
• Poor wound healing 
• Acne

If the deficiency goes untreated for quite some time, you might experience quite a few complications. These complications might even be terminal, and hence you must keep your vitamin A levels in check. To give you a better idea, here are some complications that can be caused due to severe vitamin A deficiency:

• Celiac disease
• Bile duct disorder
• Duodenal bypass
• Pancreatic insufficiency 
• Giardiasis
• Liver Cirrhosis

You can undergo the vitamin A test at Apollo 24|7. The vitamin A test price offered by us is quite low and you can expect to get the test results in just eight days. Furthermore, you will have to fast for 10-12 hours before the test and stay away from all medications that might tamper with your vitamin A levels. Contact your healthcare practitioner for further information.