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Even though vitamins are viewed as a good “natural” option, this past week I experienced how dangerous they can be. As you can tell by the title of my post, this week I have been trying to recover from vitamin A toxicity due to taking too much vitamin A after my Naturopath prescribed it.
If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know that I mostly follow a gluten free diet and take probiotics. After, my naturopath recommended taking fermented cod liver oil. I starting taking fermented cod liver (which is high in vitamin A). Over the past 3 years, I have been seeing a naturopathic doctor and go to get my blood checked by him regularly to see if I am low in any nutrients/vitamins. He is a big fan of getting blood work done to check for any vitamin deficiencies. If I’m ever low in a vitamin, he tells me that if I take that supplement then it will fix my acne.
At the beginning of last month, I got my blood checked for a variety of vitamins and a few other things, such as thyroid functioning.
According to my naturopathic doctor, the results of my blood test showed that I was low in vitamin A. My level was at 42mcg (picture of my blood test below). This number is at the lower end of the normal reference range, yet still within the normal range. My naturopath said that, that reference range is too broad and that my vitamin A level was really too low. He said that my low level of vitamin A was causing my acne and that if I take a vitamin A supplement, I won’t have acne any more.
I was surprised my vitamin A was at the lower end of the reference range because it has always been higher on every previous blood test, as I take 2 teaspoons of fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) daily, which has a good amount of vitamin A.
Why I got vitamin A toxicity
Since my vitamin A was low, my naturopath gave me a 100,000IU vitamin A supplement to add into my regimen. He said to take it once a day, everyday. I started taking it in addition to the FCLO (about 33,000IU vitamin A) he told me to take. After a few days of taking the large dose, I started to not feel good but, I just brushed it off. It wasn’t until 6 days after taking it, I started to get horrible symptoms (see my symptoms below) and I stopped taking all vitamin A.
Why did this happen to me? I thought, maybe it’s because I’m sensitive to the vitamin A and that’s why the symptoms are so bad. But, after reading about vitamin A online, I learned that he had given me a toxic dose.
When I thought back, none of this made sense to me and it was odd that my vitamin A came out so low because I was taking FCLO. One thing that happened concerned me though, I remembered that previous times I had tested my vitamin A, the person drawing the blood immediately wrapped the vial in foil and told me that it shouldn’t be exposed to the light as it could cause the test to be inaccurate.
Well, this last time I went to the blood drawing at the hospital, the phlebotomist, did not cover the vial at all and left it exposed to the bright fluorescent lights in the room. I thought that may have been the reason the test was inaccurate. Studies show that when the blood vial is exposed to light, it decreases the accuracy of the measurement.
Then, after a few more weeks of researching vitamin A toxicity, I learned that all blood tests for vitamin A are NOT ACCURATE!!!! They’re not an accurate representation of the amount in your system. The levels of retinol in your blood fluctuate all the time. You can take the test one day and have high number, take it the next day and have a low number. I found studies from the ’90’s that showed that patients experiencing severe vitamin A toxicity even had vitamin A blood test results within the normal or low range.
I now believe that my vitamin A level was most likely normal already and my naturopath prescribing the high dose of vitamin A caused me to get vitamin A toxicity.
What amount causes vitamin A toxicity?
There’s a lot of contradictory information online about how much vitamin A is safe to take. Even though, 100,000IU is a very high dose, most say that it doesn’t cause vitamin A toxicity unless you take it long term. However, for me it did!
Toxicity occurs with the following doses:
For adults– 25,000 IU per kg of body weight (acute-taken at one time)
-4,000 IU per kg of body weight (chronic-taken over several months)
For children– More than 300,000 IU (acute- taken at one time)
-More than 100,000 IU (chronic-taken over several months)
Even though these are the typical doses that can cause vitamin A toxicity that does not mean that lower doses cannot cause it or the symptoms. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that excess of it gets stored in your liver and fatty cells for long periods of time so it can build up in the body and it does not leave the body quickly.
My symptoms- How I found out the vitamin was the cause
During the first few days of taking the Vitamin A supplement, I felt like I had a fast heart rate but, for absolutely no reason. I brushed it off for a few days. I even looked up a connection between heart rate and vitamin A, but found no information so I thought it couldn’t be connected. There isn’t much information online about vitamin A toxicity and all the symptoms.
Then, suddenly on the 6th day of taking the vitamin A, after dinner I started to feel really dizzy, I had difficulty breathing, felt pressure on my head, bright lights bothered me, and my vision seemed off. I immediately stopped taking all vitamin A.
What I did to Treat it
I went to two doctors to see if there was anything I could do to get the vitamin A out of my system faster and feel better. Their response was to just wait it out because it is a fat soluble vitamin. They said there isn’t much you can do. This was frustrating, I felt so terrible and to hear that I have to suffer with these symptoms and there was nothing I can do to get better faster made it even worse.
I researched vitamin A toxicity online to see what I could do and the only studies I found were mostly related to vitamin A toxicity in animals, but I figured the information and treatments may be worth a try. So here they are, this is what I did/am doing:
- Taking zinc (supposed to help counteract)
- Taking vitamin C and eating a lot of foods high in vitamin C (also supposed to help counteract)
- Taking Vitamin E -I just started this today, so I can’t say whether it’s helping or not yet but, this study found in rabbits that it counteracted the vitamin A toxicity effects.
- Drinking a lot of water- Not sure how much this helps but, I do feel better staying hydrated and I figure it must help to just flush everything out of my system.
- Eating good meals that have little to no vitamin A
- Trying to exercise/move around to increase my metabolism as much as possible, despite feeling bad.
- Doing a magnesium or Epsom salt foot bath 2 times a day
How I’m doing now:
Today is the 5th day since I stopped taking the vitamin A supplement. I am feeling better since the first (worst) night I realized I had vitamin A toxicity, but still not feeling back to normal. My vision is still off, I feel dizzy, and off balance. I’m hoping that with each day I will start gradually feeling back to normal as the vitamin A decreases.
I’ll keep you posted on my progress with recovering from vitamin A toxicity.
Thanks for sharing, Bob! I am so pleased you are feeling better. Keep us posted. I too am feeling better. My protocol has been lots of prayer, Taurine, phosphotidylcholine (ppc), milk thistle, multivitamin without preformed vitamin a, and sacred 7 mushrooms. I am feeling so much better. My head pressure is almost totally gone!! All of my praise be to God!
I will continue to pray for you all! Merry Christmas
Hey everyone so I have made a near full recovery over the course of about 6 months. I hate hypervitaminosis A. Its horrid. Please use my advice at your own discretion. I am not a doctor and I am just writing up what worked best for me
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Background
So I basically was supplementing vitamin A and a multivitamin. I think that’s where it went wrong. I was taking it daily in about 10k-20k iu’s I think for 2-3 months. As toxicity came around I couldn’t figure out why I was feeling unwell. As I figured out that vitamin A was the issue, I stopped supplementing. I had all of the same symptoms that other here have described. It sucked. I felt absolutely ill
So for starters, I began with ceasing vitamin A. But I still didn’t feel better. I was frustrated when finding this particular blog post as it takes up to years for your body to clear out vitamin A. I tried other things like supplementing vitamin d3, etc. but saw little improvement
Taurine made a huge difference for me. From what I understand, you cannot get toxicity from it. I figured out that taking more than 10 grams however had horrible gastrointestinal effects. I felt many of the symptoms of hypervitaminosis A subside. I could finally However, I still had many symptoms. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, dizziness, a heart flutter, mental confusion, lack of mental clarity, etc. I actually have just bullshitted my job and scraped by at work. I almost got fired due to screwing up a few projects
One day, I began having muscle spasms with increasing frequency. After about 2 months of these symptoms I saw magnesium oil at whole foods and remembered my old roommate was an athlete used it for sore/spasming muscles after workouts. I threw it in my basket and didn’t think much of it. That night I applied it to my muscles and slept. I slept much deeper than I usually do and wokeup with more energy than I usually would have. My depressive symptoms were lower and I felt almost like a different person. After doing some digging I realized that many of the effects of hypervitaminosis A that I was experiencing was not due to the vitamin A in my body itself. But large amounts of vitamin A that I was using depleted many other minerals that the excess vitamin A would deplete. In my case; magnesium, calcium, zinc etc.
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My solution
Under this hypothesis, I began eating a diet that was nutrient rich. I was already eating a clean diet before. But I made sure to specifically eat a lot of spinach everyday with my dinner (spinach for magnesium), angus beef at dinner (beef for iron and zinc), and greek yogurt (for calcium). I began my morning with green juice, lunch at work was turkey, brussel sprouts and rice. Snack on yogurt and fruits. Dinner was beef, spinach, and brown rice. In addition I was taking the raw one whole foods multivitamin. It is made from plants, and the vitamin A in this multi is beta carotene, NOT retinol. Your body regulates beta carotene conversion to vitamin A very tightly. It is near impossible for it to worsen my vitamin A toxicity. In addition, I took about half the dose of it (it says take 4 capsules for 100% RDA of major vitamins, I took 50%). It had a lower dose/not enough of d3, k2, magnesium, and calcium. I took 500mg of calcium citrate, 1k iu d3, and some k2 in the d3 supplement. Magnesium oil sprays twice a day. I also took milk thistle and kicked up my taurine dose to 10 grams total. I have felt much better in the past month and began feeling an improvement immediately. My protocol can be summarized below
In summation, I feel that my vitamin A toxicity symptoms were a combo of too much stored vitamin A and mineral depletion. In addition, liver/kidney issues. As such, following the protocol below for a month or so has given me huge improvements:
Clean diet. High in spinach (magnesium), a serving of greek yogurt daily (calcium), and 1-2 servings of steak(iron and zinc). Obviously no processed food and minimal dairy (the only dairy I digest is grass fed butter and yogurt), and no alcohol. Wheatgrass, barely grass, and alfalfa shake in the morning (magnesium, and general vitamins/minerals)
Morning Supplementation
-milk thistle 1300mg (potential liver damage from vitamin A)
-taurine 10grams
-magnesium oil (12 sprays after showering. Rubbed deeply into skin)
-d3/k2 supplement (1k d3, 100mcg k2) (both of these vitamins help toxicity)
-raw one multivitamin (half dose taken)
Evening Supplementation:
-calcium citrate 500mg
-magnesium sprays (12 sprays)
Comment on this post if you have questions. But I am 100% better. Getting better daily
You’re not concerned with the high amount of carbohydrates you’re getting from this diet? Lots of sugar from the fruits and the rice. What was the purpose of consuming so much carbs?
The muscle twitching has more to do with potassium than magnesium. I take in around 300 mg/day from magnesium water (3 T of milk of magnesia mixed into 2 liters of plain seltzer water) + diet.
Why supplement with calcium citrate when you are consuming yogurt? It is easy to get your serum calcium levels up by doing this (I found that out earlier this year).
I seem to thrive on a high carb diet. I tried low carb/high protein/high fat variants. I dislike it. I enjoy high carbs. I don’t put on weight and my blood parameters are usually spot on
Taking magnesium orally is not too useful for combating deficiency. Transdermal sprays work much better and quicker. oral magnesium supps have much lower bioavailability. potassium (so I understand it) is not held well unless you have adequate magnesium. Neither is calcium. Either way, I supped magnesium oil in and my twitching improved greatly. Dizziness too. My protocol works. I am not saying it works for everyone. but hey, try it out
Lastly; the citrate supplementation was an attempt to boost calcium and avoid calcium deficiency. Now that you mention it, I should drop it to 250mg of calcium and just stick to daily yogurt
Bob,
Thank YOU. I can’t wait to re-read what you have wrote when I have more time. I too experienced extreme muscle weakness and twitches. I take magnesium which has helped me a ton! I am learning from you, Thank you!
Julie
Just saw this response. Let me know if my tips worked. Twitching is a golden sign of deficiency in calcium, potassium, and/or magnesium. Maybe an imbalance of sodium
Sprayed magnesium on skin works much better than other methods of magnesium. You could be taking mag supps daily and they may not be absorbing. the best method is transdermal magnesium sprays, plus yogurt (calcium), bananas (potassium), spinach (potassium, calcium, magnesium) and added salt to food (sodium)
I don’t know but immediately after taking 2 pills of vitamin b12 I feel less depressed and have less neurogical problems.I think B12 is stored in liver just like Vitamin A.Maybe hypervitaminosis A caused depletion of liver vitamin b12 resulting in constipation ,nausea ,fatigue ,loss of appetite
Deficiencies of B-12 can cause neurological changes including numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, balance problems, depression, confusion, poor memory and Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. Long-term deficiencies of B-12 can result in permanent impairment of the nervous system.
The Gastro-Intestinal System: B-12 deficiency can cause decreased appetite, constipation, diarrhea or alternating constipation/diarrhea, weight loss and abdominal pain.
Degenerative changes in the central nervous system caused by B-12 deficiency can also affect the optic nerve, resulting in blue-yellow color blindness.
Compare this to your symptoms
Lori mentioned loss of appetite -I also lost my appetite and my vitamin b12 is low
Then, suddenly on the 6th day of taking the vitamin A, after dinner I started to feel really dizzy, I had difficulty breathing, felt pressure on my head, nervousness, confusion (couldn’t think straight), bright lights bothered me, and my vision seemed off. I immediately stopped taking all vitamin A.
Another mentioned symptom by Lori difficult to breathe (Energy: Even minor deficiencies of vitamin B-12 can cause anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath and weakness.)
Problems with vision in some people here are also contributed to lack of vitamin b12
Today I’m starting supplementation of vitamin b12 solgar brand .Not sure about amount but I will try 2 tablets for few days maybe 3 tablets,If this won’t work I will visit hematologist for injections
Tom,
Thank you for all this… I have had muscle twitches from the very beginning. They are much better but STILL having them. And recently I have had hand and feet numbness and tingling. Therefore, I added a B12 to my diet. Thank you SO much. Grateful for you sharing what you have learned. Hope you are feeling better! Julie
Hi my tests are fine except low testoterone and low vitamin b12 264 mmol – range is from 197.I think this could be cause of my neurogical problems like dizziness https://patient.info/forums/discuss/4-years-of-dizziness-and-vitamin-b12-is-290-502920 .Endo says that is normal ,but I think not .I have literally the answer for some of my problems and doctor still think it is ok.
Hi, Tom. Please keep us posted on what endo finds out. I have gastro issues as well but I had them before this whole vitamin a (retinoic acid) thing started so I didn’t really see much of a difference. I will continue to pray for us all. I will specifically be praying for relief of depression with in all of us today as I too am experiencing. How is everyone today?
I went to endo.He examined my thyroid it is fine.He told me to do blood test for cortisol ,acth ,prolactin,electrolites,Vitamin D3( but I haven’t got enought money) Vitamin A test will return in 17 days.I got blood test for Iron and vitamin B12.Somehow I believe that vitamin A caused my body to stop properly absorbing nutrients .The reason could be in my colon.Colonoscopy should be next step.Some people here mentioned they have gastrointestinal problems.My main problems right now :paler nails and skin,constipation ,lack of appetite,depression.
What I will do now?Tommorow my endo will check the results.I will go to colonoscopy .Maybe I will get iron supplements or b12 if they are low
I would change my diet to increase iron before taking a supplement.
If you did experience this, did it get better? Oh and Rick, how are you feeling?
I’m about the same. It took me three days to remember the last name of someone I have known for several years. The pressure remains constant. The chiropractor does nothing to help that. The osteopathic doctor thinks I should stop weightlifting and thinks that contributes to everything in my head. I am seeing a neurologist tomorrow took get another set of eyes on this.
There is a practitioner of the Bates method (eye exercises) that I was talking to and the first thing that came out of his mouth was, “what happened recently?” He believes that my symptoms are not related to Vitamin A but stress from a traumatic experience. What he says makes sense. I’ve added some beta carotene back into my diet via tomato sauce and things haven’t gotten worse. I’ve had a little ice cream and some eggs with nothing getting worse.
Hey, Rick. Do you suspect this could be intracranial hypertension causing the pressure?
I saw a neurologist for this yesterday. He said I have vertigo, but he has no idea where the head pressure comes from. He said my MRI is clean. I keep getting told it is my blood pressure but it is not so high that it was cause pressure in the head, and if you watch Dr. John Bergman’s videos on blood pressure, you will learn that blood pressure is a symptom, not a cause. As he puts it, a dog is not chasing you because your blood pressure is high, your blood pressure is high because a dog is chasing you! Correct the imbalances in the body and you correct a lot of the illness. I keep imploring him to do a talk on Intracranial hypertension but he has yet to respond to it.
Hi everyone! How are you? Tom, what happened with Endo appointment? Sk, any luck with the new product?
Julie and Lori, did you both experience the sort of “spaced out” symptoms or rather shift in consciousness so to speak? I feel like this is due to the intracranial hypertension but it’s driving me mad. I am really feeling depressed and anxious and it’s not me to feel depressed. I feel like I operate on high anxiety but this is causing me anxiety! Tom and SK did you or do you experience the altered state of consciousness? (So to speak)
Ashley
Hi Ashley,
I was more forgetful and repeated myself often. I would send a kid to bed and forget where he went. It really upset me and made me frustrated to not remember things! I am a high energy person so this really brought me down and discouraged me.
I have to focus on the little improvements and do a lot of positive self talk:) I am getting better! The annoying thing for me is that the doctors are like well you have 10 kids you just need to rest!
SO…. I also have to focus on what is TRUE and for me it’s I took 6 fermented cod liver pills a day for 3 months PLUS a prenatal vit! Way too much vit.A!
I believe Lori said half a life span of vitA is 80 days. So it takes time. URG. I feel your pain. I am praying for YOU and the others Tom, Rick, SK. ❤
I too experienced anxiety and heart flutters. But as the vitA got out of my system it got better.
A lot of people mentioned if we take more vit D it would help? Milk Thistle? What do you think?
And thank you for looking into PCC! Keep me posted!
Hi ashley
yes exactly I did experience “spaced out” symptoms like I used to feel like there is a change in consciousness or I would feel like I was just born or felt like I was in another world . These symptoms go as soon as the toxicity gradually disappear, as they are the symptoms of extreme anxiety , but one thing you have to worry about is adding more anxiety physiologically over it . being worried about it or anxious about it would make it more worse .
Absolutely and that is the hard part because it is right in your wheel house. It’s not like a sore elbow that you can take your mind off. This is right in your head. I had the same thing earlier in the year when I started choking and having trouble swallowing. Tough to get that out of your mind when your natural swallow reflex gets jammed in your chest.
I was in a car accident in January. Those symptoms came about 2 weeks after and stayed with me until May…that’s when all this started up, so I traded one thing for the other. It’s been 7 months with no relief and I have tried meditation, etc. with little results. Before this started I could walk into any Walmart and shop easily. Now the lights bother me, my head gets tight. I order things online that I could pick up i 10 minutes — all due to the head pressure.
Tommorow I have endo visit.He’s very good specialist .
Serum TSH concentrations in vitamin A-treated subjects were significantly reduced; therefore, vitamin A supplementation might reduce the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in premenopausal women.
Hi again,
Ok. Not Sucralfate. I hated it too and therefore discontinued it. Made me too weak.
What I use right now that actually WORKS PERFECTLY is a simple Antacid.
I use Gaviscon.
The active and effective ingredient is Aluminum Hydroxide.
It works. Used by people all over the world. With few and predictable side effects.
Mechanism:
Aluminum hydroxide binds bile salts (conjugated bile acids).
Bile salts are required for VA absorption.
No bile salts. No absorption.
Simple as that.
There might be other mechanisms at play, such as raising of gastric pH, gastric acid binding, bile acid binding, etc.
But bile salt binding is the most effective mechanism.
This prevents va absorption up to 100%.
Try Gaviscon. Low dose first to determine a safe dosing schedule.
Does this just bind the vitamin A in the food you eat? Or does it bind vitamin A stored in the liver and tissue? If we are eating a low to no Vitamin A diet is this necessary? I’m starting a low to no A diet but want help binding the stored A I am trying to get rid of. Thanks!
Update one month and 8 days since stopping vitamin A.No head pressure ,high blood pressure.Only terrible depression ,gynecomastia,fingernails pale like in anemia but not totally pale ,constipation .Severe intolerance of cold .Body temperature 36.1 ,skin looks old .Constipation ,low appetite .Classic hypothyroid symptoms .SK can you confirm that your nails in first weeks after hypervitaminosis A were paler than usual?There is no way that my problems are related to any kind of organ disorder since I checked all of them.Head ,pancreas ,liver ,kidneys other are fine (liver is little fatty).Last thing to check out is my thyroid .I believe all of you could have hypervitaminosis A induced hypothyroidism.That’s why your symptoms persist so much long even after months of abstinence.First hypervitaminosis A causes high trigliceride count by causing hyporthyroidism https://www.verywell.com/combatting-high-cholesterol-with-hypothyroidism-3231719 .Horrible head pressure and hypertension is sign that there is increased cholesterol in your bloodstream.In few weeks cholesterol is lower thanks to ppc.As your thyroid is underactive your body temperature is lower and you have intolerance to cold .Depression ,fatigue and loss of memory all caused by hypothyroidism.I hope my information will help alleviate your symptoms.I’m going to endo in 3 days
I suspect then that in my case, that I may not have a Vitamin A problem as my triglycerides are in the excellent range. My cholesterol has been consistent the past several years (on the high side, but you want HIGH cholesterol, not LOW cholesterol). HDL and VLDL are in the excellent range, but the LDL is “high”. And for that they want me on a statin which will only happen at gun point.
Rick I think that high trigliceride count is only temporary in case of hypervitaminosis.After one month I don ‘t have problems with high blood pressure.I’m nearly sure this is probelm related to thyroid
The most effective mechanism for this condition would be bile salt sequestration/conjugation.
This is what many substances are known to accomplish.
Aluminum hydroxide. The antacid.
Cholestyramine. Sucralfate.
And others.
By removing bile salts all Vitamin A absorption is prevented.
If you are aware of any other agent that may remove bile salts, please mention it.
Reference:
“The role of vitamin A in bile acid synthesis and transport and the relevance for cholestatic liver disease”
https://www.google.se/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/3677919/08_diss.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwig8pSO64zYAhXIYlAKHT8wC3cQFjABegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw3xzv6Zdnq47yPlSvcVErZJ
“This thesis explores the regulatory interaction between vitamin A and bile salts. Bile salt homeostasis is of crucial importance to maintain vitamin A homeostasis. Bile salts are the emulsifying components of bile that are required for the effective absorption of the fat-soluble vitamin A in the intestine, most of which is stored in stellate cells in the liver. Dysregulation of bile salt homeostasis, for instance in patients with cholestasis, causes vitamin A malabsorption.”
I will be trying out different Bile salt binding agents to find one that is effective and sustainable.
Excluded so far is Cholestyramine.
Currently testing: Sucralfate. Will discontinue due to side effects. Even though it does work.
Next is: Aluminum hydroxide.
To find the referenced study just google the title.
Here is another link:
https://www.google.se/search?q=The+role+of+vitamin+A+in+bile+acid+synthesis+and+transport+and+the+relevance+for+cholestatic+liver+disease“&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
Something else that may help:
A simple antacid. Aluminum hydroxide. Available everywhere.
What is does is bind both gastric acid and bile salts.
This prevents both carotene conversion and vitamin A absorption.
VA absorption is dependent on bile salts.
By adding an antacid before meals there is no absorption.
The effect is the same as Cholestyramine which is known to deplete fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673677918840
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/6755652/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/2682004/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19335/
(I agree that Aluminum is hazardous. But hypervitaminosis A can be even more hazardous.)
Hi all! First off, Julie after researching a bit I think it would be best to avoid the PPC (phosphotidylcholine) as a supplement but to choose the natural sources through egg yolks and meats. There are pros and cons to taking this supplement while pregnant and breast feeding. I want to say I appreciate every one here sharing there experiences. These words are helping me hold on to faith. So thank you everyone, and thank you Lori for making it all possible. This was poison for us and like many of you I am determined to not let this ruin my life. Tom, it’s great to hear that you no longer have high blood pressure and head pressure! I will definitely have my thyroid levels checked ASAP. Until then what are some natural was to help the thyroid?
Tom here .Anyone has checked their thyroids?This is core of the problems
Answer to all our problems? What do we do with this information?
Yes I have VA toxicity induced hypothyroidism.
Va excess suppresses TSH and in turn t3 t4 production.
I also used levothyroxine, synthetic t3 and t4 to increase VA loss.
It made the problem much worse. I’d advice anyone not to try it.
I believe this is the main cause of many of our problems.Constipation check .Loss of appetite -check.Emotional problems -check .Digestive problems -check
Thyroid hormones act on almost all organs throughout the body and regulate the basal metabolism of the organism[1]. The gut and viscera are not spared, and disturbances in thyroid function have numerous gastrointestinal manifestations, the true incidence of which is unknown[2]. Digestive symptoms or signs may also reveal clues to thyroid disease and, when ignored or underestimated, diagnosis may be delayed and serious consequences may occur[3–5]. Additionally, patients with dysthyroidism are at an increased risk of developing specific pathologies in the digestive system, whether due to thyroid hormone disturbances or associated with a particular thyroid disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699000/
Hi this is Tom.My symptoms -head pressure ,high blood pressure is gone.Got USG they checked my pancreas ,kidneys etc all good.I think I had found the cause of my problems.Problems with thyroid. https://www.verywell.com/do-you-have-a-thyroid-problem-take-the-test-3231838
https://www.sepalika.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-list/
This is the answer to every of your problems.Hypervitaminosis a could cause hypothyroidism
I’m so sorry, Rick. I pray things turn around for all of us. Julie, I don’t know if it’s okay but the bottle says to check with a doctor. I will do a little research and get back. It is helping. Please keep me posted. I am comforted to not be going through this alone.
Hello all. I have begun the Taurine and PPC (which I bought from a company called quicksilver and the ppc comes in a liquid form) and I am feeling better. I’m not 100% back to “normal” yet but I am determined to get there. Did everyone’s head issues ever completely resolve?
Ashley,
Great to hear from you. So glad you are better! I was thinking of you!
My brain fog has not completely resolved but it is better. I did not take anything so I am anxious to hear how PPC goes and taurine. I wonder if I can take that nursing a baby????
I am having joint pain in my hands and elbow. So strange. Never had that in my life! It feels like arthritis. Lots of strange things with vit.A toxicity. So I am doing magnesium flakes either foot soaks or baths. Hope that helps me.
Anyone else with achy joints and what made it better?
No. My issues have gotten worse. Taurine helped a bit but things reversed back to square one. I tried annatto seeds but they made things much, much worse. I’m at a loss.
Hey Rick,
I tried annatto too.
And the wikipedia entries about Taurine and PPC and VE are actually written by me.
Annatto:
Apparently free retinol can be absorbed aswell. According to some studies Annatto inhibits retinol esterification and this should in turn inhibit absorption.
Science was incomplete.
Sorry for recommending it.
Let’s continue looking for a solution.
What I use right now to alleviate symptoms is Sucralfate.
It’s a safe medicine used to treat ulcers. It binds Bile acids, bile salts and gastric acid, chelating it and raised gastric pH.
The result of its’ bile sequestration is that VA isn’t absorbed.
I discontinued annatto and geranylgeraniol.
Even though GG most likely should accelerate va depletion.
Sucralfate works though. It prevents VA absorption since this requires bile acids or salts.
But I hate the side effects of it. Constipation, aluminum intake and others. Orobabky causes vk deficiency aswell.
If you can find a substance which does this, curative mechanisms should be:
Bile salt inhibition or removal.
Bile acid inhibition or removal.
Gastric acid inhibition or removal.
Many gastric enzymes and transporters require a certain pH to function.
Raising gastric pH alleviates toxicity.
What I have found most effective so far:
Geranylgeranylacetone. Selbex. Unknown mechanism.
Omeprazol. Proton pump inhibition.
Cholestyramine. Bile acid sequestrant.
Sucralfate. Bile acid, bile salt and gastric acid blocker or sequestrant. Most effective so far. Prevents toxicity and increases biliary loss od VA. But has a few unpleasant side effects since it’s aluminum based and causes a bit of constipation.
The sad thing about annatto is THAT IT TASTES SO GOOD! I used some in preparing chicken and it was fantastic. But I had major headaches with it so I stopped using it.
I was actually on Sucralfate back in the spring to aid in healing after a gastroscopy…which is right around the time I started getting head pressure.
Hey Rick,
Yes. But taste is deceptive. For me eggs sure to taste good but st the same time trigger symptoms.
Try sucralfate again if you have any lying around?
Or just cut down on the tea… haha.
I’m optimistic though.
Because what experiments and science has taught me is that there IS a cure. We can use medicine to alleviate this. Aside from just abstaining from consumption there are faster ways to deplete VA.
More notes:
AhR activation is known to cause VA depletion.
Increasing gastric pH with proton pump inhibitors can accelerate va depletion and decrease carotene conversion and inhibit retention.
Bile acid or bile salt sequestrants can prevent absorption and increase biliary loss.
What else….
I like the effect of PPIs. The only problem is that they make me feel completely braindead and depressed because current PPIs aren’t selective for gastric cells.
They inhibit proton pumps everywhere.
Other ideas anyone?
Annatto should inhibit all va retention though..since esterfication is inhibited. The aggravated symptoms are due to more VA in circulation rather than tissue retention. Annatto is also rich in carotenoids albeit “without va activity” according to science. Which apparently is incorrect.
I hated the sucralfate. I really don’t like any of the PPIs. I not sure if even for short term for Vitamin A toxicity if it is worth the long term risks of ruining the gut microbiome.
Hey everyone!
This website was brought to my attention.
http://requestatest.com/
Vitamin A test — Labcorp $59, Quest $69
My insurance would not cover this last month and the fee was $110 so I never got it done. Not sure what other tests can be done for A toxicity or other tests you may need in the future but that price right there seems reasonable.
I took that exact test and it usually comes out within the normal range. I have had it done on three different occasions. vitamin a blood levels are tightly regulated. The issue is that your liver holds too much of it from what I understand
I will post a little report on treatments that have worked for me
The only way to check if the A is leaving the body is by getting the blood work done. My insurance wouldn’t cover the work. Without the insurance it was $110, so their rates are more affordable. Good thing to know.
Found this study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1359/jbmr.2001.16.10.1899/pdf
It indicates that retinyl palmitate significantly decreases serum calcium levels. This might explain some of A’s toxic effects, especially considering the fact that calcium is used to control oxidative stress and is involved in repairing brain damage.
I remember the worst symptoms back in May/June and taking calcium would make the memory loss much better but would bring back my tachycardia because I had developed hyperthyroidism. The doctor thinks that the excess A caused thyroiditis which caused my thyroid to dump excess thyroid hormones in the blood. My TSH was not detectable which indicates severe hyperthyroidism. Thankfully, my thyroid numbers have returned to normal.
But, I notice that my memory loss comes and goes still, especially if I consume anything with vitamin A. I have to eat such a restricted diet at the moment that I am not getting much calcium at all from food. I have started developing paresthesias (a classic symptom of calcium deficiency) and very sore teeth (another symptom of calcium deficiency because the body actually deposits calcium into the teeth like it does with other bones).
So, I decided to start taking the calcium again. It has made a major difference. My brain feels like it suddenly turned back on.
Since vitamin A depletes calcium, it might be wise for people who are toxic with vitamin A to supplement extra calcium. I will be doing this for at least the next 6 months while the rest of the 3 million or so units that I ingested slowly leave the body.
Hi.I think it is opposite. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6211095 I would never supplement extra calcium unless you have blood results way below norm.Hypercalcemia is no joke and can kill you .Main problem with hyperivitaminosis a is high trigliceride count and problems with liver .I recommend focusing on improving liver functions ,because in people with hypervitaminosis a there is certain level of damage to liver and this must be improved by hepato protective drugs like PPC or milk thistle extract or alpha lipoic acid
My serum calcium was elevated slightly as of June, but my trigs were in the excellent range. My liver was good but ferritin levels were elevated and have been for years. Nobody seems alarmed by this. Simple thing would be to donate blood but since I had a bout with Hep-A 18 years ago I cannot do that. I asked about therapeutic phlebotomy but my doctor didn’t deem it necessary. I addressed that with my osteopathic physician and she agreed that ferritin wasn’t too big of a problem.
I also experienced elevated calcium as a symptom.
Ferritin was also significantly elevated.
And TGs increase at times of severe liver or renal damage.
At the moment liver and renal function is stable.
Which makes me think there is no liver damage. Simply an excessive amount of retinol that has accumulated.
The simplest explanation is most often the right one?
Tom,
The problem I have here is that the paper you cited is a case study. They rely on the patient’s claims that she was not taking any other supplements. I find that it is rare that a person literally only takes one supplement and, typically, people are afraid to admit to doctors what they are taking for fear of being ridiculed. Another thing this case study does not analyze is her diet.
I found this problem in another case study trying to claim that taking 1,000mg of vitamin C daily for a period of time induced hyperoxaluria in a patient. The problem is that the study did not take into account the fact that the patient had begun consuming a diet rich in high oxalate foods like spinach and almonds. This made their conclusions totally invalid.
The study I posted was a controlled study. I tend to put more weight into those than into case studies after having read so many papers in school over the years.
That being said, I am a bit of a different animal. 1. My diet is so restricted now that I get less than 200mg of calcium per day. This is not enough, especially considering point 2, which is that I am autistic and make significantly more oxalates than the average person. This substantially increases my calcium requirements because the oxalate binds and removes calcium from the blood/cells, rendering it useless.
Hi, Julie! Thank you so much for your reply. 10 kids!! That’s incredible! My hat goes off to you my friend. Did you also experience headaches and head pressure along with the dizziness and brain fog?
Hi! Can someone please tell me if this is the way it’s going to be for me forever? I am still dizzy (almost 4 weeks after stopping vitamin a). I am still experiencing headaches and extreme brain fog. Please. Anyone, please tell me if this gets better. My doctor doesn’t believe that anything is wrong. All tests are normal aside from an MRI which I’m waiting to be approved for. Any thoughts from anyone’s experience is very welcomed and appreciated.
Any excess should be eliminated spontaneously.
I’d recommend the following steps:
Make sure VA intake is minimal while avoiding potentially dangerous deficiencies.
Lower caloric and food intake. To facilitate a state of elimination; insulin causes retention. Which inhibits elimination.
Clean diet.
More movement. Pump iron. Walk. Move around more.
Important: NO tea or herbs/drugs or supplements that may inhibit the body and liver’s detoxification process. Think of this as a narrow street or strait. Most drugs and xenobiotics will obstruct the path and prevent elimination of excess VA. Enzymes and capacity required is limited.
For example: inhibition by drugs of of CYP enzymes needed such as CYP3A4.
Last resort:
Look for another cure.
I am in this stage.
Right now using Geranylgeraniol which seems to help.
In case of side effects or low effectiveness I’ll discontinue and look for something else.
In case of severe acute toxicity I’d recommend capsaicin.
Eat something very potent of the Capsicum family (piri piri or habanero). Just swallow down with water.
It induces detoxification enzymes and alleviates acute symptoms. But it’s not a cure for chronic toxicity.
Hi Sk. Thank you for your reply. (I am assuming that was for me although I may be wrong). May I ask what your symptoms are?
“Tea” is a broad term. So many different kinds of teas and flavors. Can you be more specific?
Found Annatto Seed at the supermarket today. 99 cents….ground them up in a blender. Will add a pinch of it to my food and see what happens.
Hey Rick,
That’s good! Please keep me posted. I’d love to use a natural source of Geranylgeraniol instead of this witch doctor cocktail supplement I’m currently on.
It does help though.
At the moment I use 15 mg Geranylgeraniol per day and the positive effects are significant. I experience no symptoms whatsoever anymore.
Studies show that lrat/arat inhibition seem to be the fastest way to counteract toxicity. Aside from dietary exclusion.
For me it seems to 1. Inhibit absorption of carotenoids. Just passes through… makes me defecate a lot more too (TMI. My apologies.) 2. Increase elimination.
In the studies, what happens is that serum retinol and RA levels increase because stored amounts are movilized for excretion. Cyp26 also increases, which is the primary VA catabolizing enzyme.
And GG is the most potent known natural inhibitor of lrat/arat.
When using GG, there are no real symptoms of va toxicity anymore.
I would start with a daily intake of 1-10g of Annatto seeds, before meals, and observe the positive/negative effects that occur.
As to your question:
By Tea I refer to primarily Camellia Sinensis and Yerba mate.
Both inhibit CYP greatly, potentiate toxicity significantly for me, and studies show CS inhibits AhR and PXR, cyp enzymes and even aldehyde dehydrogenases greatly. Yerba mate has the same adverse effect as CS for me.
Most teas refer to Camellia sinensis: Pu erh tea, oolong, black, white, red, green… etc. They are all the same plant. With the same effect in this regard, with slight variations due to differing concentrations of constituents.
I have an addiction to orange pekoe/black tea mixtures. I drink around 64 oz. a day of it — trying to get my H2o intake with something not as bland as pure water. LOL I tried Yerba Mate a few years ago and hated it so I’ll never have that again. I do like rooibos and drink that from time to time. Tastes like warm, flat, birch beer.
I put a pinch of annatto into some food this morning. Too soon to tell anything. I might start in the midrange of your recommendation and go with 5 Gm (1 tsp) for starters. It’s got a funky taste, I can tell you that much, But if it works and it costs $1.00, who cares?
My chiropractor is sending me to a neurologist for a consult. Nothing is on the MRI/MRA for this. A behavioral optometrist examined me. He is open to VA toxicity, but thinks there is some psychosomatic stuff going on. The chiropractor is open to VA, too, but he feels like my symptoms are more in line with a concussion. I’m wondering if that is what this feels like to you and the others reading this.
Also — snow here in the Northeast — the barometric pressure is wreaking havoc on my head right now.
Yes I recognize that.
In the beginning I had a doctor refer me to a psychiatrist for evaluation. Despite losing weight at a caloric intake of 3500-4000 and experiencing a bunch of physical and measurable symptoms all pointing to VA toxicity. Flaking skin, hair loss, joint pain, intracranial tension/distinct headache, appetite loss, and all the rest.
Next doctor gave me a proper diagnosis. Even though he couldn’t solve it for me.
I do believe you’d recover faster without the tea. Switch to coffee perhaps as a substitute? It’s my vice of choice each morning. Although I do believe I’d recover faster without it.
Yes I recognize that.
In the beginning I had a doctor refer me to a psychiatrist for evaluation. Despite losing weight at a caloric intake of 3500-4000 and experiencing a bunch of physical and measurable symptoms all pointing to VA toxicity. Flaking skin, hair loss, joint pain, intracranial tension/distinct headache, appetite loss, and all the rest.
Next doctor gave me a proper diagnosis. Even though he couldn’t solve it for me.
I do believe you’d recover faster without the tea. Switch to coffee perhaps as a substitute? It’s my vice of choice each morning. Although I’d probably recover faster without it.
I’ve actually added coffee to my morning routine. I cannot stand the stuff, but it helps with magnesium. I cut it with Redmond’s Salt to kill the bitterness and add a TBS of cocoa to improve the flavor.
The thing for me is I drink iced tea throughout the day. That is where I need to cut back. It’s not even an issue of caffeine. It’s the taste. Recent phenomenon for me. I use to just drink water flat out on its own. I can’t recall when I began consuming that much. My osteopath has suggested eliminating it because of the tannins causing irritation to the bladder. May be contributing to dehydration despite all that fluid.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/12532234/
It seems the Carotenoids from Annatto can’t be converted to Retinol. They have no real Vitamin A activity. May also induce some VA catabolizing enzymes.
Annatto might actually be useful for this application. As it both provides Geranylgeraniol, Vit E while having no Provitamin A carotenoids.
I just love this.
Found Annatto source in my area. Will purchase it tomorrow.
Also found this study on the chemical composition of Annatto seeds:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4094728/
“The major oily constituent of annatto seeds is geranylgeraniol, representing 1% of dry seeds.”
10 g annatto seeds yields 100 mg GG.
Hence the daily dosing range of: 1-10g annatto seeds per day. 5g is probably the MED (minimal effective dose) which exerts the most positive effect.
I will procure and start my own tomorrow.
Good luck. I can tell you right now, it’s not the most pleasant tasting herb I have come across. I wonder if adding it to foods will help with that.
Ashley,
I am so sorry you are going through this. I am praying for you. Yes it will get better! This just takes time! The beginning is so hard horrible brain fog, dizzness! All my test were normal too and so was my MRI on my brain.
I did not feel better until 3 months. I am a mom of 10:) yes I said ten and did not think I was going to get through this. And nursing a baby! I am slowly feeling better. I had to ask my husband daily if I was getting better. Keep being patient! Sounds like you are doing the right things!
Do not consume any A. I eat chicken,lean meat, cashews, cauliflower, turnips, radishes, pomegranates, raisin bread, pastas, rice, coconut flakes, and mushrooms. It helped me to go to the gym and work my muscles then the sauna. At first I felt more dizzy, maybe, but I knew I was detoxing! The sauna really helped me. And lots of Epsom salt baths!
Please keep me posted on how you are feeling. Take care. Julie
It took me about a year to get much better 🙁 It takes a long time. How long ago did you stop the vitamin A?
I’m wondering why in the world anyone would take a vitamin A supplement when you can get your daily recommendation, and some, from plants.
There are different forms of vitamin A. When you have conditions such as hypothryoid etc, your body is not able to convert preformed vitamin A (beta-carotene).
Hi again guys,
I managed to locate another product that contains the potentially curative ingredient I have been researching and using lately.
Geranylgeraniol.
This product is actually available online aswell.
The product is Japanese. Since the substance is only used in Japan at the moment.
But if you’re experiencing significant symptoms… as I did, and interesting in finding a cure, this is what worked for me.
Substance: Geranylgeraniol.
It’s been a challenge finding products that contain it. But this is one of them.
(The brand is DHC, the biggest producer of vitamin and health supplements in all of Japan and Taiwan.
It is very reliable. Just check the ingredients first in case you have any allergies or sensitivities.)
Company’s website:
https://www.dhc.co.jp/sph/goods/goodsdetail.jsp?gCode=32509
If anyone else finds stores stocking this product or other products containing Geranylgeraniol, please list them here.
Hi Lori,
I also have an ask. Sorry to bother you with it.
I realized it might be unwise to post my email address (containing my full name) here.
Could you please erase it?
Again, I apologize for the trouble. Should have thought of it before making the comment.
S.K.
I read over the ingredients and I personally would not take it. The ingredient you are looking for is far down the ingredients list which makes me think there is very little of it in the pill. Plus there are other ingredients like rapeseed oil (high in Omega-6 — it is Canola Oil) that I would not put in my body.
The ingredient list says it is derived from annatto oil.
Why not just make it yourself?
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/annatto-oil-109238
Good suggestion.
I will look into it.
Geranylgeraniol really helps for me.
In the right amount and form I really believe it can be Curative for chronic hypervitaminosis A. Literally curative… as in complete reversal of symptoms.
I only use this product because I can’t locate any other source.
It does have a few ingredients I’d rather not consume though…
Geranylgeraniol in isolation would be ideal.
I do believe however that high amounts are not needed.
As little as 10-50mg could exert the full effect that is needed.
I will look into using Annatto seed as a source or just ordering pure annatto extracted GGiol from manufacturers.
I looked into the extracts online. There are supplements but they don’t advertise it as a source for GGiol. I am going to make it myself or at the very least start seasoning foods with annatto and see what happens.
Annatto seeds seem like a ridiculously effective source of Geranylgeraniol. The drawback is that it also has a high VA content.
Concentrations of Geranylgeraniol quoted in studies are:
25 g/100g in Annatto seed oil.
18.91 g/100g whole Annatto seeds.
That is GRAMS per 100g…
The tocotrienol content is also equally high, which might be of some benefit.
13.65 g/100g whole annatto seeds.
Dangerously high almost.
Vitamin A or beta-carotene? There is a difference. A friend of mine a nutritionist, along with other medical professionals with a background in nutrition have told me numerous times over the last few months that, if the body is toxic to Vitamin A (even if it is not but has enough A in the liver), the body WILL NOT convert beta-carotene to Vitamin A. The body may use it for other things that beta-carotene does, but the body will NOT use it to convert to Vitamin A as long as there is enough A in the body, nor will it interfere with detoxifying Vitamin A. I was especially concerned with this over Thanksgiving when I had some pumpkin pie. My nutritionist friend said that even the amount of Vitamin A in the pie from eggs, cream, milk, etc. should be too minute to cause even the slightest of setback.
Would you really consume 100g of annatto? That’s 3 1/2 oz. Serving sizes that high are reserved for things like steak.
I would not consume those amounts.
The numbers were for reference. As mentioned in the studies.
The body will not convert carotene provided there is enough RAR activation. Activation of Retinoic acid receptors provides negative feedback and downregulates carotene conversion enzymes such as BCMO1.
In severe toxicity liver function is compromized and RA synthesis is low. Therefore there is no negative feedback on conversion.
In severe va toxicity or just in some genetic dispositions conversion is still high.
I trust my own experience. Consuming high amounts of carotene still elicits all the same symptoms in me as retinol.
Geranylgeraniol helps significantly.
I am only consuming small amounts in tomato sauce and other vegetables that are in the 2% – 8% RDA. I also introduced eggs back into the diet — 4 per day, which is far, far below the RDA, just to see what happens. Eggs are particularly frustrating because there are so many other vitamins and minerals and I’d rather get them + the protein content from eggs than plant sources.
Hi, SK!
Sorry for bothering, just want to ask if you have reached a full recovery now? 3 month passed after your messafe regarding geranylgeranilacetone, do you still taking it?
Sure, no problem 🙂
This is me Tom.Today was the first day I drank some amount of alcohol .Low percentage beers and weak wine .Absolutely refused to drink Vodka.Effects? I got very relaxed and my pressure dropped below normal readings .I took 4 PPC shortly after the party.I’m wondering if I did right thing (this was 24 day since I stopped vitamin A).Do you drink occasionally while on Hypervitaminosis A?
I have a diagnosis for it.
Doctors just told me to stop supplementation of VA and minimize intake.
I will most likely be contacting a manufacturer and making a product out of Geranylgeraniol. Safely.
For my own use.
Like… what else could I do? No other options.
I still don’t have an official Dx. Doc ordered lab work in Sept. that showed normal levels of A even though I had stopped taking it a few weeks prior. I went back last week for another lab and had to convince her to write the order. I had to explain to her all over again what was going on. I spend an hour at Lab Corps because the cannot find a code this time that my insurance will approve for the V-A screening. I had started on the taurine and began to feel better. Then Thanksgiving hits — slice of pumpkin pie, slice of pumpkin cheese cake, slice of apple pie — loads of beta carotene and Vitamin A. Three days later, symptoms come back and I feel like I am back to square one,
A friend of mine is a nutritionist and he insists that the beta carotene will not convert to A in a case of toxicity. The body will just eliminate it. He also doesn’t think there is enough A in anything I had to cause a set back because the amounts I consumed were so low.
I’d be reluctant to use the meds you are talking about without an official Dx and under the care of my doctor. It is possible that this could be something else, like a neck issue. It frustrates me that my health care provider and insurance can not come up with a solution.
Geranylgeranylacetone works for me.
Prevents all symptoms of toxicity at 40 mg/d.
But I would like to use geranylgeraniol instead. Because thatis what has oroven to have the desired effect in studies (lrat arat inhibition).
Geranylgeranylacetone has some side effects too.
http://www.google.com.pg/patents/US5756109
And if any medical mechanism of action can be used to treat this, it is this one.
Thinking of purchasing geranylgeraniol from manufacturers. But their minimum order quanitity is usually large.
Anyone else interested?
Are you taking these under a doctor’s care? Have you been officially dx’d with toxicity?
This is me Tom.PPC is wonderful for my liver .First day when I took PPC 2 tablets I’ve got severe headache.When I started taking 6 tablets boom my blood pressure is down to max 135/94 which is very good.I don’t have heart palpitations ,my head pressure is almost non existent ,feeling of tingling in veins is weak .I guess it’s matter of time when my fatty liver will be in better condition .22 day since I stopped using Vitamin A
Hi .This is me Tom again .I have interesting theory regarding Vitamin A toxic levels even after stopping vitamin A.Liver is responsible for storage of vitamin A.So while you are taking Vitamin A you don’t have problems with loss of appetite and pressure because your liver is absorbing the vitamin A.Then when you stop excess vitamin A storage is dumped into your blood as liver recognises that Vitamin A is bad for you lose appetite ,body dumps more toxins.Liver works mostly in night hours from 22;00 to 6:00 that’s why I feel this feeling of tingling in my arteries because dumped retinol is causing higher pressure.What is most important in my situation that my pressure in head is almost non existent . It’s been 18 day since I stopped using Vitamin A supplement still feel very weak ,still loss of appetite it may never return ,my buddy got toxicity from anti pain drug and his appetite hadn’t returned since winter .Also I encourage you to fight for compensation from companies that produce Vitamin A.They never informed us about possible severe effects of Vitamin A.Especially Now foods who is producing Vitamin A 25000 IU ( during my 16 days of supplementation I used 25000 IU on average day) and that amount can lead to serious damages.Don’t hestitate to sue them It can lead to banning such supplements in that kind of amount and save people health .I’m going to court with this situation
I want to sue GNC
This product caused me toxicity
http://www.gnc.com/mega-men-multivitamins/179522.html?cgid=mega-men-multivitamins#start=1
Hi Tom,
I know it’s been a couple of years since you wrote this but this has happened to me and I just wanted to know whether you successfully managed to sue. My e-mail is [email protected] or please feel free to reply here.
Thanks,
Sarah
That would be nice if someone did test Selbex and their retinol levels.For me it sounds like really good medicine.I asked my friend from China if he can get this thing for me.By the way this is 16 day since I stopped using vitamin A and D supplements -loss of appetite still present ,pressure in head still present but lesser ,palpitations lesser but present.I feel weak really but this is likely due rarely eating .I didn’t any kind of food with fat present ,calcium present any kind of protein or meat
Hey Tom,
Do you use any other drugs? Tea? Drink coffee? Meds?
In my experience almost all other substances from non-food items aggravate va toxicity.
For me it was green tea. And yerba mate. And herb extracts like ginkgo biloba. They made my symptoms much worse.
I believe this is because they inhibit CYP and dehydrogenses which eliminate excess VA.
And one piece of advice:
Don’t talk too much about this problem with most people who can’t provide a solution. Since it’s so rare, some people might assume it’s a psychological rather than physiological problem.
Only thing I use are pills for hypertension but I stopped using them 2 days ago-liver has enough work to do and needs to be drug free to regenerate.I use milk thistle and think about PPC maybe it wasn’t helpful in your case but studies show they are beneficial in process of regeneration of liver.I also use magnesium and plan to use Epsom salts.I eat rarely and only things like chinese rice pasta etc .I will postpone my USG and wait another week to see what happens.I’m sure only good things can happen.The worst was first week I was literally crying for help every day had suicidal thoughts I was thinking that I got cirhossis (now I know this is not case this is not possible in that amount of time).Thankfully I also took lot of Vitamin D3 (but extreme) 360000 IU of vitamin A vs 200000 Vitamin D3.The best thing for now is not thinking that you have cirhossis or something like that and just give your liver a rest .It takes from 2 months to 6 months to heal completly in most moderate or mild cases
My protocol for another weeks
Milk thistle every day
PPC in form of Essentiale forte
Eating Low vitamin A foods
drinking 4 liters of Water a day
Epsom salt baths or drinking them
Trying to get Selbex to get rid of stored Vitamin A
no Alcohol
Taurine? I don’t know
Some science for you guys interested in Teprenone / GGA:
What it does is inhibit the enzymes for retinol esterification “LRAT / ARAT”.
See this study for the effects of which:
http://m.jbc.org/content/280/48/40226/T1.expansion.html
The result of inhibition is depletion of Vitamin A in all tissues.
Since starting Teprenone/GGA I have almost no symptoms.
I expect recovery will occur within one month with this. Rather than several years which would be the case without it.
Study:
Animals were developed which lacked the LRAT enzyme.
Even when maintained on a normal VA intake diet, their tissue levels of Vitamin A were almost undetectable.
I.e.
Teprenone / Geranylgeranylacetone / Selbelle / Selbex (names for the same thing) works.
“These data show that both the retinyl esters and retinol levels in these tissues are drastically reduced in the LRAT-/- mice even on a normal vitamin A-sufficient diet.”
http://m.jbc.org/content/280/48/40226.full
It looks like a proton-pump inhibitor used in the treatment of acid reflux. I would take a probiotic and consume prebiotics with it, add some ACV to the diet as well to keep up the stomach acid content.
You could.
But higher gastric pH makes vitamin a losses greater. Which is desired in this case.
PPIs are actually known to cause va deficiency.
Although gastric pH is not the way Teprenone works. So it doesn’t matter.
You cannot change your body’s Ph. That is a myth. If you do, you die. And we’re only to ever speculate if we are toxic until we eliminate A & beta carotene from the diet and monitor our blood levels if we’re ever to get an accurate DX. My doctors and I are still in the speculation area. Until then, I am not willing to take a medication for something at this point is still speculative and I am not comfortable of making changes to my gut health.
I said “gastric pH”.
Which is easy to raise.
PPIs and h2 antagonists do just that.
I don’t care what you do.
I just made a post to share what worked for me.
You can wait around for your docs and listen to them tell you to cease supplementation and avoid apples for the rest of your life. Makes no difference to me. But that is all they’ll ever do for you. They have no treatments.
basically this haha. Doctors will give you absolutely nothing to work with
For me, taurine and PPC seemed to work really well. I think I have a milder and less serious case of vitamin a poisoning. Those worked very well. for more serious cases this enzyme may work.
I ordered it and will report back ASAP
hey bud
I am suffering since 1 year , please can you tell me if selbex actually worked for you ? I fed up of suffering more .
Thanks !