ANSWER: Vitamin A CAN cause hair loss. More Info: Unlike water-soluble compounds that the body excretes when not required, vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound that the body will store until needed. Ingesting excessive amounts of vitamin A could potentially cause a toxic level to buildup producing a condition known as hypervitaminosis A. Skin and hair changes, including hair loss, are side effects of the condition. The good news is the effects of hypervitaminosis A are usually not permanent. [“Hypervitaminosis A.” A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia] Can I Get Too Much Vitamin A from My Diet? There are two types of vitamin A acquired through food. The vitamin A found in liver, milk, cheese and eggs is called preformed vitamin A, which the body processes efficiently. Provitamin A cartonoids are found in vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots. [“Vitamin A.” Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University] Most cases of vitamin A toxicity occur from taking supplements. Even considering all of the foods that are fortified with vitamin A, it is rare to achieve toxic levels of vitamin A in the body through diet alone. For example, a person eating liver everyday may be at risk for developing hypervitaminosis A. According [...]
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