Parents give their children “Flintstone” vitamins
to promote healthy growth. College students swallow multivitamins to balance out their poor diets. Many adults take supplements
to lessen symptoms of illnesses and prevent certain diseases. But, multivitamin supplements contain large portions of Vitamin
A and so the intake of vitamin A is a substantial amount. Additionally, there is an increase in the consumption of diets rich
in vitamin A. New research presented by Diane Feskanich and her colleagues in the Journal of the American Medical Association
(2002) suggests that large consumption of vitamin A over comprehensive periods of time due to diets rich in vitamin A and
multivitamin supplements increases the risk of low bone density and bone fracture. Being conscientious of the amount of vitamin
intake now can prevent health risks later.
Feskanich et al (2002) did the study in response to questions
on the subject of the intake of large amounts of vitamin A and its long- term impact on bones of humans. It is already known
that an immediate overdose of vitamin A can cause toxicity, or poisoning, developmental deformities in embryos, bone growth
impairment, and bone fractures, in mice and can cause hypercalcemia and bone irregularities, in humans. So, beginning in 1980,
more than 70,000 women between the ages of 34 to 77 years who had already experienced menopause were asked to respond to a
questionnaire tracking vitamin A through diet and intake of multivitamin supplements. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed
every two years updating data until 1998. Within the questionnaires, the women were also asked to report any hip fractures.
More than 600 hip fractures were recorded throughout the study.
The results of the study revealed significant information
concerning vitamin A intake. A woman is suggested by the Food and Nutrition Board to take 700 micrograms of vitamin A per
day and not exceed 3000 micrograms per day (Feskanich, 2002, Results section, para. 4). But, in the study, 14% of the women
had below the recommended daily allowance and 21% exceeded the allowance meaning that close to half of the women in the study
were not consuming the correct amounts of vitamin A (Feskanich, 2002, Results section, para. 4). The study found that women
with more than 3000 micrograms of vitamin A intake, either from supplements only, foods only or both together, had a relatively
higher risk of bone fracture than those with lower intake which implies that most of the recorded bone fractures were of women
who continuously exceeded the recommended daily allowance (Feskanich, Comments section, para 1). Most of the vitamin A intake
was contributed by multivitamin supplements. And so, the risk was even greater for the women who had a low intake from foods,
but a very high intake from multivitamin supplements.
The intake of vitamin A from food sources only, reported
that relative risk was elevated in the same manner as the risk from intake of vitamin A through foods plus vitamin supplements,
even though the average intake for food only was lower (Feskanich, 2002, Results section, para. 8). Women consuming more liver,
carrots, cereals, fortified milk and margarine had higher risks than those who did not consume these food items and who did
not consume vitamin supplements. These results suggest that diets rich in vitamin A increase the risk of exceeding the recommended
daily allowance and as a result increase the risk of bone fracture over extended time periods, even though vitamin supplements
are not used. Therefore, diet plays a role, as well, in the intake of vitamin A, which indicates that the vitamin supplements
are not the only causes of inflated intake of vitamin A; it is the combination of diet and supplements.
Vitamin A has been known to cause
health problems when it is directly consumed in toxic amounts, but this new research is significant because the results show
that, now, long-term consumption of diets and multivitamin supplements high in vitamin A are causing bone fractures as well.
Chronic use of vitamin supplement is prevalent throughout our society, especially among college students. The reliance upon
supplements to accommodate for missing healthy meals may not be causing effects now. But, this combination of diet and supplements
rich in vitamin A increases the risk of exceeding the healthy daily recommended amount previously mentioned and its long-term
effect may be decreasing bone density, adversely causing bone fractures. The high levels of vitamin A intake found in the
women were due to accumulation of vitamin A over time; hence, being concerned now can help students prevent these risks of
bone fracture later on in life. By monitoring the amount of vitamin A from the combination of diet and multivitamin supplements,
students can ensure a healthy dose, between 700 and 3000 micrograms, of this essential nutrient and prevent these health risks.
References
Denke, Margo A.
(2002). Dietary Retinol-A Double-edged Sword. Journal of the American
Medical Association, 287. Retrieved January 2, 2003
from, http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v287n1/ffull/jed10084.html
Feskanich, D., et al. (2002). Vitamin A intake and hip
fractures among postmenopausal
Women. [Electronic Version]. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 47-54.
Seppa, Nathan. (2002). Too much
of a good thing: Excess vitamin A may hike bone-
Fracture rate. Science News,163, 4. Retrieved January 25, 2003 from, http://sciencenews.org/20030125/fob4.asp
