I’m concerned about high levels of vitamin A. Is the amount in Essential Nutrients safe?
There are several forms of vitamin A, and they have different effects in the body. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of vitamin A is ~10,000 IU/day, and applies to retinoid forms of vitamin A, which are preformed and used immediately in the body. Essential Nutrients provides 1500 IU retinyl palmitate per day, well below the toxic threshold. The remaining 8500 IU of vitamin A supplied by Essential Nutrients is in the form of beta-carotene, which is a carotenoid or precursor of vitamin A that must be converted in the body before it is used. Beta-carotene is considered safe and nontoxic. However, you should avoid extremely high levels of beta-carotene (25,000 IU or greater per day) if you smoke, as some studies have shown an increased risk of lung cancer in smokers who supplement with excessive levels of beta-carotene. For non-smokers and smokers who avoid individual vitamin A supplements, Essential Nutrients is a safe choice for optimal vitamin A levels.
