Vitamin A Serum Test

Vitamin A, also known as Retinol, is an essential nutrient for healthy skin, healthy eyes and vision, bone growth, immune function, and embryonic development. Vitamin A is present in the liver, dairy products, fish liver oils, dark green and yellow-orange vegetables, and in fruits. Too much vitamin A may cause symptoms that include itchy skin, headache, and hair loss.

The signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include:

• Night blindness
• Dry eyes, skin, and hair
• Ulcers and damage to the cornea, the outermost layer of the front of the eye that covers the iris and pupil
• Skin thickening and lesions
• Grayish spots on eye lining (Bitot spots)
• Repeated infections
• Anemia

The signs and symptoms that suggest vitamin A toxicity include:

• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Double or blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Seizures
• Irritability
• Muscle pain
• Bone and joint pain
• Weight loss
• Hair loss
• Mucous membrane dryness
• Itching
• Liver dysfunction
• Cracks (fissures) at the corners of the mouth
• Inflammation of the tongue (glossitis)
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Testing may be done periodically when a person has a disease that is associated with malabsorption of nutrients to monitor vitamin A status and ensure that the person is getting sufficient vitamin A.

Some diseases associated with inadequate vitamin A absorption include:

• Celiac disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease