Vitamin A Lab Test & Other Interactions
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Vitamin A also has interactions with other substances, as follows:
- Alcohol
The liver of a person who drinks a lot of alcohol may be irritated by and may not be able to handle vitamin A supplementation, which means that the liver may not be able to metabolise and use the vitamin A properly. - Olestra fat substitute
People who take vitamin A supplements and eat the fat substitute olestra will decrease the absorption, effectiveness and action of the vitamin A supplements. It is advisable not to eat this fat substitute if taking vitamin A supplements.
Supplementation of Vitamin A should be ceased at least a week before taking any lab tests
Vitamin A's effect on lab tests
Vitamin A has an effect on the following tests:
- Blood glucose
- Blood urea
- Blood nitrogen
- Serum calcium
- Serum cholesterol
- Serum triglycerides
- Dark-adaptation test
- Electronystagmogram test
- Electroretinogram test
Vitamin A causes incorrect results in all of the above tests. Vitamin A causes higher than normal levels of all the substances in the blood tests above and causes poor results in the last three tests. Supplementation of Vitamin A should be ceased at least a week before taking any lab tests.