HEALTH TOPICS 
On call: Vitamin A and macular degeneration
On call
Vitamin A and macular degeneration
Q. Experts say the safe daily consumption for vitamin A is less than 3,000 IU. I am 60 years old and have been diagnosed with macular degeneration. The doctors told me to take the AREDS (Age-Related Eye Disease Study, done by the National Eye Institute of the NIH) formula of antioxidant vitamins, which contains 28,640 IU of vitamin A (beta carotene) along with vitamins C and E, plus zinc and copper, in a daily dose. In addition, I eat a lot of vegetables and not much meat.
Since this much vitamin A is way over the amount you recommend, what should I do? I am younger than most patients with macular degeneration and could be on this formula for a long time. I want to save my vision but not damage my bones.
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