Should children eat gac oil every day?

I usually add gac oil to every meal of my child to increase vitamin A. Recently, the palm of my child's hand is a bit yellow, is it because he eats gac fruit every day? (Minh Huyen, Ho Chi Minh City)

Reply:

Gac oil contains a lot of beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. The dose of beta carotene for each child is fixed. Therefore, even if you give your child an overdose, the child's body cannot absorb and convert it into vitamin A. Beta carotene that is not completely metabolized will be stored under the skin, causing jaundice. The most noticeable symptom is yellow skin on the palms of the hands.

If the child’s liver function test is normal, it is due to excess beta carotene. Parents only need to stop their child from eating gac oil for a while and the skin will go away, it is not dangerous to health. Children should not eat too many foods or products containing a lot of vitamin A. If this continues for a long time, the child may become poisoned.

Every day, you should only give your child a small spoon of gac oil or feed it intermittently throughout the day, avoiding regular use. Your child can use it alternately with vegetable oil, salmon oil, fat... To develop well, children not only need to supplement vitamin A in gac oil but also need to balance their diet with green vegetables and other fruits.

If you suspect your child has signs of jaundice due to excess vitamin A, you should take him to a nutritionist for diagnosis and testing. Your child may need a micronutrient test using a UPLC machine to help detect deficiencies or excesses of micronutrients in the body. From there, the doctor can accurately diagnose jaundice due to excess vitamin A and have appropriate treatment.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Anh Duy Tung
Nutrihome Nutrition Clinic System

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