Participants with higher serum retinol experienced significantly lower overall, CVD, heart disease, and respiratory disease mortality compared to men with the lowest retinol concentrations, reflecting 17–32% lower mortality risk (Ptrend < 0.0001).
Elevated levels of serum retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) contribute to insulin resistance and correlate with increased prevalence of hypertension and myocardial infarction.
For adults, 19 and older, the tolerable upper limit for vitamin A is 10,000 IU per day. Talk to your doctor before taking any dose close to that amount. People who have liver disease or diabetes should not take vitamin A supplements without their doctor's supervision.
What does retinol do for your skin? Retinol increases skin cell production (proliferation). It helps unclog pores. Retinol also exfoliates your skin and increases collagen production, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a fresher, plump appearance.
So if you start using retinol every day out of the gate, you can end up with some painful inflammation and a damaged skin barrier, negating any potential positives. One way to avoid that irritation is to start slow, explains Ranella Hirsch, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Boston.
Discontinue use if you have negative side effects after a few weeks of use and contact your physician to help reassess your skin type and find a solution that will protect your skin barrier . Consider using moisturizing and soothing topical skin care products with retinol to counteract its negative side effects.
Retinol might not be a fit for those with overly sensitive or hypersensitive skin, those who have food intolerances or high allergic reactions, and young skin, she says. “Caution is necessary when using any vitamin A derivatives and should only be used after advice from your derm or skin care specialist,” Joss says.
"Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product," explains Bowe, who instructs patients to only use retinoids at night and be diligent about applying a daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher during the day.
Medications that may interact with retinol and vitamin A include isotretinoin, antacids, tetracycline antibiotics, doxorubicin, omeprazole, neomycin, birth control pills, Targretin (bexarotene), blood thinners, cholestyramine, tretinoin, Soriatane (acitretin), other retinoids, and orlistat.
The form of vitamin A for transport through blood is retinol so if you apply retinol there is a theoretical possibility that the retinol can be taken up into the serum. However, only tiny fractions of retinol can actually be taken up into the blood stream as free retinol.
Topical retinol is generally safe for long-term use without any detrimental health risks.
There is a potential link between anxiety, depression, anger, mood changes and retinoid use. You should not use retinoids if you have any pre-existing mental health conditions and you should stop treatment and seek medical help immediately if you begin to experience any of the symptoms outlined above.
Since retinoids are analogs of vitamin A, their potential to produce liver disease is reviewed. Animal and human studies of Ever function tests suggest some abnormalities in the liver in about 25% of patients treated.
Taking more than 10,000 mcg a day of oral vitamin A supplements long term can cause: Bone thinning. Liver damage. Headache.
You'll likely want to use retinol once or twice per week initially and work up to using it more than that. The reason: Retinol can initially be drying, especially if you have sensitive skin, so it's a good idea to give your skin some time to adjust to the change in your routine.
You see, retinol impacts your skin's normal function, and when you stop it your skin has to re-learn how to regulate itself properly again. So typically when people stop using it they experience either bad acne or bad dryness for a few weeks afterwards.
“This will make your skin look older and accentuate wrinkles” — which is probably not what you're going for when you start using the stuff. And there's no question that retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Hyaluronic acid is best if they're looking to moisturize dry skin, while retinol works better by encouraging better skin by boosting collagen production. They have several benefits that can work in tandem for better results, though patients need to be careful with the exact formulations they use.
Retinol significantly decreased both hormone levels, however retinoic acid decreased the progesterone level only.
Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out the skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol.
If you use too high a strength or apply retinol more frequently than you should, you may experience further irritation, like itchiness and scaly patches. Some people have noticed acne breakouts after using retinol, though this is a rare side effect.
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
Patients treated with tretinoin will be monitored closely for a serious side effect that may occur referred to as APL differentiation syndrome. The syndrome causes high fever, difficulty breathing, lung and heart problems, organ dysfunction and sudden weight gain.
Symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurry vision, swelling, eye damage, headache, high levels of calcium, bone pain, fatigue, discomfort, and liver damage.