Facts About Vitamin A
There are four vitamins in the human body that are fat soluble, and vitamin A is one of them.
A very important vitamin that is necessary for overall good health and vitality, vitamin A is absorbed
by the body through fat, and therefore can be retained in stores within the body.
Function
There are four main functions of vitamin A. These include: normal cell reproduction, normal growth and
development of a fetus and embryo, a necessity for fertility, and proper vision. Vitamin A also plays a
crucial role in cell reproduction as it helps cells undergo differentiation which ensures healthy cell
reproduction. Vitamin A also influences the development of the organs for embryos and fetuses, and
plays an important role of the proper functioning of not only the ovaries and the placenta,
but also the sperm, making vitamin A essential for reproduction.
This is a vitamin that is also necessary for vision and maintaining healthy cells in the structures of
the eye and transmitting light signals in the retina. Besides these four main functions, vitamin A is
also responsible for proper immune function, maintenance of healthy skin and hair, bone and body growth,
and wound healing. Vitamin A is commonly known to provide some protection against free radicals that
may attack the body’s cells and structures.
Source of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is mainly found in liver, oils, egg yolks, butter, beef, and dairy products such as milk, cheese,
and butter. Vitamin A can also be manufactured in the body from beta-carotene
and other carotenoids. Beta-carotene is found in dark green leafy vegetables, and yellow and orange
vegetables.
Other common sources are squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, apricots, peaches, papaya, peas, peppers
and mangoes. You can increase your supply of vitamin A by eating a diet rich in these foods.
Deficiency
If you are low in vitamin A you may begin to experience vision problems, commonly night vision will
decreased if you are experiencing a vitamin A deficiency. A serious vitamin A deficiency may contribute
to blindness as the retina and cornea become very dry. A deficiency of this vitamin may also lead to the
inability to fight infections as well as skin disorders such as dry, rough skin.
Risk
It is unlikely that you will need a vitamin A supplement if you eat a well balanced diet that is rich in
fruits and vegetables. However, if you do supplement, a recommended does is 25,000 IU. However there are
situations where this much vitamin A is not considered safe. For example, people over the age of 65 should
limit their intake, as well as pregnant women, because too much vitamin A may be related to birth defects.
When selecting a multivitamin, look for upper limit of 5,000 IU of vitamin A (that's 100% of daily value).
Remember, one should get at least 40% of vitamin A in the form of Beta Cartene as the body is able to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A
as needed, so it is safer. This is one of the reasons why we like multivitamins that has beta carotene in it.
