Six Benifits Of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the generic term used for a group of fat-soluble compounds important for human health. It is also termed as retinoid. Preformed vitamin A is known as the active form of the vitamin, which your body can use just as it is. The fat-soluble compounds are essential for many processes in the body, including maintaining healthy vision, ensuring the normal function of immune system and organs and aiding the proper growth and development of babies in the womb.

Recommended Levels #

It’s recommended that

• Men get 900 mcg of vitamin A per day

• Women get 700 mcg of vitamin A per day

• Children and adolescents get 300–600 mcg of vitamin A per day.

Ten Food Items Rich In vitamin A #

Note

DV : Daily Value

RAEs : Retinol Activity Equivalents

mcg : micrograms

Lamb Liver #

1 ounce: 2,122 mcg (236% DV) 100 grams: 7,491 mcg (832% DV)

Sweet Potato #

Vitamin A (RAE) (107% DV) per 100g : 961 mcg

Carrots #

Vitamin A (RAE) (95% DV) per 100g : 852 mcg

Butter #

1 tablespoon: 97 mcg (11% DV) 100 grams: 684 mcg (76% DV)

Spinach #

vitamin A (RAE) (58% DV) per 100g : 524 mcg

Lettuce #

vitamin A (RAE) (48% DV) per 100g : 436 mcg

Cantaloupe(sweet melon) #

vitamin A (RAE) (19% DV) per 100g : 169 mcg

Salmon #

Half a fillet: 229 mcg (25% DV) 100 grams: 149 mcg (17% DV)

Red Bell Peppers #

vitamin A (RAE) (16% DV) per 100g : 147 mcg

Broccoli #

vitamin A (RAE) (9% DV) per 100g : 77 mcg

Benefits Of vitamin A #

Protect Eyes From Night Blindness #

• Vitamin A is essential for preserving your eyesight, this is a well known fact.

• The vitamin is needed to convert light that hits the eye into an electrical signal that can be sent to the brain.

• In fact, one of the first symptoms of vitamin A deficiency can be night blindness, known as nyctalopia

• Night blindness occurs in people with vitamin A deficiency, as the vitamin is a major component of the pigment rhodopsin.

• Rhodopsin is found in the retina of eye and extremely sensitive to light.

• People with this condition can still see normally during the day, but have reduced vision in darkness as their eyes struggle to pick up light at lower levels.

• In addition to preventing night blindness, eating adequate amounts of beta-carotene may help slow down the decline in eyesight that some people experience as they grow older

Lower The Risk of Certain Cancers #

• Cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow or divide in an uncontrolled way in the body.

• As vitamin A plays an important role in the growth and development of the cells, its influence on cancer risk and role in cancer prevention is of interest to scientists

• In observational studies, eating higher amounts of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene has been linked to a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as well as cervical, lung and bladder cancers.

Maintains Healthy Immune System #

• Vitamin A plays a vital role in maintaining body’s natural defense system.

• This includes the mucous barriers in eyes, lungs, gut and genitals which helps in trapping the bacteria and other infectious agents causing disease.

• It’s also involved in the production and function of white blood cells, which helps in capturing and clearing bacteria and other pathogens from the bloodstream.

• This means that a deficiency in vitamin A can increase your susceptibility to various kinds of infections and delay the recovery period.

• In fact, in countries where infections like measles and malaria are common, correcting vitamin A deficiency in children has been shown to decrease the risk of death from these diseases.

Supports Bone Health #

• The key nutrients needed for maintaining healthy bones as you age are protein, calcium and vitamin D.

• However, eating enough vitamin A is also necessary for proper bone growth and development, and a deficiency in this vitamin has been linked to poor bone health.

• In fact, people with lower blood levels of vitamin A are at a higher risk of bone fractures than people with healthy levels of vitamin A.

• Additionally, a recent meta-analysis of observational studies found that people with the highest amounts of total vitamin A in their diet had a 6% decreased risk of fractures.

Reduces Risk of Acne Formation #

• Acne is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder which is a common problem faced by the people.

• People with acne condition develop painful spots and blackheads, most commonly on the face, back and chest regions.

• These spots formed due to acne occur when the sebaceous glands get clogged up with dead skin and oils. These glands are found in the hair follicles on the skin and produce sebum, an oily, waxy substance that keeps your skin lubricated and waterproof.

• Though the spots are physically harmless, acne may have a serious effect on people’s mental health and lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and depression also in some people.

• The exact role that vitamin A plays in the development and treatment of acne remains unclear.

• It has been suggested that vitamin A deficiency may increase your risk of developing acne, as it causes an overproduction of the protein keratin in your hair follicles.

• This would increase your risk of acne by making it more difficult for dead skin cells to be removed from hair follicles, leading to blockages.

• Some vitamin-A-based medications for acne are now available with a prescription.

• Isotretinoin is one example of an oral retinoid that is effective in treating severe acne. However, this medication can have serious side effects and must only be taken under medical supervision.

Promotes Healthy Growth and Reproduction #

• Vitamin A is essential for maintaining a healthy reproductive system in both men and women, as well as ensuring the normal growth and development of embryos during pregnancy.

• Rat studies examining the importance of vitamin A in male reproduction have shown that a deficiency blocks the development of sperm cells, causing infertility in rat.

• Likewise, animal studies have suggested that vitamin A deficiency in females can impact reproduction by reducing egg quality and affecting egg implantation in the womb.

• In pregnant women, vitamin A is also involved in the growth and development of many major organs and structures of the unborn child, including the skeleton, nervous system, heart, kidneys, eyes, lungs and pancreas.

• Yet, though much less common than vitamin A deficiency, too much vitamin A during pregnancy can be harmful to the growing baby as well and may lead to birth defects

Eight Symptoms Of vitamin A Deficiency #

• Dry Skin

• Dry Eyes

• Night Blindness

• Infertility and Trouble Conceiving

• Delayed Growth

• Throat and Chest Infections

• Poor Wound Healing

• Acne and Breakouts

Dangers Of High Levels Of vitamin A Intake #

• Hypervitaminosis A

• Vision changes

• Swelling of the bones

• Dry and rough skin

• Mouth ulcers and confusion

• Birth defects in pregnant women