The advantages of vitamin A;

The Symptoms of excessive intake of vitamin A;

What is the benefit of vitamin A?

What is the toxicity of vitamin A?

Vitamin A and the health; vitamin A or retinol is a natural occurring vitamin, a fat soluble organic compound needed by the body to remain in good health.

1.    Human bodies cannot synthesize vitamin A.

2.    Therefore they must get it from foods they are consuming as their diet.

The role of vitamin A in the body:

1.    Vitamin A plays a great role in a variety of function throughout the body; as it affects many different systems of the organisms.

2.    It is essential to maintain good vision, healthy immune system, and strong bones and bone metabolism.

3.    Genetic transcription, embryonic development and reproduction.

4.    Hematopoietic, skin and cellular health, antioxidant activity.

5.    This vitamin helps to turn on and off certain genes, during cell division and differentiation.

The appropriate dosage of vitamin A:

1.    Vitamin A ought to be taken in correct amount, not too little or too much, for good health.

2.    Those who get too little vitamin A have vision defects and more likely to have damaged cells, body cavities and more susceptible to infection.

3.    While those who get too much vitamin A have weaken bones that tend to break easily and have a chronic feeling of illness, such as headache, nausea, irritability, fatigue, and disrupted menstrual cycles.

4.    Excess vitamin A can cause birth defects in a developing fetus.

The sources of Vitamin A:

1.    There are two natural sources of vitamin A, animal sources and vegetable sources.

2.    Animal origin sources are eggs, butter, milk, meat and oily fish that contain retinol.

3.    Whereas vegetable origin sources are green and yellow fruits and vegetables, contain beta carotene, carotenoid plant origin that is converted into vitamin A in the body.

4.    Vitamin A is necessary for normal health and growth, particularly for the eyes and skin.

The deficiency of Vitamin A:

1.    A deficiency of vitamin A may cause night blindness, dry eyes, eye infection, skin problems and slowed growth.

2.    A normal balanced diet that contains an enough amount of vitamin A gives good health.

3.    But taking vitamin A should be under prescriber’s supervision, because large amounts of vitamin A taken over a long period can cause serious and unwanted effects.

4.    Vitamin A deficiency can occur as either a primary or a secondary deficiency.

5.    Primary deficiency of vitamin A occurs among children and adults who do not consume an adequate intake of pro-vitamin A, carotenoids from fruits and vegetables or preformed vitamin A from animal and dairy products.

6.    Early weaning from breast milk can increase the risk of vitamin A deficiency.

7.    Secondary deficiency of vitamin A is associated with chronic mal-absorption of lipids, impaired bile production and release, and chronic exposure to oxidants, such as cigarette smoke, and chronic alcoholism.

8.    Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and depends on MI cellar solubilization for dispersion into the small intestine, which results in poor use of vitamin A from low-fat diets.

The supplementation of Vitamin A:

1.    While strategies include intake of vitamin A through a combination of breast feeding and dietary intake.

2.    Delivery of oral high-dose supplements remain the principal strategy for minimizing deficiency.

The Toxicity of vitamin A:

1.    Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, disposing of any excesses taken in through diet takes much longer than with water-soluble B vitamins and C vitamin.

2.    This allows for toxic levels of vitamin A to accumulate.

3.    In addition, excessive alcohol intake can increase toxicity.

4.    Smokers and chronic alcohol consumers have been observed to have increased risk of mortality due to lung cancer, esophageal cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and colon cancer.

5.    Fetus is particularly sensitive to vitamin A toxicity during the period of organogenesis. 

The Symptoms of excessive intake of vitamin A:

1.    Excess consumption of vitamin A can lead to nausea, irritability, reduced appetite, vomiting.

2.    Blurry vision, headaches.

3.    Hair loss, muscle and abdominal pain and weakness, drowsiness, and altered mental status.

4.    In chronic cases, hair loss, dry skin, drying of the mucous membranes, fever, insomnia, fatigue, weight loss, bone fractures, anemia, and diarrhea can all be evident on top of the symptoms associated with less serious toxicity.

5.    Some of these symptoms are also common to acne treatment.

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