Vitamin A is essential for eye and skin health    

Sep 04, 2022 News

==Health Facts==

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – Vitamin A is usually considered a singular nutrient but is actually a group of fat-soluble compounds which include retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. It is an essential nutrient for humans. Being fat-soluble means that it is absorbed with the fats in your diet and stored in the fatty tissues of the body.

According to information obtained from the DeSinco Limited Health and Wellness Division, Vitamin A is essential for fetal development and growth, and immune functions, and is best known for eyes and skin health.

As such, the data pointed out that some observational studies namely (a) Carotenoid intake and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies show a decreased risk of certain types of cancers by consuming higher amounts of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene.

Vitamin A plays a role in the production and function of white blood cells by helping to capture and clear bacteria and pathogens from your bloodstream.

It is necessary for colour vision and low light vision and helps to protect and maintain the cornea (the outermost layer of the eye), and the conjunctiva (a thin membrane that covers the surface of the eye inside of your eyelids).

Deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to “night blindness” meaning that there is significantly reduced vision in dark or low light environments. Other conditions caused by a Vitamin A deficiency include possible infertility in men and women, skin disorders such as eczema, acne and dry skin, stunted growth in children, increased risk of chest and throat infections, and poor wound healing.

Vitamin A is naturally found in milk, cheese, eggs, butter, fortified margarine, meat, liver, oily saltwater fish, grains, oils, carrots, dark green and yellow vegetables, and fruits such as mangoes, banana, pineapples, cantaloupes or apricots.

Before using Vitamin A supplements, persons should consult their healthcare provider as Vitamin A toxicity can result in serious or life-threatening conditions and the risk of toxicity can be increased when using certain other medications.

Pregnant women should not use Vitamin A supplements without consulting their physician. Although it is important for fetal development, it can cause serious birth defects when taken in large doses.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 700mcg (micrograms) or 2330IU (international units) for adult women and 900mcg or 3000IU for adult men once daily.

In summary, Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for the normal functionality of key bodily functions but must be used with caution to avoid toxicity.