Vitamin A Facts

What is vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin A is available in 2 forms: Retinol and Carotene. The most purest form of vitamin a is Retinol and the Carotene form is converted into Retinol and stored in the liver.

Uses of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins for good health. This vitamin is highly essential for the human body for the following reasons: - It helps cells reproduce normally. - It is needed for good vision. Vitamin A maintains healthy cells in various structures of the eye.
- Vitamin A is required for normal growth and development of the embryo and fetus.
- For normal reproductive function and also normal growth, vitamin A is required.
- Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin.
- It is also helpful in the renewal of body tissues.
- Vitamin A protects the body from infections. Infact this vitamin is also known as "anti-infective" vitamin for its protective role.
- It helps in preserving healthy bones and teeth.

For Good Health, The Guidelines Are:

- Eat a Variety of Foods
- Maintain Desirable Weight
- Avoid Too Much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol
- Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber
- Avoid Too Much Sugar & Sodium
- If You Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation



Symptoms of Vitamin A Deficiency

- Abscesses in the ears
- Chronic diarrhea
- Dry skin
- Dry hair
- Dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea
- Fatigue
- Frequent colds
- Insomnia
- Night blindness
- Pneumonia
- Poor growth
- Reproductive difficulties
- Sinusitis
- Skin disorders
- Weak tooth enamel
- Weight loss



Vitamin A Food Source

Apricots , Cooked Asparagus, Beet greens, Broccoli, Butter, Carrots, Cantaloupe, Chili peppers, Collards, Dairy products, Dark leafy greens, Eggs, Cooked green beans, Cooked kale, Kidney beans, Leaf lettuce, Liver, Mangoes, Cooked Mustard greens, Papayas, Parsley, Peaches, Fresh Cooked Peas, Pumpkin, Red peppers, Seafood, Spinach, Squash, Sweet potato, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watermelon, Yellow corn etc.



Herbs Rich in Vitamin A

Alfalfa, Barley grass, Borage leaves, Burdock root, Cayenne, Chickweed, Dandelion greens and root, Eyebright, Fennel seed, Garlic, Gotu kola, Hops, Horseradish, Lemongrass, Oat straw, Parsley, Peppermint, Plantain, Rose hips, Sage, Uva ursi, Watercress, Yellow dock



Other Sources of Vitamin A

Cod liver oil



Precautions while taking Vitamin A

- Antibiotics, nitrates, laxatives, and some cholesterol-lowering drugs interfere with Vitamin A absorption. - If you have hypothyroidism, avoid beta-carotene.
- Do not take a daily dose of over 10,000 IU of Vitamin A in pill form or any amount of cod liver oil in case of liver diseases.
- Excess amounts of vitamin A may cause birth defects.
- Children should not take more than 18,000 IU of Vitamin A