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by Merlyn Gabriel Miller

What is vitamin A, and why do you need it?
What function does it have in your body, and how do you get enough of it?

Read on to find out.

Vitamin ‘A’ Function: What is it and what does it do?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound. That means it attatches itself to the fat molecules in the food that you eat. After ingestion it gets stored in your body’s fat cells.

The vitamin comes in two main forms:

Preformed Vitamin A (meat, fish and dairy products)
Provitamin A (fruits and vegetables)

Vitamin ‘A’ Benefits: How it keeps your body healthy

The first that springs to mind is VISION.

Vitamin A is key to maintaining good eye health, and whenever anyone asks what it’s good for – “your eyes” is the most common answer. Click To Tweet

Most people have also heard that it keeps your teeth and bones strong and healthy. However, that is not all that it does.

Where you will probably notice the effects first, is in your skin.

There is a reason why this vitamin is used in so many brands of cosmetics. First of all, it helps to treat and prevent acne. Secondly, it stimulates the growth of fibroblasts. These are the cells help your skin stay firm and that also aid in wound healing.

You will also see this vitamin as a common ingredient in anti-aging creams, because it heals damaged skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Click To Tweet

The greatest long term benefit will be felt in your overall health. It strengthens your immune system and helps your body create white blood cells. Specifically, it creates lymphocytes.

These cells are vital to your immune health. They attack foreign bodies, like bacteria, cancer cells and other disease causing agents. Without them you would have a hard time fighting off infections.

Vitamin ‘A’ Dosage: How much do you need?

As for the dosage of Vitamin A, the dietary guidelines suggest that 700-900mcg per day is enough for a healthy adult.

Since it is fat-soluble, you could get too much of it. With water soluble vitamins, any excess gets filtered out naturally through the urine. This does not happen with the fat-soluble vitamins.

So if you are taking supplements, be mindful of the dosage.

Signs that you have gotten too much are hair loss, blurry vision, nausea and vomiting. Long term overuse can lead to liver damage and bone thinning.

Vitamin ‘A’ Sources: foods that you should add to your diet

To get the preformed vitamin A, you need to add meat, fish and dairy to your diet. Some of the best sources are cod liver oil, beef liver, herring, goat cheese and eggs.

For provitamin A, yellow or orange vegetables and leafy greens are good sources. Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach and squash are just some options.

Vitamin ‘A’ Deficiency: What happens if you don’t get enough?

In developing nations, malnutrition often leads to vitamin A deficiency. It is one of the leading causes of blindness in children. These kids also have a much higher risk of dying from common childhood diseases and infections.

But vitamin A deficiency is very rare in the West. If and when it occurs, it is usually not because of malnutrition.

People who have a physical problem that makes it difficult for them to absorb the vitamin, could end up becoming deficient.

Cystic Fibrosis, liver damage, alcohol abuse and low iron levels are some of the conditions that may cause this to happen.

The more common symptoms of low vitamin A levels are dry skin, night blindness, acne, slow healing of wounds and infertility. Click To Tweet

If you suspect that you are not getting enough Vitamin A, first get your levels checked by a doctor before you start taking supplements.