Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
- Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The American Heart Association doesn’t recommend taking supplements of beta-carotene until more is known, however.
- Nutritionists categorize vitamins by the materials that a vitamin will dissolve in. There are two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the fat tissues of the body for a few days to up to six months. If you get too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in your liver and may sometimes cause health problems. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
- Some people take mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins, which can lead to toxicity. Eating a normal diet of foods rich in these vitamins won’t cause a problem. Remember, you only need small amounts of any vitamin. In the case of vitamin A, over consumption has been linked with an increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.
- Some health problems can make it hard for a person’s body to absorb these vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor about whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.
Foods Rich in Vitamin A:
- Carrots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cod Liver Oil
- Red Pepper
- Turkey Liver
- Paprika
- Mangoes
- Mustard Greens
- Butternut Squash
- Kale
- Cantaloupe
- Peas
- Turnip Greens
Contents
Uses
- If you don’t get enough vitamin A, you are more likely to get infectious diseases and vision problems.
- If you get too much vitamin A, you can become sick. Large doses of vitamin A can also cause birth defects.
- Acute vitamin A poisoning usually occurs when an adult takes several hundred thousand IUs of vitamin A. Symptoms of chronic vitamin A poisoning may occur in adults who regularly take more than 25,000 IU a day. Babies and children are more sensitive to vitamin A, and can become sick after taking smaller doses of vitamin A or vitamin A-containing products such as retinol (found in skin creams).
- Large amounts of beta-carotene will not make you sick. However, increased amounts of beta-carotene can turn the skin yellow or orange. The skin color will return to normal once you reduce your intake of beta-carotene.
Cautions
- Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include dry skin, joint pain, vomiting, headaches, confusion.
- Risks. Don’t take more than the RDA of vitamin A unless your doctor recommends it. High doses of vitamin A have been associated with birth defects, lower bone density, and liver problems.
- People who drink heavily or have kidney or liver disease shouldn’t take vitamin A supplements without talking to a doctor.
Interactions
- If you take any medicines, ask your doctor if vitamin A supplements are safe. Vitamin A supplements may interact with some birth control pills, blood thinners (Coumadin), acne medicines (Accutane), cancer treatments, and many other drugs.
Other Names
3-Dehydroretinol, 3-Déhydrorétinol, Acétate de Rétinol, Antixerophthalmic Vitamin, Axerophtholum, Dehydroretinol, Déhydrorétinol, Fat-Soluble Vitamin, Oleovitamin A, Palmitate de Rétinol, Retinoids, Rétinoïdes, Retinol, Rétinol, Retinol Acetate, Retinol Palmitate, Retinyl Acetate, Rétinyl Acétate, Retinyl Palmitate, Rétinyl Palmitate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin A1, Vitamin A2, Vitamina A, Vitamine A, Vitamine A1, Vitamine A2, Vitamine Liposoluble, Vitaminum A.
References
- Source: www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/vitamin-a.asp
- Source: www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=22378
- Source: WebMD, “Vitamin A”, www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/
See Also: Palmitate