Vitamin A: Sources, its benefits and deficiency

 Many times we heard the term vitamins. In advertisements of food products, we heard the term vitamin. They claim that this particular vitamin in our product they are good for your health and all. But what is a vitamin, Does it really play important role in our health?

Let me explain it to you.

A vitamin is a vital substance. Like protein, carbohydrates, and fats, the body needs vitamins for various functions. But the difference is vitamins are needed in low quantity as compared with major nutrients. 

Most of the vitamins are not synthesized in our body and hence we have to take them from our diet. 

The main characteristics of vitamins are: They are a vital organic dietary substance that is not a carbohydrate, protein, fat, or mineral. The need for vitamins in our body is in small quantity. 

They cannot be synthesized by the body and must, be supplied through food. 

Now they are classified into two major parts: Fat-soluble vitamin and Water-soluble vitamin. 

Vitamin A, D, E, K are Fat-soluble vitamins. 

Vitamin B complex (group) and Vitamin C are water-soluble. 

These names were given according to the discovery. Vitamin A was the first vitamin discovered that is why it has given the name vitamin A.

The characteristics of fat-soluble vitamins are: 

1. Like other vitamins, they don't destroy easily while cooking. 

2. The can store in the body.

3. They are destroyed by rancidity as they are always associated with fats.

4. They can not be absorbed if in the intestine the presence of mineral oil. 

Vitamin A

In vitamin A the other compounds that are also presented are carotenoids, retinol. Vitamin A was first seen in animal sources. But later on, it was also found in plant sources also. Hence, you can find vitamin A sources in animals as well as plants also. 

The need for healthy adults for vitamin A is 125 mcg of retinol or 500 mcg of beta carotene (for Asians). 

Sources: 

Vitamin A/ Retinol - Liver (sheep), butter, vanaspati, ghee(cow and buffalo), egg (a hen), khoa, paneer, cheese, and cow's milk.

Beta carotene - colocasia black and green, spinach, amaranth, mango, fenugreek, carrot, orange, papaya, capsicum, tomato. 

If you want to make a dish that will be rich in both retinol and beta carotene then here you can try these: Tomato omelet, palak panner, spinach soup, papaya shake, liver with spinach, mango shake.

What are the benefits of Vitamin A 

1. Vision 

For the normal function of the retina of the human eye, retinol is needed. Which is one of the forms of vitamin A. 

When a person is having a deficiency of Vitamin A, then he/she might be suffering from a condition like Darkness, the person will have an impaired adaptation to darkness. 

Vitamin A also protects the eye from having a night blindness 

2. Tissue growth

The other role of vitamin A is in tissue growth. Vitamin A helps to maintain the structure and other activity of epithelial cells. As epithelial are present in eyes, para-ocular gland, respiratory and genital urinary tract. Vitamin A helps to maintain these all. 

Along with these, Vitamin A is also known for age-related decline because of skin health. 

Researchers have found that because of its role in growth cells, a diet good in the amount of vitamin A can prevent some intestinal cancers. 

3. Infection and Immune health

Vitamin A helps to keep the body's natural defense. These include bacteria related to eye mucus, lungs, and gut. Vitamin A protects you from all these kinds of infections and keeps you healthy. 

Researchers also have found vitamin A role in making White blood cells. With WBC, vitamin A keeps us healthy. 

4. Bone 

As the main nutrient for bone is calcium, vitamin d, and protein. But vitamin A is also linked with bone health. 

As researchers have said that Vitamin A sources like milk and milk products are also sources of calcium and bone health is affected when people eat less amount of this food. 

5. Acne

Some researchers have said that vitamin A lacking diet can cause chronic and inflamed acne. But they are not solid evidence of it. 

Deficiency of Vitamin A

Deficiency is the term used when a person is taking less amount of some nutrients. 

The deficiency symptoms of vitamin A progress gradually, giving some early warning signs which if heeded, may help to save blindness, especially in children. 

These are some important symptoms of vitamin A:

1. Change in the eye

The first or early symptoms will be itching, burning, water coming from the eyes, and inflammation of the eyelids. 

And if the condition continues then diseases like night blindness, impaired vision in dim light, and in the dark light. 

2. Change in the epithelial tissues

As the deficiency of vitamin A can cause hardening and degeneration of the epithelial cells. 

Due to deficiency, there is increased susceptibility to severe infection of the eye, nose, middle ear, mouth, lung, respiratory tract. 

3. Changes in the skin

A condition like Xeroderma which is dry and scaly skin with itching and Follicular Hyperkeratosis in which dry, rough and scaly skin is seen.

There is also the occurrence of pimples first on the upper arms and thighs, then they also come on the back of the shoulder, abdomen, and buttocks. 

4. Changes in the skeletal system 

There will be irregular development of the skeleton in the skull and vertebral column. And along with bone there will teeth impaired. 

5. Changes in the respiratory tract

The lining of the respiratory system like the nose, throat, trachea, and bronchi will become dry and rough. And the person will catch bacterial infection very easily. 

Toxicity

Toxicity is the term used when you use or consume some substances. So when you consume more amount of Vitamin A then what happens. 

The toxicity of Vitamin A can include pathogenic changes in bones, periosteal tissues, skin, mucous membrane, and liver. 

The summary of vitamin A is it does help in many processes in our human body. They keep your eye, respiratory tract, immune health, your gut, and skin healthy. 

As its deficiency and toxicity can affect you so keep in mind to take according to your demand of the body. 

Stay healthy and stay safe.