Vitamin A - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

Vitamin A is known as retinol. Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, plays essential roles in vision, growth, and development; the development and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes; immune functions; and reproduction.

Functions and benefits of Vitamin A

Vitamin A maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. It is known as retinol because it generates the pigments in the retina.

Vitamin A promotes good vision, especially in dim light. It may also be required for reproduction and breast-feeding.

Retinol is an active type of vitamin A. It is found in animal liver, whole milk and some fortified foods.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin A

Male 5,000 IU per day (1,000 µg equivalent),

Female 4,000 IU per day (800 µg retinol equivalent), although 10,000 IU per day is normally used in supplementation.

Food sources of Vitamin A

Top sources of vitamin A include:

• Beef liver
• Egg yolk
• Cheddar cheese
• Fortified milk
• Sweet potato
• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Cantaloupe
• Broccoli
• Apricots
• Spinach and collard greens

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin A

Dietary deficiency of vitamin A is quite common in developing countries, and is associated with the high incidence of blindness, viral infections, and child mortality that occurs in impoverished populations. Vitamin A deficiency primarily affects the health of the skin, hair, eyes, and immune system, though loss of appetite, bone abnormalities, and growth retardation are also associated with inadequate intake of this vitamin.

In initial stages, hyperkeratosis is found on the forearms and thighs, where the skin becomes dry, scaly, and rough. In advances stages, hyperkeratosis affects the whole body, causing hair loss.