Do you want better skin? Do you want to prevent the deterioration of your vision? Tired of split hair and ugly nails? You should eat more foods that contain vitamin A!
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found in nature in animal (retinol) and plant (carotenoid) sources.
- Retinol occurs in fish, liver, heart, kidney, eggs, milk and butter, and is completely absorbed in this form . Retinol is present in its natural form in all living organisms and is essential for basic biological processes such as vision and cell growth.
- Carotenoids are typically found in plant sources (carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, beets, fruit), and beta-carotene is the most effective of them . The body produces vitamin A from carotenoids and stores it in the liver.
According to research, vitamin A reduces the death rate due to measles, prevents certain types of cancer, helps the growth and development of the human body, and strengthens the function of the immune system.
1. The beneficial effects of vitamin A
Vitamin A is primarily responsible for the health of the skin and is important in the treatment of vision and eye problems. In addition to the treatment of wolf-blindness, lack of acuity and several other eye diseases, a larger intake is recommended.
Carotenoids – which are the pre-vitamins of vitamin A – are considered very important antioxidants. They are found in the coloring matter of plants ( vegetables, fruits ). Their absorption rate is much lower than that of ready-made vitamin A, so more of them is needed. When consumed raw, this proportion is the smallest, steamed about 30-50%. Tomatoes and carrots are more effective steamed than raw .
Its protective effect is manifested in the internal functioning of the body in the same way as in the protection of the skin against the sun. Where free radical scavenging compounds are present, protection is enhanced.
The family of carotenoids also includes lycopene and lutein, which are also pigments . Both plant components increase the body’s resistance to disease. As the years pass, replenishment becomes more and more important, as the metabolism of the cells starts to slow down, more and more things prevent their normal functioning.
Beta -carotene plays an extremely important role in maintaining your health: in plants, its job is to neutralize harmful free radicals, and it fulfills the same task in the human body.
The strength of the immune system is influenced by the amount of vitamin A in the body. If it is adequate, the body can deal with bacteria and viruses more easily, and you can recover from an illness sooner.
1.1. Additional beneficial effects
- It primarily protects the health of the eyes.
- It promotes the normal growth and development of the skeleton and strengthens the bones.
- It strengthens the immune system and helps prevent respiratory infections.
- Helps protect vitamin C from oxidation.
- In addition to the weaknesses of the eyes, vitamin A protects the skin and participates in the formation of epithelial cells.
- It helps to eliminate acne and prevent skin pigmentation (brown spots).
- It keeps the skin, nails, hair, teeth and gums healthy.
- It is very effective in treating acne.
- Protects the mucous membranes.
2. Lack of vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in industrialized countries , but remains a problem in some developing countries, especially in regions where malnutrition or inadequate nutrition is the norm. Long-term vitamin deficiency can lead to dry eyes (xerophthalmia), night blindness or total blindness, as well as skin diseases, infections (such as measles), diarrhea and breathing disorders.
- If you don’t have enough of it, your eyes start to deteriorate.
- It is difficult for you to recover from infectious diseases.
- Dry eyes, dry and cracked skin may develop.
- You may have split hair and ugly nails.
- It can hinder the proper growth of a small child, as a bone formation disorder can occur.
3. Natural sources of vitamin A
For animal sources, vitamin A is found in fish, liver, heart, kidney, eggs, milk, and butter, while for plants, it is found in all colorful , green, orange, red vegetables and fruits , such as carrots, in tomatoes, lettuce, curly cabbage, red bell pepper, sorrel, spinach , oranges, apricots, cantaloupe or pumpkin.
It is worth eating steamed vegetables in addition to raw salads. Steaming until crispy is one of the best ways to preserve the fiber and vitamin content of vegetables.
4. The daily requirement of vitamin A
Vitamin A is a common ingredient in most multivitamins, often in amounts of 5000 IU/IU. The daily recommended amount for adults is as follows:
- 900 micrograms (3000 IU) for men
- 700 micrograms (2300 IU) for women
- For pregnant women older than 18 years, the recommended daily dose is 770 micrograms (2600 IU)
However, according to the latest research, it is worth taking in larger amounts: 4,000 IU for women and 5,000 IU for men are recommended.
Stress , sports, heavy physical work, smoking, alcohol consumption are all factors when we talk about an increased need for vitamins.
5. Vitamin A overdose
The body needs a very small amount of beta-carotene, but since only a small percentage of it becomes vitamin A when it is absorbed from plants, an overdose is naturally unlikely .
However, a daily dose of 50-100,000 IU/IU of retinol (over several months) can already cause an overdose . Watch out for the following symptoms: headache, vomiting, hair loss, skin changes, itching, worsening (double) vision, yellow skin, dry mouth and eyes.
6. Interaction of vitamin A with other vitamins and minerals
- It worsens the absorption of vitamin A if you don’t consume fat; if you have liver disease; if you eat little animal protein; if you have zinc deficiency or thyroid dysfunction.
- Increases iron absorption.
- Vitamin E (cold-pressed vegetable oils) helps its absorption, protein and zinc are necessary for proper mobilization.
- Vitamin A helps protect vitamin C against oxidation.