Vitamin A is a group of nutrient compounds that are essential for growth, vision, immunity, and skin health for humans and other animals. It is also necessary for cell production and promoting healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin A is found in various animal sources including fish, meat, poultry, dairy products, and vegetables.
Humans can also obtain vitamin A from animal sources or products. In some countries, vitamin A deficiency affects more than 10% of the population. In these areas, a vitamin A supplement is needed to prevent health problems from deficiency.
Vitamin A
Retinol, another name for vitamin A, is a vitamin with antioxidant characteristics that protect the body from cancer cells in addition to being crucial for eyesight, growth, cell reproduction, and division.
Health Benefits of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is necessary for
- Essential for vision and the immune system
- Reproduction, growth and building of body tissues
- For the formation of skin and bone
- Reduce the risk of cancer
- To promote healthy skin and hair.
Food sources of Vitamin A
There are two types of vitamin A sources, which are as follows
Animal sources: fish, meat, dairy products, cheese, eggs, and liver.
Plant sources: Carrots, spinach, red and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, leafy green vegetables, and pumpkin.
Symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency
When a person eats diets low in their vitamin A content, the following symptoms occur:
- Early blindness: It is characterized by an individual's inability to see in dim light, and for this reason the mother must note the child's ability to see in dim light to detect the disease early.
- The incidence of dry cornea disease and occurs when the conjunctiva of the eye and cornea harden, with the appearance of spots and sores in the form of foam, and eventually permanent blindness occurs.
- Respiratory infection when the mucous tissue lining the respiratory system decreases, which leads to its exposure Attacking bacteria, infectious diseases and infections.
- Impeding growth and reproduction by stopping the growth of the teeth and weakness in the formation of sperm and the growth of the fetus and the development of the placenta, which leads to the occurrence of congenital malformations in the fetus
- Infection with increased keratinization: It is a blockage in the hair sac that causes the accumulation of keratin, which leads to the formation of white bumps and granulation of the surface of the skin and becomes dry and rough.