Vitamin A is an important nutrient for maintaining vision health, strengthening the immune system, preventing premature aging and cardiovascular diseases.
Vitamin A can be found in some foods of animal origin, such as eggs, liver and fish oil, and of vegetable origin, such as pumpkin, carrots, spinach and kale.
In addition, vitamin A is also found in the form of supplements, which are sold in pharmacies or health food stores. However, vitamin A supplementation should only be done with the advice of a doctor or nutritionist, as excessive intake of this vitamin can cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
What is vitamin A for?
The main indications of vitamin A for health are:
1. Maintain vision health
Vitamin A maintains vision health, because it prevents the appearance of xerophthalmia, which is a disease caused by a deficiency of this vitamin and which can cause dryness, small white spots in the eyes, difficulty seeing in dark environments and blindness. Better understand the symptoms of xerophthalmia.
Furthermore, vitamin A, in the form of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, are present in large quantities in the eyes and help fight free radicals and protect the retina, preventing macular degeneration and cataracts associated with age.
2. Strengthen the immune system
Because it has immunomodulatory properties, vitamin A participates in the growth, renewal and strengthening of the body’s defense cells, helping to fight viruses, bacteria and fungi, and thus preventing the emergence of situations such as flu, allergies, colds and candidiasis.
3. Maintain the health of mother and baby
Ingesting adequate amounts of vitamin A helps maintain the health of mother and baby, because this vitamin is essential for the formation and functions of the placenta, for the growth and development of the baby, in addition to promoting the woman’s good recovery after birth. childbirth.
4. Prevent premature aging
Vitamin A helps prevent premature aging, because it has powerful antioxidant action, helping to neutralize excess free radicals in the body, which are responsible for the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin. See more foods that also help prevent premature aging.
5. Help treat measles
As it has anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin A supplementation is indicated for the treatment of measles, reducing the duration of disease symptoms, such as fever, pneumonia and diarrhea, especially in children who are deficient in this vitamin. Learn about other symptoms and see how measles is treated.
6. Promote weight loss
Vitamin A promotes weight loss, because it inhibits the formation of fat cells in the body, in addition to helping to increase brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that accelerates metabolism, stimulating the breakdown of body fat and weight loss.
7. Prevent cardiovascular diseases
Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, vitamin A helps to increase the levels of nitric oxide in the body, a substance that promotes the relaxation of blood vessels, improving blood circulation and helping to control blood pressure.
Furthermore, this vitamin also neutralizes excess free radicals in the body, preventing the oxidation of fat cells and controlling cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, preventing diseases such as heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis.
Foods rich in vitamin A
The following table shows the amount of vitamin A present in 100 g of some foods:
Furthermore, some orange and yellow fruits, such as melon, papaya, mango, orange and tangerine, also contain vitamin A as they are good sources of carotenoids, pigments that are transformed into vitamin A in the body.
Recommended amount of vitamin A
The recommended amount of vitamin A per day varies according to gender and age, as explained below:
- Babies aged 0 to 6 months: 400 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Babies aged 6 to 12 months: 500 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Children aged 1 to 3 years: 300 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Children aged 4 to 8: 400 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Children aged 9 to 13: 600 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Men aged 14 and over: 900 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Women aged 14 and over: 700 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Pregnant women up to 18 years of age: 750 mcg of vitamin A per day;
- Pregnant women aged 19 to 50: 770 mcg of vitamin A per day.
In addition, women up to 18 years of age who breastfeed need to consume 1200 mcg of vitamin A per day. For women aged 19 to 50, the recommendation for vitamin A is 1300 mcg per day.
Vitamin A deficiency
Low intake of food sources is the main cause of vitamin A deficiency in the body, which can cause signs and symptoms, such as xerophthalmia, dry skin or hair, tiredness, infertility, and delayed growth and development in children. Know all the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency.
As vitamin A needs fat from food to be absorbed, people with fat malabsorption, such as after bariatric surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, may also be deficient in this vitamin.
Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy can also cause defects in the formation of the baby’s brain, eyes, ears and heart and, in more serious cases, can cause death.
Excess vitamin A
Excess vitamin A, consumed in the form of supplements, can cause symptoms such as headache, tiredness, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, itching, dry and scaly skin. In more serious cases, excess vitamin A can increase pressure in the skull, leading to coma and death.
Excess vitamin A can also reduce the effects of vitamin D in the body, which can increase the risk of bone loss, falls and fractures.
Furthermore, an excess of this vitamin can also lead to defects in the formation of the baby’s eyes, skull, lungs and heart. Therefore, the use of vitamin A supplements should only be done under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist.
