What is Vitamin A?

Vitamins are essential for good health and well being. They are defined as any group of substances required in small quantities for healthy growth and development. They cannot be manufactured in the body so they are therefore vital constituents of the diet.

There are two types of vitamins according to whether they are soluble in water or fat. Vitamin A (Retinol) is a fat soluble vitamin and this is not excreted from the body in the urine so excessive intake can have a negative effect on health. Vitamin A is present in animal origin foods eg. liver, milk and egg yolk. It is formed in the body from the pigment Beta-carotene which is present in certain vegetables eg. carrots, cabbage and lettuce.

Benefits & Uses:
Vitamin A has a number of roles in the body. It is necessary for normal cell division and growth. It is important for maintenance of mucous membranes of the repiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. Retinol is a pale yellow solid which dissolves easily in oil and fat and it is essential for good eye sight, particularly vision in dim light as well as having an important role in normal development of the embryo. It can be produced synthetically and therefore used to enrich margarines.

The best source of retinal is liver and a small amount 3g meets the body’s daily requirements. 700mcg per day is a sufficient amount per adult which can also be derived from the beta carotene foods eg. 2oz raw carrots.

For pregnant women: Vitamin A (no more than 4,000 IU) - This factor is essential for cell growth for you and your baby, healthy skin, bones, and eyes.

For healthy looking skin:
However, only a few people know that it also contributes to the overall health of our skin. What vitamin A really does is that it stimulates the rhodopsin's regeneration. Rhodopsion is a pigment found inside our retina. This thus implies that vitamin A has a hand in the regeneration of new cells. What this tells us is that vitamin A can help our skin cells regenerate and is thus capable of making our marks go away or fade.

Vitamin A deficiency:
Deficiency of Vitamin A causes stunted growth, night blindness and drying up of mucous membranes which increases the risk of infection. A continued lack of Vitamin A can lead to worsening of vision.

Conclusion:
Vitamin A is a family of fat-soluble vitamins. Retinol is one of the most active, or usable, forms of vitamin A, and is found in animal foods such as liver and eggs and in some fortified food products.

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