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5 Facts About Vitamin A | Hea Boosters

When you think of having a healthy diet, you will read a lot of articles and studies mentioning to consume adequate protein, eating healthy fats, or reducing carb intake, but have you ever wondered whether you are taking enough vitamins? If yes, then we are going to discuss one of the most important vitamins that are essential for the overall wellbeing of your body.



Vitamin A, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in both plant and animal foods and can also be taken as a supplement. This vitamin is very useful in maintaining your vision, developing the immune response against diseases, and smooth functioning of organs. Moreover, it is one of the most essential vitamins that pregnant women must consume for the proper growth and development of the fetus.

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI), the requirement for vitamin A increases from 600 mcg per day to 800 mcg per day when a woman is pregnant.

Facts about vitamin A: 

1. Acts also acts as an antioxidant:

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that everyone should be taking daily as the antioxidant properties of this vitamin helps your body fight cell damage. The beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin found in Vitamin A contain the maximum amount of antioxidant property, which is essential for your body to fight free radicals, decrease oxidative stress, and reduce the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and diabetes.

2. Improves your immune response:

Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining and improving your body's immune response to various diseases. It's additionally responsible for the creation of certain cells, including B- and T-cells, which play central roles in immune responses that guard against disease. Taking a good amount of vitamin A helps you in recuperating from various illnesses as well as wards you against seasonal allergies and infections.

3. Healthy reproductive system and fetal development:

Vitamin A is one of the fundamental nutrients that you should consume for a healthy and efficient reproductive system in both men and women. It ensures the development and growth of a healthy fetus during pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, then an additional consumption of food sources rich in Vitamin A is essential for the development and growth of your baby, including the bones, nervous system, eyes, kidney, lungs, and heart.

4. Improve bone density and health:

Vitamin A is one of the key supplements that you should be consuming along with proteins, calcium, and vitamin D to help maintain and improve your bone health as you age. Consuming a sufficient amount of Vitamin A in addition to other essential nutrients can aid in bone development, and a deficiency of this Vitamin can lead to severe bone issues or even fracture.

5. Reduce the risk of cancer:

Cancer happens when your body starts to develop unusual cells in an uncontrolled manner. Vitamin A plays a significant part in the development and growth of the healthy cells in your body, its effect on cancerous cell growth and prevention has been an interesting subject for various researches.

Various observational studies have revealed that consuming a higher amount of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene has shown positive results in cancer prevention for different kinds of malignancies including Hodgkin's lymphoma, cervical, lung, and bladder cancer.

Are you Taking Too Much vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in your body. This implies that over-consumption of these nutrients can lead to vitamin poisoning. Hypervitaminosis A is a medical condition that occurs when an individual has consumed too much vitamin A either through direct food sources or supplements.

Symptoms of Hypervitaminosis A include nausea, dizziness, headaches, pain, or in certain cases it could lead to death. Apart from Hypervitaminosis A, you can also suffer from the following symptoms:
  • Vision disturbances
  • Joint and bone pain
  • Poor appetite
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sunlight sensitivity
  • Hair loss

Conclusion:

Vitamin A is one of the most imperative nutrients that you must be consuming for a healthy body and mind. Vitamin A consumption can aid in healthy vision, healthy organs, and immune systems as well as the development of a healthy baby.

Both excessive consumption and deficiency of vitamin A could affect your wellbeing. So, keep in mind that you need to maintain a balance between your intake of vitamin A-rich food.

 

Studies:

Role of vitamin A in improving immune system:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162863/

Nutrients for aging eye:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693724/

Effects of vitamin A on reproduction:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257687/

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