Sources of Vitamin A and Deficiency Symptoms

To have the best eyesight you should have the regular and the correct intake of Vitamin A. This is the required vitamin necessary for vision. It also helps in gene transcription and can even boost the immune functionality.

Vitamin A even takes good care of your skin. In fact, the kind of vitamin can take care of your health in so many ways. The correct consumption of Vitamin A can enable to fight virus. However, it should be seen that Vitamin A is not taken in excess.

FAQs about Vitamin A

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[su_spoiler title=”Can vitamin A deficiency be cured?
” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus”]Yes. Most of the vitamin A deficient diseases can heal if treated in the early stage. The scar of the corneal ulcer can remain for a long time that can persist even after cure.
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[su_spoiler title=”What are the best animal sources of vitamin A?
” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus”]The best vitamin A enriched animal sources include liver, egg, milk, and milk products such as cheese, curd, butter. Take these ingredients to avoid deficiency ailments.
[/su_spoiler][su_spoiler title=”What happens to a pregnant or lactating woman due to vitamin A deficiency?
” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus”]In pregnant women, deficiency causes an enhanced risk of maternal mortality. They are more anemic. Vitamin A deficiency in lactating women causes low vitamin A in breast milk. So, infants or young children do not receive sufficient vitamin A.
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Too much intake of the same can lead to nausea, loss of hunger, hair loss, nausea, jaundice and irritability. So, it is always advisable to take the right amount at the right time.

Vitamin is essential for the proper functioning of the body. People need foods that are rich in this vitamin. Some of the fruits, vegetable, and foods rich in vitamin A are as follows:

Vegetables rich in Vitamin A

Cabbage

It is rich in vitamin A and antioxidants. The natural properties in this vegetable reduce the heart problems and keep inflammation under check.

Pumpkin

This vegetable has a large amount of vitamin A. It has taken a large place among the vegetables that are rich in vitamin A.

Green chilies

These vegetables are a good source of vitamin A and antioxidants. Adding them in cooking increases the nutritional value.

Tomato

Tomatoes contain vitamin A and antioxidants like lycopene and Vitamin C. They have Vitamin A in the form of carotenoids. Consuming it reduces the risk of skin cancer.

Carrots

Carrots sliced, cooked or frozen can really do good to the health. Squash in form of butternut and cooked can really serve as good source of Vitamin A.

Sweet red peppers

Sweet red peppers are natural sources of Vitamin A. Among the group you can rely on sweet green peppers, and even sweet yellow peppers. Mango is a tropical fruit and it is a rich source of Vitamin A. However, Papaya too has good contents of the vitamin.

Spinach

Spinach both in the raw and the cooked form can supply with adequate amount of Vitamin A. More things like Swiss chard, Turnip Greens, Collards and Kale are good Vitamin A sources. These are few and you have more natural sources of the same.

Fruits contain vitamin A

Cantaloupe

It is a great fruit that contains A. Eating an entire small fruit provides you a good amount of vitamin A that improves your overall health.

Grapefruit

It is a refreshing fruit. The red or pink varieties provide 2,830 IU of vitamin A per fruit.

Watermelon

It is rich in vitamin A, antioxidants. It helps to reduce indigestion problems. It is also free from fat. The seeds of this fruit are also beneficial. 

Guava

Guava contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants. One medium guava provides 17 mcg per 100 gram.

Plum

This fruit is a good source of saturated fat, vitamin A. It is cholesterol-free that is good for the heart.

Dried Apricot

Dried Apricot is another possible source of Vitamin A. As part of the diet you can even make to prunes and dried peaches.

Other vitamin A enriched foods

Vitamin falls into the group of fat soluble vitamins and so it can be consumed along with fat for high rate absorption. Here you have some of the foods rich in contents of Vitamin A. Carrots in the cooked form serves as a good source of Vitamin A.

Butter and cheese

These dairy products contain vitamin A in a good proportion. Cheeses like mozzarella contain 14% of vitamin A. Cheddar can contain up to 20% vitamin A. There is 12% of vitamin A in butter.

Beef liver

Animal lever contains vitamin A in an optimum level. It is because they store up the vitamin in their liver. It can provide you 6582 micrograms of vitamin A. The liver is rich in protein, other nutrients (copper, vitamin B-2 and B-12). Moreover, it is a good source of iron, choline, and folate. Lamb liver and liver sausage are a good source of vitamin.

Cod liver oil

Fish livers contain vitamin A that boosts vision health. Fish oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D that helps to treat inflammation, depression, and protect heart health. It also boosts the immune system of the body.

The causes of vitamin A deficiency

There are several reasons why you are made to suffer from deficiency of Vitamin A. People who do not have proper food intake can surely suffer from the sort of vitamin deficiency. In case you do not take meals at the right time can lead to the particular vitamin deficiency.

There are people for whom rice is the staple food. They don’t have intake of carotene. This is again one good reason to suffer from the deficiency. If you dislike the intake of green leafy vegetables you have chances to suffer from the ailment.

One can even suffer from lack of vitamin A in case of protein energy malnutrition. There is lack of the vitamin when you have marasmus or the condition of kwashiorkor.

The deficiency can even take place when the body is unable to convert the absorbed carotene into the form of Vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency is extremely common in all the developing countries especially in Asia, Africa and Western Pacific.

Symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency

Poor Vision

Loss of vision is the prime symptom of Vitamin A deficiency. The symptom becomes prominent when you cannot see properly in darkness. The condition is known as night blindness.

Conjunctiva

If you have night blindness you will not be able to see things properly in the dark. However, the problem in vision is not understood when you are facing bright light. When the deficiency reaches the worse stage you develop a condition known as conjunctiva.

This happens when there is a covering over the white portion of the eye. Thus there is lack of lubrication and you cannot properly see well in least light condition.

Corneal ulcer

Under the circumstance, your eyes become absolutely dry and you tend to suffer from corneal ulcer. In case, you neglect the condition you have chances of being blind. In short, there is loss of absolute vision.

The deficiency in the first stage can be treated with Vitamin A supplements. However, the amount of intake of the supplements depends on the age of the person.

The supplements are strong enough to reverse the adverse condition and the eyes start lubricating again. However, the solution lies in giving the right treatment at the right time to help in the restoration of vision.