Benefits of Vitamin A, Sources and Deficiency

Benefits of Vitamin A, Sources and Deficiency

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and plays an important role in vision, development and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes; immune functions; and reproduction.

Vitamin A is also called retinol. It may be found in any of these forms:

· retinol – the animal form of vitamin A

· other retinoids – retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and related compounds

· carotenoids – organic pigments that are naturally occurring in plants.

Daily requirement of Vitamin A –

Measurement of the amount of vitamin A is taken in retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

The recommended daily requirement for vitamin A is 700 RAE (retinol activity equivalent) per day for women and 900 RAE per day for men. The requirements are different for growing children, during puberty, and for women who are pregnant or lactating; therefore, please consult your doctor for differences.

Benefits of Vitamin A –

« Vitamin A promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts.

« Helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

What are the good sources of Vitamin A?

Eating a variety of foods that contain vitamin A (and carotenes) is the best way to get an adequate amount. Fit individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. In fact, too much vitamin A can be toxic.

Alcohol, coffee, or excessive iron can all deplete the body’s supply of this essential vitamin. But, the good news is that vitamin A is readily available from numerous food sources.

It can be obtained from food in two different forms –

1. Pre-formed vitamin A (called retinol or retinal), found in animal sources. Sources include liver, whole milk, and some fortified food products.

2. Pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene), from plant sources. Come from colourful fruits and vegetables.

The top ten vitamin A-rich foods:

· liver

· sweet potato

· carrots

· mango

· spinach

· cantaloupe

· dried apricots

· milk

· egg yolk

· mozzarella cheese

Low fat and skimmed milk is often fortified with vitamin A because it is removed from milk with the fat.

Vitamin A in foods that come from animals is well absorbed and used efficiently by the body. Vitamin A in foods that come from plants is not as well absorbed as animal sources of vitamin A.

A word of caution:

Too much vitamin A, either from animal sources or supplements, can prove toxic and is particularly dangerous during pregnancy. Excess beta carotene, on the other hand, isn’t toxic but can give one a distinct orange hue.

What are the risks associated with vitamin A deficiency?

Zinc is required to make retinol binding protein (RBP) which transports vitamin A in the body. Therefore, a deficiency of zinc limits the body’s ability to move vitamin A from the liver to body tissues.

« Night blindness is one of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency.

« Vitamin A deficiency diminishes the ability to fight infections, such as pneumonia.

« Deficiency may increase a child’s risk of developing respiratory infections, diarrhea, decreased growth rate, slow bone development, and decrease likelihood of survival from serious illness.

Vegans who do not consume eggs and dairy foods need provitamin A carotenoids to meet their need for vitamin A. They should include a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet and regularly choose dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits to fulfil recommended amounts of vitamin A.

Vitamin A storage –

Vitamins are easily destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage.

« If you want to get the maximum vitamin possible from food, refrigerate fresh produce, and keep milk and grains away from strong light.

« Vitamin A can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage. To retain vitamin A:

« Serve fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.

« Keep vegetables and fruits covered and refrigerated during storage.

« Steam vegetables , roast or bake meats instead of frying. Some vitamin A is lost in the fat during frying.

« If you take vitamin supplements, store them at room temperature in a dry place that is free of moisture.

What happens if Vitamin A is taken too much?

Some research suggests that having more than an average of 1.5mg per day of vitamin A over many years may affect bones and make them more likely to fracture when older.

Older people, particularly women, are already at risk of osteoporosis. This is where bone density reduces and so the risk of fractures increases.

If pregnant, having large amounts of vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should avoid eating liver or liver products because these are very high in vitamin A. You should also avoid taking supplements that contain vitamin A.

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Benefits of Vitamin D, Sources and Deficiency

Benefits of Vitamin D, Sources and Deficiency

Vitamin D or calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is mostly made in the human body after exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. The liver and kidney help convert vitamin D to its active hormone form.

Benefits of Vitamin D?

« Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency can make bones thin, brittle, soft and easily prone to fractures. Without sufficient vitamin D, our body cannot absorb calcium, rendering calcium supplements useless.

« Vitamin D acts like a hormone, thus regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine.

« It helps to control the movement of calcium between bone and blood, and vice versa.

« It helps bone mineralization along with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones of the body.

« Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even helps control diabetes and obesity.

What are the sources of Vitamin D?

Food sources –

Only a few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Foods with naturally occurring vitamin D are usually animal derived containing the vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). They include egg yolk, liver, fatty fish and fish oils. Smaller amounts are also present in dark leafy vegetables.

Fortified foods are the major dietary sources of vitamin D. Although milk, soya milk is fortified with vitamin D, dairy products made from milk such as curd, cheese, yogurt are usually not fortified.

It is important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include rich sources of vitamin D in their diet.

Exposure to sunlight –

Exposure to sunlight is an important source of vitamin D as ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin.

It is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from diet. Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in the body.

What can Vitamin D deficiency lead to?

« Vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets in children which results in skeletal deformities. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness in addition to weak bones.

« Osteoporosis is commonly caused by a lack of vitamin D, which resists calcium absorption.

« Insufficient vitamin D leads to prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer.

« Vitamin D deficiency may also make a person prone to Type 2 diabetes and impair insulin production. Infants who receive vitamin D supplementation have around 80% reduced risk of developing type 1 diabetes over the next twenty years.

« Vitamin D deficiency causes schizophrenia.

How much vitamin D is required?

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine considers an intake of 1,000 IU for infants up to 12 months of age and 2,000 IU for children, adults, pregnant, and lactating women to be the tolerable upper intake level.

Daily intake above this level increases the risk of toxicity and is not advised.

Who all are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency?

« Older people as the ability of the skin to convert vitamin D to its active hormonal form decreases

with age. The kidneys, which help convert vitamin D, do not work quite well when people age.

« People who do not get adequate exposure to sunlight, such as women who cover their body outside for religious or cultural reasons or individuals working in occupations that prevent exposure to sunlight.

« People with dark skin synthesize less vitamin D on exposure to sunlight than those with light skin.

« Obesity increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Once vitamin D is synthesized in the skin, it is deposited in the body fat, making it less bio-available to overweight and obese people..

« Individuals who have reduced ability to absorb dietary fat as Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This may be due to conditions such as pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, bowel disease.

« Exclusively breast-fed infants because human milk may not contain adequate vitamin D.

Is too much of vitamin D risky?

Intake of too much vitamin D can cause toxicity leading to nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. It can also raise levels of calcium, causing mental status changes.

Calcinosis, the deposition of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues such as kidneys, lungs, blood vessels and heart can be caused by vitamin D toxicity. The kidneys may be permanently damaged and start malfunctioning.

A word of caution:

Even weak sunscreens (SPF of block the body’s ability to generate vitamin D by 95%. This is how sunscreen products actually cause disease by creating a critical vitamin deficiency in the body. Chronic Vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed overnight: it takes months of vitamin D supplementation and sunlight exposure to rebuild the body’s bones and nervous system.

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Signs You Could Have a Vitamin Deficiency

Signs You Could Have a Vitamin Deficiency

The majority of Americans suffer from at least one vitamin deficiency, but don’t even know it. It’s easy to pass off that fatigue as not getting enough sleep, or attribute the brittle hair to stress. It’s a growing problem, however, and it helps to know what you’re looking for so you can live a fuller life.

What Causes Vitamin Deficiency

The SAD (Standard American Diet) is one of the more varied diets on the planet. We have access to so many different foods that it should be easy to get all or most of the vitamins we need. Unfortunately, so many foods are processed that they’ve lost the majority of their nutrients. Some of the most important vitamins are replaced, which is why you’ll find cereals and milk that are fortified with things like iron, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. What many don’t realize is that there are far more vitamins and minerals that are required in order for our bodies to function properly.

Even if you eat well, plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, it can be difficult to cover all the bases and it’s not uncommon even for those who pay careful attention to their diet to be lacking in one or more vitamins.

Correcting a Vitamin Deficiency

While the ideal solution would be to eat the perfect combination of foods to get the right amount of vitamins, it isn’t very practical in today’s hectic world. Most people simply don’t have the time to meticulously plan and source their meals for maximum vitamin absorption. Eating right is definitely a step in the right direction, but you will probably need to use supplements, as well.

Vitamin supplements can be purchased individually or in multi-vitamins. If you just want to be sure that you’re getting a good mix of vitamins, then the multi is a good choice. However, for those who are receiving what they need in their diet and are only deficient in one or two things, then the individual supplements can be the way to go. This allows you to tailor the mix to fit your individual needs.

Signs of Vitamin Deficiency

While each vitamin has its own problems brought on by its lack, there are some general indications that you need to look into a multi-vitamin. When your body doesn’t receive the nutrition it needs, you’ll find that you are worn out, even after sleeping a full night. Fatigue is a very common symptom of a deficiency. Excessive hair loss, skin rashes and anemia are also signs that you are lacking something.

When the body is low on one or more vitamins, the immune system is often compromised, as well. This means that diseases like a simple cold or the flu will tend to last longer than normal and you may find that you are more prone to infections than usual. If you pay attention to your body, you will notice if something is wrong.

Vitamin A: When you are low in this vitamin, eye problems result. First, night blindness and dry eyes, then more severe issues indicate problems. In countries where Vitamin A is not available readily, people can even go blind from lack of it. In children, a deficiency could be apparent with a failure to grow properly.

Vitamin B: There are several vitamins included in this group. B1 causes beriberi in its absence, a disease that results in muscle weakness and brain damage. Lack of B2 can cause hair loss, ulcers in the mouth and on the skin, rashes and itchiness, among other symptoms.

If you don’t have enough B3, you could develop pellagra, which usually presents itself in the form of stomach problems and diarrhea, as well as rashes caused by the sun. Too little B5 and you’ll suffer from fatigue, nausea, headaches and tingling in the hands and feet. B6 deficiency usually results in anemia, feelings of dizziness and loss of hair.

Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is particularly important for women of child-bearing age. A lack of it during pregnancy could cause spina bifida in the unborn child or spontaneous abortion. B12 is another important vitamin, without which you suffer from the same symptoms as B5 deficiency.

Vitamin C: It’s fairly rare to find a deficiency in Vitamin C, since so many processed foods are already fortified, but taking extra means your immune system will be stronger. Signs that you are lacking in this important vitamin include fatigue, bleeding gums and slow healing of wounds.

Vitamin D: The lack of this vitamin has been named as a cause of certain kinds of cancer, such as breast and colon cancer. Less severe symptoms of deficiency include twitching muscles, sleep issues (particularly in small children), pain in the joints and osteoporosis.

Vitamin E: Not enough Vitamin E usually results in eye problems, especially a limit to how far you can move your eyes upwards. Severe deficiency could result in blindness. Lack of this vitamin can also cause fertility issues, miscarriages, as well as problems with the liver, brain and bone marrow.

Vitamin K: Anyone low on this vitamin will find that they bruise easily and tend to bleed more than normal with small cuts and scratches. Frequent nosebleeds could be a sign that you are low on Vitamin K.

Even if you feel that you get enough of each vitamin, that might not be true. Some foods, such as carbonated beverages, act as barriers, preventing the absorption of certain vitamins, so while you may be ingesting enough, your body might not be actually absorbing everything. This is one area that multi-vitamins treat well, since they have the optimum mix of vitamins to enhance the actual absorption.

To stay strong and healthy, it’s important to let your body have what it needs. Vitamin deficiencies are often mild in Western countries, but they do affect the quality of life and when it’s something so easy to treat, why not fix the problem?

Remember, this article is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. If you suspect there is something wrong, be sure to see your doctor.

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms, Vitamin C Sources

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms, Vitamin C Sources

Vitamin C is instrumental in the formation of a protein which gives structure to bones, cartilage muscle and blood vessels. It also aids in the absorption if iron. Scientific researches have shown that there are no known advantages in consuming excessive amounts of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables, and Scurvy, caused by lack of vitamin C for many weeks or months, wasn’t identified until people were separated from plants for long periods of time â?? and that first occurred when they built ships that could go on long voyages

The main dietary sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables. Traces of vitamin C occur in fresh meat and fish but scarcely any in cereals, Germinating pulses contain good amounts. Roots and tubers contain small amounts. Amla or the Indian gooseberry is one of the richest sources of vitamin C both in the fresh as well as in the dry condition. Guavas are another cheap but rich sources of this vitamin.

People don’t usually have a toxic effect from vitamin C; it is a water-soluble vitamin and is washed away by water. The human body doesn’t store it. But taking more than 200 milligrams a day can make some people’s stomach sick and it may cause diarrhea in others. Vitamin C consumed in large amounts is thought to be bad for people with family members that have had kidney or gallbladder stones.

Basically, the C Vitamin is used by the body in the electron transport chain, and specifically the one that produces ATP. As regards wound healing, the C Vitamin is involved in connective tissue, and its connective tissue that is called to action in any wound (tissue and remodeling). Also, as collagen is present in the organic matrix of bone tissue, the C Vitamin is essential there too.

Vitamin C Deficiency. Low levels of this vitamin at first will produce swollen gums, nose bleeding, weakness and lassitude. If it gets more sever it can produce a condition called scurvy (scurvy’s symptoms include also irritability, ache and slow wound healing).

The most well-known result of a vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, a condition characterized by weakness, anemia, gum disease, and skin lesions. Fortunately, scurvy is very rare in our modern society although still found to a greater degree in areas of poor nutrition.

Evidence is showing there are benefits from taking vitamin E and vitamin C in combination. They work synergistically. They reinforce and extend each other’s antioxidant action. In other words these vitamins work together causing them to have a greater effect than if they work separately. Vitamin C attracts free radicals in biologic fluids while vitamin E scavenges for dangerous free radicals in cell membranes.

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Health Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Often overlooked, a deficiency of vitamin b12 can have adverse effects on the body. Vegans, vegetarians and the elderly are at risk the most.

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Health Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Health Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Often overlooked, a deficiency of vitamin b12 can have adverse effects on the body. Vegans, vegetarians and the elderly are at risk the most.

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Health Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency