Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin it is needed to promote a healthy body tissue, to ward off infections especially in the mucous membrane and to aid in building of teeth and bones. It also prevent the formation of rough, hard skin. Individual who lacks vitamin A develop night blindness.

Other Benefits of Vitamin A :

1. Development and maintenance of healthy epithelium.
2. Helps treat pimples, emphysema and hyperthyroidism.
3. Antioxidant neutralizing free radicals, thus prevents premature aging. Free radical can cause degenerative changes like arthritis, atherosclerosis, etc.
4. It is said that Vitamin A may help in the prevention of cancer in organs and glands with epithelial tissues such as the mammary glands, skin and passages of the body. The lungs gut, bladder and reproductive organs (including prostate gland) are lined by epithelial tissues.
5. Builds body resistance to prevent respiratory tract infections.

Symptoms of Vitamin A Deficiency :

• Acne
• Keratinization of the skin and mucous membranes
• Dry coarse skin
• Night blindness
• Achy, tired, burning, itching eyes
• Inflamed eyelids
• Eyeball pain
• Xerophthalmia (a dry and thickened condition of the conjunctiva)
• Dull lusterless hair
• Dandruff
• Ridged nails that peel easily
• Sexual disorders
• Birth defects
• Calcium phosphate kidney stones
• Precancerous changes in the body tissues
• Mental changes - insomnia, chronic fatigue, depression, nerve pains in the extremities, growth failure.

Recommended Daily Requirements :

• Infants - 1,500 I.U.
• Children - 3,000 I.U.
• Adults - 6,000 I.U.
• Supplemental Dosage - 10,000 I.U. / day for continuous intake, 5,000 I.U. /day is recommended or 10,000 I.U. every other day.
• Therapeutic Dosage - 25,000 to 100,000 I.U.

Food Sources : Vitamin A is plentiful in fish liver oils, liver, cream , egg yolk, and butter. It is added to margarine and some milk products. Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables and green vegetables contain a pigment called carotene. This can be changed in the body to vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can be absorbed in the body and so overdoses of it should be avoided. A good source of vitamins A should be consumed every other day.