Vitamin A: What It's For and Where to Find It

Il Human Body It's an extraordinary machine, with gears that work in synergy with each other. Like any self-respecting machine, our body also requires a series of essential elements to function properly, avoiding serious or less serious health problems. We're referring to: nutrients, precious substances such as minerals, vitamins and more, which contribute to maintaining the well-being of our organism in an optimal condition. The range of these precious elements also includes Vitamin ALet's learn about its main properties and how to properly assimilate it, so as to avoid deficiencies.

Index of topics

What

La Vitamin A, Also known as retinol, belongs to the group of fat-soluble vitamins, a group which also includes vitamin D, The Vitamin E , Vitamin KIt is a vitamin abundantly present in foods, so much so that it is rarely deficient in the diet. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and, like other vitamins, performs numerous essential functions in our body.

Property

The list of retinol's properties is quite extensive. Vitamin A is important for:

il correct functioning of the visual system since it belongs to the components of the rhodopsin, a substance present in the retina that ensures the eye's sensitivity to light
la bone growth and teeth
the maintenance of the epithelial cells
il functioning of the immune system, by virtue of its ability to increase resistance to infections
la skin protection from damages related to thesun exposure
the ability to counteract free radicals and, consequently, oxidative stress, one of the main causes of premature cellular aging.

Scientific literature has also attributed to vitamin A a possible protective role against the development of prostate cancer.

Benefits

There are other important benefits associated with vitamin A

It nourishes the hair and delays its aging.
It improves the body's immune response.
It promotes tooth growth.
It helps generate sperm and promotes conception.

Where it is

Vitamin A is present especially in foods of animal originIt can be found, for example, in eggs, liver, milk and its derivatives, such as butter and cheese. However, it can also be obtained from plant-based products containing carotenoids, as the latter are precursors of vitamin A. Red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, berries, carrots, apricots, peaches, and watermelon, are especially rich in these substances. Carotenoids are also found in green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, but also in foods of animal origin, including eggs and milk. Being sensitive to heat, vitamin A tends to lose many of its properties during the cooking process. For this reason, it is advisable to consume foods containing it raw, if possible, or by simply subjecting them to a mild heat. short cooking.

Daily requirement

Il daily requirement of vitamin A This corresponds approximately to 0,6-0,7 mg, which can increase up to 0,95 mg during breastfeeding. It is absolutely not necessary to resort to supplements to reach the targets set for vitamin A: diet and foods that contain it are sufficient. A retinol deficiency can cause various problems in the body, even serious ones. First of all, it can cause vision defects and, if prolonged over time, a vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness.

Vitamin A deficiency

A vitamin A deficiency can also:

give rise to fetal malformations, in case of pregnant women
determine excessive sensitivity to infections
hinder the normal growth process of the organism
have negative effects on the hair, causing an alteration in the normal activity of the sebaceous glands, resulting in dry hair, dandruff and thickening of the scalp.

In order to be able to overcome any possible retinol deficiency, it is possible to resort to specific supplements, but only under careful medical advice.

Excess vitamin A

An excess of retinol accumulated in the liver can give rise to a picture of hypervitaminosis, which can in turn lead to poisoning that manifests itself with symptoms such as migraine, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances. However, the symptoms disappear quickly following correct intake of the vitamin. In the worst cases, excess vitamin A can cause permanent liver damage and spleen.

Vitamin A: What it's for and where to find it