Benefits of Vitamin A

Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The American Heart Association doesn't recommend taking supplements of beta-carotene until more is known, however.

Nutritionists categorize vitamins by the materials that a vitamin will dissolve in. There are two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins ”vitamins A, D, E and K”are stored in the fat tissues of the body for a few days to up to six months. If you get too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in your liver and may sometimes cause health problems. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.

Some people take mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins, which can lead to toxicity. Eating a normal diet of foods rich in these vitamins won't cause a problem. Remember, you only need small amounts of any vitamin. In the case of vitamin A, overconsumption has been linked with an increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.

Some health problems can make it hard for a person's body to absorb these vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor about whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.

How Much Vitamin A Is Enough?

It's recommended that women consume 800 mcg and men consume 1000 mcg of vitamin A daily.

Sources of Vitamin A

Top sources of vitamin A include:
Beef liver
Egg yolk
Cheddar cheese
Fortified milk

Top sources of beta-carotene include:

Sweet potato
Carrots
Pumpkin
Cantaloupe
Broccoli
Apricots
Spinach and collard greens

Can You Have Too Much or Too Little?

Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States, but it can cause night blindness, eye inflammation, diarrhea and other problems. Overconsumption of vitamin A can cause nausea, irritability and blurred vision in its mild form. In addition, the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet can turn orange if a person has a high intake of Vitamin A. Vitamin A toxicity can cause growth retardation, hair loss and enlarged spleen and liver in its more severe form. Vitamin A overdose can also cause birth defects and has been linked to increased risk of bone fractures in some people.

Vitamin Storage

If you want to get the most vitamins possible from your food, refrigerate fresh produce, and keep milk and grains away from strong light. Vitamins are easily destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage. If you take vitamin supplements, store them at room temperature in a dry place that's free of moisture.

Do you know that too much vitamin A is not good?

Too Much Vitamin A May Put Some Women at Risk for Hip Fractures

For women who consume large amounts of vitamin A, also known as retinol, lowered bone mass and an increased risk of hip fractures may result, say researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Previous research has shown that too much vitamin A in the diet can suppress the body's ability to make new bone and may actually reduce a person's existing bone mass, thereby increasing the risk of fractures. Researchers studied over 72,000 postmenopausal women for 18 years to assess the relationship between high vitamin A intake from foods and supplements and the risk of hip fractures. The women in the study completed regular food questionnaires and provided information about health habits, use of hormones and supplements and weight.

During the 18-year study period, over 600 women experienced hip fractures. Women who had the highest total vitamin A intake had a significantly higher risk of hip fracture when compared to women who consumed the least amount of vitamin A. The researchers maintained that the increased risk was mainly attributable to retinol, the vitamin A found in foods of animal origin, not beta carotene, which is contained in fruits and vegetables and can be converted to retinol by the body.

Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is an important dietary element - it is involved in the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair and mucous membranes. How much vitamin A is too much? The 1989 RDA for vitamin A has been set at 800 retinol equivalents (RE) per day for women 19 to 50 years of age, and 1,000 retinol equivalents for men 19 to 50 years of age, so check your multivitamin or supplements to make sure you’re not exceeding that amount. Remember, too, that foods contain vitamin A - one carrot has about 2025 RE of vitamin A, which is 203% of a man's recommended daily intake.

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Article from : http://www.lifeclinic.com
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