Vitamins are needed in extremely low quantities but they are very essential for life. Vitamin A is one of them. The essence of life is that you cannot make it yourself, you have to take it from food. If you are deficient in vitamins, then you have to take them through medicine. These vitamins have a variety of functions in our body. Lack of them can make you sick.
Today we will learn more about Vitamin A. Vitamin A is also called ‘Vitamin A’ in English. Vitamin A is not a substance but contains retinol or retinal chemicals. They are collectively called retinoids.
Table of Contents
Sources of
Vitamin A Vitamin A is found in food. Food sources of Vitamin A are as follows.
- Egg
- milk
- Liver
- milk or grain
- cheese and yogurt
These all are animal sources of vitamin A. Vegetarians have a type of vitamin A called beta carotene. These include the following substances.
- Sweet Potato
- Green leafy vegetables
- Yellow and red Fruit
- Carrot
- Spinach
- Mango
- Papaya
- Tomato
- Orange
- Grape
- Watermelon
How much vitamin A is needed per day?
You need different amounts of vitamin A every day depending on your age.
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding Women |
| 0-6 months | 400 mcg | 400 mcg | ||
| 7-12 months | 500 mcg | 500 mcg | ||
| 1-3 years | 300 mcg | 300 mcg | ||
| 4-8 years | 400 mcg | 400 mcg | ||
| 9-13 years | 600 mcg | 600 mcg | ||
| 14-18 Year | 900 mcg | 700 mcg | 750 mcg | 1200 mcg 19-50 |
| years | 900 mcg | 700 mcg | 750 mcg | 1300 mcg |
| 51 years and beyond | 900 mcg | 700 mcg |
What is the function of vitamin A?
Vitamin A has many important benefits for you. Some of the important tasks are as follows.
- Vitamin A is used to make you able to see with your retina. Vitamin A is needed for good vision. This vitamin is needed for the health of the retina as well as the cornea in front. Vitamin A is required to appear in low light.
- Vitamin A is needed for the immune system to function. Your immune system works to protect you from various diseases. In short, you need vitamin A for good health so that you do not get various diseases. Vitamin A protects against pneumonia and diarrhea. Your body needs this vitamin to make white blood cells. White blood cells are essential for the immune system.
- Babies need vitamin A for bone growth. The need for vitamin A is very important for normal growth in old age.
- Vitamin A is needed to prevent osteoporosis from weakening your bones.
- Vitamin A is needed for good reproductive health.
- This vitamin is essential for good skin health.
Defficiency of vitamin A
Aof vitamins deficiency symptoms appear below.
- Dry eyes.
- Night blindness.
- Vision loss
- Eye ulcers.
- Bone weakness.
- Stunted growth.
- Not increasing height.
- Different types of infectious diseases due to weakened immune systems.
- Dry skin.
- Non-growth of the baby during pregnancy.
The effects of excess Vitamin A
Vitamin A .is essential for good health, but it can be extremely dangerous to take too much. Vitamin A overdose can cause the following symptoms.
- Excessive intake of vitamins increases the internal pressure of the head.
- Headache.
- Discomfort.
- Confusion
- Vision loss.
- Excessive pressure on the head can also lead to death.
- In addition, dry skin can occur.
- The fetus may become deformed or die.