Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for the health of the organism. We can get carotenoids and beta-carotene through vegetables, and retinol by eating meat. Since it is fat soluble, it is important not to ingest too much vitamin A to prevent it from building up in fat stores and interfering with vitamin D and bone health (especially in the form of retinol). Knowing which foods contain it will help you get the right amount of this substance that is so important for the health of the body.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Diagnosing a Vitamin A Deficiency
Step 1. Understand what Vitamin A does
Vitamin A plays a crucial role in numerous processes and functions of the body: it helps to keep the skin healthy, improves night vision, promotes the formation of strong bones and teeth, allows the proper functioning of tissues and mucous membranes (to prevent infections) and is also important for the digestive system, the respiratory system and for functions related to reproduction and breastfeeding.
Step 2. Learn to recognize the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency
The most common manifestation of a serious lack of vitamin A is poor night vision (called “xerophthalmia”), which is the difficulty or inability to see at night. In people with a vitamin A deficiency, corneal ulcers or a syndrome known as keratomalacia can even develop, manifesting in the form of dry eye and clouding of the cornea.
- Corneal ulcers are open lesions that form in the outer layer of tissue in front of the iris.
- Corneal clouding is inflammation that causes blurring of vision. Normally the cornea is a transparent membrane, so becoming blurred can cause blurred vision or even blindness.
- Night blindness initially manifests as oval or triangular-shaped spots in the temporal region of the eye, which is closest to the profile of the face. It generally occurs in both eyes and can be accompanied by Bitot's spots: a disease that gives rise to small opaque plaques due to an accumulation of keratin.
- Night blindness also manifests itself through seeing flashes of light when looking at bright lights in a dark environment
- Other symptoms of mild or moderate vitamin A deficiency may include insufficient tearing, chronic dry eye, and a feeling of roughness of the surface of the eye from lack of lubrication. However, these symptoms alone do not make it possible to diagnose a vitamin A deficiency with certainty.
- Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection; in addition, it is also important to consult it to make changes to the diet and to evaluate the intake of food supplements.
Step 3. Get your blood work done
If you are concerned that you have a vitamin A deficiency, you can ask your doctor to order a simple blood test to check if your retinol level is below normal. Normal vitamin A values in a healthy person are between 50 and 200 micrograms per deciliter of blood.
- Your doctor will likely advise you to fast during the 24 hours preceding the blood draw to prevent food or drink from interfering with the result. Ask him for more information on this.
- If you are diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency, your doctor may recommend that you take a dietary supplement (unless you are pregnant) or see a nutritionist to help you make healthier food choices.
Step 4. Get your children to do blood tests
Children are more likely to have a vitamin A deficiency, which can cause slower growth and a higher risk of infections.
Babies who don't get enough vitamin A through breast milk (or who lose too much of it due to chronic dysentery) may develop a deficiency
Step 5. If you are pregnant, take precautions
During the third trimester of pregnancy, mothers can develop a vitamin A deficiency, as both their bodies and their fetuses require a large amount of nutrients and vitamins during the last three months.
Pregnant women Not they should take synthetic vitamin A through a supplement, unless your doctor prescribed it, as excessive doses could cause harm to the unborn baby (see also the Warnings section at the end of the article).
Part 2 of 3: Eat Foods High in Vitamin A
Step 1. Eat lots of different vegetables
Vegetables are an important source of vitamin A as they provide carotenoids such as beta-carotene. Most orange, yellow, or red colored vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots, contain vitamin A. Leafy green vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and lettuce, are also an excellent source of this vitamin.
Step 2. Eat fruit
Some fruits, such as mangoes, apricots, and melons, contain high doses of vitamin A.
- A whole mango provides about 670 micrograms, equal to about 45% of the recommended daily dose.
- Dried apricots are an excellent source of vitamin A: 190 g provide about 765 micrograms of vitamin A. Apricots in syrup contain slightly less: about 340 micrograms per 225 g.
- Melon is another excellent source of vitamin A: 150 g provides about 285 micrograms.
- Some doctors believe that pregnant women should increase the consumption of vegetables that contain vitamin A by about 40% during pregnancy and up to 90% during breastfeeding.
Step 3. Incorporate foods of animal origin into your diet
Foods of animal origin provide retinol: a form of vitamin A, the same in which the body transforms carotenoids (form of vitamin A contained in vegetables) after having digested them. Foods rich in retinol include liver, eggs, and fatty fish.
- Since it is absorbed quickly and excreted very slowly, retinol is a form of vitamin A that can cause damage to the body if taken in excessive quantities. For this reason, the foods that contain it should be taken with caution. Be aware of any symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, dizziness, and intense tiredness, as these may indicate acute toxicity.
- Cases of excess vitamin A (acute toxicity) are quite rare. Chronic toxicity, on the other hand, is more common. The average adult man would have to take 7,500 micrograms (7.5 milligrams) of vitamin A daily for six consecutive years to reach toxic levels, but there are numerous variables that change from person to person. It is therefore best to be cautious and not to overdo the amount of retinol.
- Retinol levels can also be affected by the use of cosmetics that contain vitamin A, such as skin creams or acne care products.
Step 4. Incorporate dairy into your daily diet
Milk, yogurt and cheese can also provide vitamin A to the body.
240 ml of milk guarantees about 10-14% of the recommended daily dose. 30 g of cheese contains on average a value equal to about 1-6% of this dose
Step 5. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist
Both can help you determine which foods are best for you.
- Your primary care physician will likely be able to refer you to a qualified nutritionist or dietician. If not, you can search online or go to the nearest hospital.
- On the websites www.onb.it or www.abni.it you can consult the list of members of the National Order of Nutritionist Biologists.
Part 3 of 3: Take a Vitamin A Supplement
Step 1. Understand what the recommended limits are for children and adolescents
Supplements are sold in different doses, so it's important to know your recommended daily allowance before taking them.
- For infants younger than 6 months, the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A (or RDA) is 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams).
- For infants aged 7 to 12 months, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 500 micrograms (0.5 milligrams).
- For children aged 1 to 3 years, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 300 micrograms (0.3 milligrams).
- For children between the ages of 4 and 8, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams).
- For children between the ages of 9 and 13, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 600 micrograms (0.6 milligrams).
- For adolescents aged 14 to 18, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 700 micrograms (0.7 milligrams) for girls and 900 micrograms (0.9 milligrams) for boys.
Step 2. Understand what limits are recommended for adults
The vitamin A requirement of adults exceeds that of children. In any case, before taking any dietary supplement it is very important to know what the recommended daily dose is.
- For men over 19, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 900 micrograms (0.9 milligrams).
- For women over 19, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 700 micrograms (0.7 milligrams).
- For pregnant women 18 years of age or younger, the recommended daily dose of vitamin A is 750 micrograms (0.75 milligrams).
- For pregnant women over the age of 19, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 770 micrograms (0.77 milligrams).
- For breastfeeding women aged 18 or younger, the recommended daily dose of vitamin A is 1200 micrograms (1.2 milligrams).
- For breastfeeding women over the age of 19, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 1300 micrograms (1.3 milligrams).
Step 3. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake of vitamin A
Taken in excess, this substance could cause various health problems.
- Infants under one year of age should not exceed the amount of 600 micrograms (0.6 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
- Children between the ages of 1 and 3 should not get more than 600 micrograms (0.6 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
- Children between the ages of 4 and 8 should not get more than 900 micrograms (0.9 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
- Children between the ages of 9 and 13 should not get more than 1,700 micrograms (1.7 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
- Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 should not get more than 2,800 micrograms (2.8 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
- Adults over the age of 19 should not get more than 3000 micrograms (3 milligrams) of vitamin A per day.
Advice
- If you take too much beta-carotene, you risk orange-tinging your skin. However, this is a harmless reaction, which occurs more often in children and in people who follow a vegetarian diet. The solution is to avoid eating vegetables that contain beta-carotene for a few days, to allow the skin to return to its natural color.
- Consult a doctor or nutritionist before changing your diet or taking any vitamin supplements.
Warnings
- If you are taking a vitamin supplement, read the label carefully. Make sure you don't exceed 10,000 IU (International Units) - fortunately unlikely. In any case, it is always better to exceed caution to safeguard your health.
- Do not change your diet without first consulting your doctor: he will be able to tell you if and which vitamins you need.
- An excess of vitamin A can cause loss of appetite, dizziness, headache, dry and itchy skin, hair loss, blurred vision and a decrease in bone mineral density. In severe cases it can also cause liver damage. In fetuses, too much vitamin A can cause serious birth defects, so pregnant women shouldn't get more than 5,000 IU per day from supplements. In fact, it's best to avoid vitamin A supplements altogether during pregnancy.
