1. Are You Seeing Red?
Experts deemed Vitamin A, the first fat-soluble vitamin discovered, as an anti-infective vitamin. Later, they realized its role in immune function. Carotenoids, or carotenes, are naturally occurring pigments, the intense reds and yellows seen in nature. There are over 600 carotenoids, and 30 to 50 of them convert into vitamin A.
2. Vibrant Colors Means Lots of Vitamin A
Beta-carotene is the most famous carotenoid. Very green vegetables contain lots of beta-carotene. Orange fruits and vegetables like apricots, mangoes and carrots have high concentrations of carotenoids that convert to vitamin A. Preformed vitamin A, or retinol, is vitamin A not converted by a carotenoid. You'll find retinol in liver, kidney, butter and whole milk.
3. Vitamin A Helps You See Better
Vitamin A is good for your eyes. Healthy eyes react to changes in light, but when vitamin A levels are low, we don't react well to bright light and our night vision becomes poor. Vitamin A helps cells to grow, so deficiencies first show up in tissues with a high turnover rate, like the inside of our mouths, our respiratory tract and our urinary tract. Vitamin A is also essential to having a healthy immune system, and carotenes are excellent antioxidants that protect us against cancer and other degenerative diseases. Beta-carotene appears to have an important role in fertility.
4. From Acne to Viruses
Vitamin A is important for healthy people, but it also has a number of therapeutic uses. Doctors sometimes prescribe it as a supplement to treat viral infections, especially measles and respiratory syncytial virus, a common respiratory disease in young children. People with AIDS often benefit from vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin A also treats acne, sometimes as an oral supplement, and sometimes as a synthetic form of retinoic acid applied topically. Vitamin A also treat dry eye when applied topically. Carotenes prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease and enhance the immune system. Women with vaginal yeast infections have low beta-carotene levels, and a diet high in beta-carotene or supplementation can keep them from recurring.
5. Easy Does it
Because vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, it will not leave the body if you take too much of it. Therefore, it's important to work with a doctor or nutritionist if you want to use supplements to treat a condition. Pregnant women should never use vitamin A supplements, and women who might become pregnant should never supplement with more than 5000 IUs per day. For others, while doses below 300,000 IU per day rarely cause toxicity in adults, it is safer to supplement with beta-carotene. Elevated carotene levels in the blood usually lead to a yellowing of the skin before they cause toxicity.
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