Effects On Body From Lack Of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that plays an important role in many different body functions. Vitamin A can be found in citrus fruits, vegetables such as carrots and broccoli, meat, poultry and seafood. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A is 600 to 900 micrograms daily for most adults. A deficiency in vitamin A can have permanent effects on the body, especially in children. The World Health Organization says vitamin A deficiencies are under control in the United States, but it's a significant concern in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiencies can cause rough skin, blindness, increased susceptibility to infections and growth retardation.

Rough Skin

Vitamin A, and its two other forms, retinol and beta-carotene, play an important role in the growth and repair of healthy skin tissue. Rough skin can be as simple as dry or itchy skin causing slight irritation, or it can be a more severe condition resulting in cracks, redness, peeling, pain or a burning sensation. In severe cases, a vitamin A deficiency can cause lesions to appear on the surface of your skin that can become infected, causing extensive tissue damage.

Blindness

A chronic vitamin A deficiency, primarily associated with severe malnutrition in children from developing countries, can cause permanent blindness. The University of Iowa says a vitamin A deficiency is one of the leading causes of blindness in the developing world. Blindness can occur in individuals with a vitamin A deficiency due to decreased production of rhodopsin, the eye pigment responsible for picking up light sensations.

Susceptibility to Infections

The development of potentially serious intestinal and lung infections is often one of the first signs of a vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A is important in the production of T-cells, which are your body's main immune system cells that travel through your bloodstream and neutralize harmful bacteria and viruses. A vitamin A deficiency might decrease the amount of T-cells in your bloodstream, making you more vulnerable to infections.

Growth Retardation

A deficiency in vitamin A has been linked to growth retardation, primarily in children living in developing countries. The lack of vitamin A due to malnutrition might cause anemia, or a low red blood cell count. Red blood cells are responsible for delivering nutrients to growing body tissues. If the red blood cells are unable to deliver adequate amounts of nutrients to various body tissues, growth retardation, or stunted growth, can occur.