Vitamin A is an important nutrient that plays in an integral role in numerous bodily functions, including the maintenance of proper vision and red blood cell production. Cod liver oil provides an excellent source of vitamin A. Toxicity may result if you combine cod liver oil supplements with multivitamins that contain vitamin A. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about safe levels of vitamin A.
Vision
Vitamin A contains retinol, a compound that the eye needs to detect small points of light in the darkness. If you develop a vitamin A deficiency, one of the first symptoms will be night blindness, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Blindness can also result from too little vitamin A; the nutrient keeps the cornea lubricated, and without it the eye dries out causes scarring and loss of vision. A supplement with the equivalent of 1 tsp. of cod liver oil contains 1,350 mcg of retinol, which is almost double the daily recommended allowance.
Red Blood Cells
According to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin A plays two vital roles in the production of red blood cells. Stem cells -- cells that can differentiate into various other specialized types of cells -- require vitamin A in order to become red blood cells. Vitamin A also supports the transmission of iron into hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body via the red blood cells. Vitamin A-rich cod liver oil supplements therefore can help you avoid anemia -- a condition that deprives the cells of adequate oxygen and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath.
Immune System
Vitamin A manages the immune system and facilitates the prevention of infection. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin A assists in the creation of white blood cells, the key defenders of the body against foreign invaders. The vitamin A in cod liver oil supplements therefore strengthens your immunity against infections and viruses.
Vitamin A Toxicity
If you take cod liver oil supplements for vitamin A, it is best not to combine them with a multivitamin that also contains high levels of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A causes toxicity and leads to liver problems, birth defects and diminished bone mineral density, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
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