Besides being good for eye health, it turns out that vitamin A is also important in various processes that occur in the body, such as maintaining a healthy immune system and supporting the development of babies in the womb of pregnant women. For women, it is recommended to consume 0.7 mg of vitamin A per day, while for children and adolescents it is 0.3-0.6 mg per day.
Types of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a bioactive compound that can be found in both animal and plant foods. Vitamin A consists of two forms, namely preformed vitamin A and provitamin A. Preformed vitamin A is also known as the active form of vitamin A that can be used by the body directly. Preformed vitamin A can be found in processed foods such as beef, chicken, fish, and dairy products.
Meanwhile, bioactive compounds such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin are included in the provitamin A group, which is an inactive form of the vitamin. These compounds will be converted into active vitamin A in the body before use. Provitamin A can be found in plant foods.
Benefits of Vitamin A
Here are some of the benefits of vitamin A:
- Prevents the eyes from night blindness and decreased vision due to age
Night blindness is a condition in which the eye cannot adapt to low-light conditions. Vitamin A is needed to convert the light that enters the eye into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. People who experience a deficiency in vitamin A consumption have symptoms of difficulty seeing at night (night blindness) even though during the day, they have no complaints about their vision.
- Promotes healthy growth and reproduction
A study states that a lack of vitamin A intake can hinder the development of sperm cell formation in men. Whereas in women it can reduce the quality of the egg cells and the process of attaching the fetus to the uterus. In pregnant women, vitamin A is also needed for the formation of important organs and body structures of the baby.
- Reducing the risk of certain types of cancer
Vitamin A has an important role in the process of cell growth and development in the body. Consuming higher intakes of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene has been linked to its ability to reduce the risk of some cancers. Hodgkin's lymphoma, cervical cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer are some of the diseases whose risk can be reduced after consuming a higher daily intake of vitamin A.
- Maintain bone health
The key nutrients needed to maintain bone health as we age are calcium and vitamin D. However, consuming adequate vitamin A intake is also important for the process of bone growth and development.
- Reducing the risk of getting pimples
Acne appears when there is a blockage of the oil glands in the skin by dead skin and excess oil. A deficiency of vitamin A can cause excess production of keratin in the hair follicles which makes it more difficult for dead skin cells to be cleaned from the hair follicles. Vitamin A is also often used as a mixture of acne medications that are commonly found in the market.
Vitamin A can be obtained through the consumption of food, drugs, and supplements. Even so, it is recommended not to consume excess vitamin A because it can cause headaches, nausea, and pain. This condition is known as hypervitaminosis A.
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Source:
West, H. (2018). 6 Health Benefits of Vitamin A, Backed by Science. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-a-benefits