With all the talk about Vitamin D, its sister vitamin, Vitamin A is not getting the attention it deserves. It is one of the very important fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E and K. This article shows that obesity impairs the body\’s ability to use vitamin A and it can lead to deficiencies in the organs. The surprising part of this research shows that blood tests can show normal levels of vitamin A , and yet the actual levels within the organs are low. The researchers call it \” silent vitamin A deficiency.\” Obesity is associate with many illnesses , such as poor immune response and diabetes. Vitamin A is critical for vision, reproduction, immune response, and wound healing.
In many case, vitamin A deficiency is largely ignored and often vitamin A supplements and foods are generally not recommended by practitioners to their patients. The research on traditional diets shows that it contained 10 times more vitamin A then our current modern diets. An important fact is that vitamin A and D go together and are used in the body as a team so if supplementing, it is preferred that vitamin A, D and K are taken together.
So what are good sources of vitamin A? Weekly serving of liver (4 oz. of beef or 8 oz chicken). Fish Head soup as the flesh behind the eyes of the fish is high in vitamin A. Daily consumption of cod liver oil. Vitamin supplement containing the retinol form of vitamin A ( at least 3,000 IU). 2-3 daily servings of dairy, 2-4 egg yolks, and several servings of orange/red vegetables or fruits.
Factors that inhibit vitamin A are zinc and iron deficiency. Lean protein, vitamin D supplements, vegetable oils, steroids can all increase vitamin A requirements. Converting the pre- vitamin A called carotenoids to active vitamin A is difficult and gut dysbiosis inhibits conversion.
Night blndness is considered the first clinical sign that somebody is potentially vitamin A deficient.
The recommended daily allowance is 900 IU for adult males and 700 IU for adult females, pregnancy is 700 IU. Breastfeeding increases requirements to 1,200 IU. These requirements are only for vision , however, there are many more processes in the body that vitamin A plays a part in.
An important question to ask is if you are drinking a lot of protein shakes and eating lean protein, then you will be using up your vitamin A. Ask yourself what foods you are eating that have vitamin A.
Obesity causes levels of vitamin A to drop as does inflammation and infection. Vitamin A is difficult to absorb and for the body to utilize if there is limited fat in the diet, a gut imbalance of bacteria, and other vitamin and nutrient deficiencies.
Vitamin A can be a very important nutrient that is forgotten in your journey to optimal health. Lots of things improve when you get adequate vitamin A.