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What is Vitamin A

You may ask… ‘What is Vitamin A’?

It appears that Vitamin A was given its name because it was the first vitamin to be discovered and therefore given the first letter of the alphabet in its naming. Vitamin A is reported to support a large number of bodily functions that include cell growth, health of eyes, and helps to boost your immune system. Not only does Vitamin A get absorbed directly, it is also created by your body when it converts Beta Carotene into Vitamin A.

Vitamin A Foods Sources

Vitamin A can be sourced in a variety of foods such as milk, eggs, liver, and meat. If you are interested in knowing what foods contain Beta Carotene, which the body can convert into Vitamin A, foods such as fruit and vegetables, particularly those coloured green, orange, and red.

Vitamin A Intake

If an excessive amount of pure Vitamin A is consumed, it is known to be toxic. It is therefore extremely important that you know what is Vitamin A and you do not exceed the recommended daily intake of this so as not to suffere from Vitamin A toxicity. The maximum dose of Vitamin A will vary between people due to variations in age, sex, and other factors such as weight.

Consuming excesses of Vitamin A can prove to be toxic, but the amount of Beta Carotene that you can consume within recommended levels is higher than that of the vitamin. It is reasonable to conclude that it is better to concentrate on consuming foods containing more Beta Carotene so that your body can convert it into Vitamin A rather than focusing your efforts on eating food that is rich in pure Vitamin A.

Beta Carotene

If you remember that old saying that eating a lot of carrots will help you to see in the dark? That is because of the Vitamin A that your body will produce from the amounts of Beta Carotene found in carrots. Some other foods rich in Beta Carotene that get converted into Vitamin A are; spinach, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables.

Not only does Beta Carotene get converted into Vitamin A, it is also a nutrient in itself that is a powerful antioxidant. It also never gets wasted because whatever is left over from being converted to Vitamin A is used by the body to fight against those harmful free radicals.

Illnesses and Conditions

In the battle against illnesses, conditions, and infections, Vitamin A helps aid tissue linings to grow and repair themselves in any case where they suffer damage, and in turn this aids in prevention of infections. For example, the eyes, lungs, nose, mouth and throat.

It is recommended that children need a healthy level of Vitamin A to help develop their teeth and bones. Be aware to ensure you do not provide them with too much of this vitamin though.

Dosage

What is Vitamin A now being answered, if you are unsure of the recommended intake of Vitamin A for yourself or for children, be sure to ask the advice of a qualified doctor or physician. The information provided in this site is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered as a replacement for information from a qualified professional. Please see my disclaimer.

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