Health Benefits Of Vitamin A

Foods rich in vitamin A do much more than help prevent your eyesight from declining and help you see in the dark. They are also good effective antioxidants that helps keep free radicals at bay. Vitamin A can help one look refreshingly young, repair a lot of the damages done to the tissues by protecting the skin from wrinkles, keep hair from turning white, prevents joints from stiffening and muscles from weakening.

Vitamin A plays a key role in the immune system function. It helps prevent colds and flus; protects against infections in the vital organs of the body and regulates cell growth and division.

Vitamin A also takes part in remodeling bones and teeth, weak digestion, sexual weakness and prevents some forms of cancer and other problems related to aging.

Various researches have shown the relationship between vitamin A and cancer especially

those of the mouth, throat, stomach, prostrate, and kidneys. These anticarcinogenic properties can be attributed partly to its antioxidant properties , but also to various other medicinal properties of its natural components.

Excessive intake of vitamin A should be avoided during pregnancy because this may lead to some confusion and birth defects. Pregnant women should avoid use of vitamin A supplements and also avoid eating liver and liver products because liver is a particularly concentrated source of vitamin A. But women who are at risk of becoming pregnant should keep their supplemental vitamin A levels below 5000IU or choose carotenoids such as beta-carotene.

Smokers should avoid highdose single supplements of beta-carotene, since some randomized trials in smokers have linked high dose supplementation with increased lung cancer risk. Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids). Carrots are perhaps best known for their beta-carotene content. (The nutrient beta-carotene was actually named after the carrot).

Other food sources of vitamin A rich in retinol are: milk fats, butter, cheese, cream, whole milk, egg yolk, liver, fatty fish. Sources of vitamin A rich in carotene are: green leafy vegetables, carrots, fruits ( yellow and red coloured fruits are also very rich vitamin A sources).

Source: nationalmirroronline.net