Night blindness is one of the first signs of a vitamin A deficiency. Its deficiency contributes to blindness by drying out your cornea which damages it and your retina.
Also, a vitamin A deficiency diminishes your body’s ability to fight infections, because it:
- Helps regulate your immune system and your immune system prevents or fight off infections by making white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.
- Involved in promoting healthy surface linings of eyes, respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts and a break down in any of these makes it easier for bacteria to enter your body and cause infection.
- Helps your skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.
Commonly a vitamin A deficiency occurs as a result of chronic diarrhea or an overall inadequate intake. Vitamin A in foods from animals is well absorbed and efficiently used by your body. Whereas, plant food sources are not in your body’s ready to use form.
Vegetarians who do not consume eggs and dairy need to include a minimum of five servings of dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits in their daily diets to ensure they have enough provitamin A available for conversion to a usable.
Iron deficiency can also affect vitamin A metabolism, and iron supplements may improve this deficient situation.
The vitamin A compound group also plays a vital role in:
- vision
- bone growth
- reproduction
- cell division and differentiation
There are two categories of vitamin A and how each is handled by your body makes a difference in your vitamin A sufficiency. Especially if animal food sources is not your consumption thing.
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