In this comprehensive article you will discover the full Skin benefits of vitamin A.
Fat soluble vitamins are crucial in maintaining health and wellness in all of us. The deficiency in the intake of such vitamins has significantly decreased over time.
This is perhaps due to several food preference changes and the advent of multiple new food discoveries. That have more preservatives and alike rather than the natural food ingredients.
Nonetheless, there are still numerous foods that can provide and would suffice our body’s need for fat soluble vitamins. An example of such fat soluble vitamins is vitamin A.
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What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A can be found in animals and vegetables. Vitamin A is thus classified into two categories. Which are retinol (from animals) and carotenoid (from vegetables). Upon intake of these substances allows the body to metabolize and turn it into a usable form.
The Vitamin helps growth of healthy cells and skin, and the linings of the body. It is also important in maintaining good vision. As you go about preparing your diet plan.
One vitamin you will want to ensure you include is vitamin A. In short, Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. This means that excess amounts get stored in the liver or fat cells. Because of this you must be careful not to take too much Vitamin A, as it can become toxic.
Forms of Vitamin A
- Retinol -the animal form of vitamin A
- Carotenoids – organic pigments that are naturally occurring in plants.
- Other retinoids – retinol, retinoic acid, retinal, and related compounds.
Sources of Vitamin A
Vitamin A can be found naturally in vegetables and dairy products like carrots, Broccoli, sweet potatoes, and spinach, milk, Egg yolk, and fish-liver oil. Other natural sources of the vitamin A include;
1. Liver.
Whether lamb or beef liver. It’s an incredible source of vitamin A. Liver of a lamb provides over 200% of the total daily intake of vitamin A. This is typical a 100-gram portion, and will give you over 800% of your daily needs. You should eat liver once a week.
2. Mackerel.
This is a fatty type of fish that you have to add in your diet plan. Mackerel will help you boost your vitamin A intake. This fish has about forty-three percent of your total daily intake of vitamin A at 388 mg per portion.
3. Salmon.
Salmon is a delicious source of vitamin A and you should add it to your diet. Just like mackerel, you will get not only vitamin A but also a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Both salmon and mackerel are essential to your optimal health.
4. Butter.
You may be worried and even avoid butter intake due to its saturated fat content. You need to know that adding a little can help you elevate your overall intake of vitamin A. One tablespoon will provide approximately eleven percent of the total daily recommended intake of vitamin A. Limit your butter consumption to around one tablespoon every day and you should be just fine.
5. Cheddar Cheese.
This is another dairy product that has a high content of vitamin A. One slice of Cheddar Cheese contains around ten percent of vitamin A which your body needs. However, Vitamin A is required by the human body only in minute amounts.
Healthy Benefits of Vitamin A
Before I show you the benefits of Vitamin A for your skin. I will first explain the overall health benefits of this beneficial Vitamin.
1. Boost human immune system
Vitamin A is essential for the immune system of the human body(1). The digestive lining, the skin, lining and urinary tracks, contains Retinol. The lining curbs the entry of infectious microbes and other harmful substances. Vitamin A and Retinoic acid are also crucial for the formation of white blood cells.
Red blood cells help in absorption of oxygen. Different studies suggest that Vitamin A is helpful in reducing the growth of cancer in different parts of human body. For example skin, liver, colon, and breast.
2. Helps in Structuring Human Genes
Retinoic Acid, a unique form of Vitamin A, plays a significant role in the structure of human genes. It can also influence transcription rate of the gene. Which can affect the formation of other proteins formed in the human body. Retinoic Acid is also essential for cellular differentiation. Therefore vitamin A plays a vital role in the growth of human body. Retinoic acid and Retinol are helpful in the development of an embryo.
3. Helps in Maintain Healthy Vision
Vitamin A is essential for human sight. After complex chemical reactions. Retinol gets binded with a protein called “opsin” to form Rhodopsin. Rod cells, which are inside human eye, contain Rhodopsin which aids viewing in low light conditions.
4. Helps to Fight Illness and Infections
Vitamin A helps fight illnesses and infections by helping the muscles. That line various parts of the body, including the mouth, eyes, nose, lungs, and throat, to grow. It also repairs them when damaged and thus helps inhibit infections. Children also need lots of vitamin A to help their teeth and bones to develop properly.
5. Vitamin A is a Powerful Antioxidant
Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant. None of the beta carotene consumed is wasted as any excess after conversion to vitamin A takes place. This helps fight the free radicals which are harmful within the body(2).
Benefits of Vitamin A on the Skin
Know it’s time to take a look at the amazing healthy skin benefits.
Help Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Vitamin A is useful as it helps the skin stay smooth and reduces wrinkles. It not only removes the dark spots on your skin but also helps your skin stay healthy, fresh and wrinkle free. Regular intake of Vitamin A also helps in improving vision. Vitamin A is an active ingredient in most anti-aging creams and tablets.
Helps to Regenerate Skin
Antioxidants such as vitamin A in forms of retinol, tretinoin and aldehyde. Function effectively in promoting a lighter skin. It incites the production of more collagen. Vitamin A induces the skin to be supple and firm, making it useful in the regeneration of new cells. The production of more collagen encourages the exfoliation of dead skin cells, and the development of new, lighter tissues.
Help dehydrated Skin by Restoring Moisture
Vitamin A obtained from low-fat dairy products helps to keep skin look vibrant. Foods rich in Antioxidant such as berries help the skin appear younger. Healthy oils also helps to keep the skin hydrated.
Protect the scalp and hair loss
Vitamin A is very good for the skin and the scalp. You can get Vitamin A from eating meat, milk, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots. You can also take supplement, but do no exceed more than 5,000 IU per day.
Reduce Signs of Aging
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant which neutralizes free radicals that cause premature aging. Vitamin A is the most useful ingredient used in anti-aging serums, creams, and toners.
Diminish Skin Discolorations
It reduces discoloration of the skin and stimulates the production of collagen.
Smooth Out Rough Skin
Vitamin A is also known for its ability to minimize sun damage and to tighten pores. Retinol is widely used to treat severe rosacea and acne. Also Helps Your Skin Grow New Cells and makes Saggy Skin to tighter.
Risks associated with vitamin A deficiency
- Vitamin A Deficiency will weaken the immune system, in return making human body predisposed to infections.
- Vitamin A deficiency can lead to respiratory problems.
- Severe Deficiency of Vitamin A in children can lead to night blindness.
- A slight deficiency of vitamin A may cause dryness of eyes and skin and Bitot’s spots.
- Deficiency of vitamin A is also known to contribute to the anemia which is caused by iron deficiency. It seems that vitamin A is essential to make iron ready for the production of oxygen carrying red blood cells.
Risks of too much Vitamin A intake
- Studies show that intake of vitamin A at an average of 1.5mg per day for many years may affect bones which may make them fracture when they age.
- Older people, especially women, are at risk of osteoporosis.
- Pregnant women are advised against large amounts of vitamin A as it can harm the unborn baby.
Recommended dose of vitamin A
The Recommended Dietary for vitamin A is 3,000 IU (900 mcg) per day for teenagers over 14 and adults. Both these figures are sufficient to get the many health benefits from vitamin A.
But these are so numerous and significant that it is probably wise to regard the Recommended Dietary as the minimum necessary for the avoidance of deficiency. Supplementing to a total intake of 5,000 IU should ensure optimum benefits and levels of up to 10,000 should not harm in most cases.
Conclusion
Healthy nutrition is one of the best ways to keep off old age and disease. Vitamin A is just one of the nutrients you should increase in your daily diet. You can talk with a doctor of naturopathic medicine to learn more about improving your diet.
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