Vitamin A - daily requirement, deficiency & food

Table of contents

1. the positive effect of vitamin A in the body

2. the difference between vitamin A (retinol) and provitamin A (beta-carotene)

3. development of vitamin A deficiency

4. symptoms & effects of vitamin A deficiency

5. the correct dosage of vitamin A

6. vitamin A overdose / hypervitaminosis

7. how can I cover my vitamin A requirements through food?

8. how can I correctly determine a vitamin A deficiency?

9. cover your vitamin A requirement with vitamin A capsules or vitamin A tablets

10. conclusion

Vitamin A is a vital vitamin that our body cannot produce itself and must therefore be taken in with food. It plays an essential role in the human organism. It is an organic compound that is important for biological processes such as gene transcription. Vitamin A is very important for vision, cell growth and cell differentiation. In this blog you will learn about the positive effects of vitamin A on the body and how you can counteract a vitamin A deficiency.

1. the positive effects of vitamin A in the body

Vitamin A is essential for a number of important processes in the human organism. Vitamin A is particularly important for the formation of skin and mucous membranes and the protection of the immune system. Vitamin A supports the visual process and helps to distinguish light-dark contrasts. In addition, the vitamin is essential for the production of the hormone testosterone and also plays a role in the development of the egg and sperm cells. Vitamin A is important for the development of the placenta and the subsequent maturation of the embryo.

2 The difference between vitamin A (retinol) and provitamin A (beta-carotene)

Many people do not know the difference between retinol and beta-carotene or equate the terms. Retinol is another name for the fat-soluble, essential vitamin A. Beta Carotin however represents the direct preliminary stage to Vitamin A in the form of a Provitamin. In the human organism beta Carotin can be converted into Vitamin A, therefore one calls it Provitamin A. In its natural form, beta-carotene is contained in many fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, spinach and red peppers. It is used as a colorant in foods and beverages. It is also used in food supplements to increase the vitamin A level. However, beta-carotene is far from being as effective as pure vitamin A, because the body first has to convert it into retinol.

3. development of a vitamin A deficiency

A vitamin A deficiency can have various causes. An unbalanced diet can lead to low vitamin A levels in the long term. If you have planned a diet, you should make sure that your diet is balanced and that you eat foods with a high vitamin A content. It should not be forgotten that a deficiency can also have a genetic cause, such as a congenital intestinal absorption disorder. Poor storage capacity (e.g. alcohol abuse) can also lead to too little vitamin A being stored in the body. The vitamin A level can also drop temporarily due to infectious diseases such as measles.

4 Symptoms & effects of a vitamin A deficiency

A vitamin A deficiency (hypovitaminosis) is understood to be an insufficient concentration of vitamin A in the blood or in the storage organs. The risk group for vitamin A deficiency includes premature babies, elderly people, children susceptible to infection and young women. The best-known symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency are

• dry skin
• Night blindness
• Growth disorders
• Susceptibility to infections
• Anaemia (lack of blood)
• gum inflammations
• Fertility disorders
• Impaired sense of smell and touch
• Nausea and vomiting

7. how can I Cover your vitamin A requirements through your diet?

There are numerous natural Vitamin A sources that you can incorporate into your daily diet. In contrast to other vitamins, the vitamin A requirement can also easily be met by plant foods.

foods with a high beta-carotene content are: (Vitamin A content per 100g):

• Liver approx. 22 mg / 73 i.U.
• Kale approx. 9 mg / 30 i.U.
• carrot approx. 9 mg / 30 i.U.
• liver sausage approx. 8.5 mg / 28 i.U.
• parsley approx. 6 mg / 20 i.s.
• Dried apricot approx. 6 mg / 20 i.e.
• Savoy cabbage approx. 5 mg / 17 p.m.
• Dill approx. 5 mg / 17 i.e.
• Palm oil approx. 4.5 mg / 15 i.e.
• Lamb's lettuce approx. 4 mg / 13 i.e.

8 How can I correctly determine a vitamin A deficiency?

A vitamin A deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency worldwide. If you want to know whether you suffer from a vitamin A deficiency, it is best to have this checked by your family doctor. The vitamin A content is measured by the blood plasma. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a vitamin A deficiency is present if the level falls below 10 µg/dl (33.3 IU). If you suspect a vitamin A deficiency, you should tell your doctor about the exact symptoms to make sure that they are actually due to a low vitamin A level. However, we recommend several tests, as a single test is only a snapshot of your vitamin A level.

9. cover your vitamin A needs with vitamin A capsules or
vitamin A tablets

If you are on a predominantly plant-based diet, do a lot of sport or are unable to ensure a daily supply of vitamin A through your diet, you can resort to vitamin A capsules or vitamin A tablets as an alternative. Often
vitamin A tablets are sold in local pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets. However, in many cases these are produced with artificial additives or manufactured abroad. Vitamin A capsules, on the other hand, in many cases contain the active ingredient retinol in a vegetable cellulose shell and can be produced without fillers. It is also important that the vitamin A preparation is produced in Germany to ensure a consistently high quality.

10 Which is better: retinyl palmitate or retinyl acetate?

Many people think that natural ingredients can generally be better utilized by the body and are easier to tolerate. Retinyl palmitate is mostly obtained from plants and is therefore a relatively natural preparation. Many people use retinyl palmitate to get a better feeling when taking it. This is often given in the form of vitamin A drops. However, in order to produce vitamin A in drop form, artificial additives are inevitable. In the end, the product is then more artificial than what is shown in the advertising. Retinyl acetate, on the other hand, is produced synthetically, but is many times more effective than retinyl palmitate, as it can be better utilized by the body. It is also more easily tolerated by the human organism. We recommend retinyl acetate capsules, as they can be produced without artificial additives.

11. conclusion

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin which our body cannot produce itself. Vitamin A is involved in the visual process and helps to distinguish light-dark contrasts. Therefore you should make sure that you take in enough vitamin A through food. If you suffer from a vitamin A deficiency, it can be remedied by taking a dietary supplement. Vitamin A tablets or vitamin A capsules without additives are particularly suitable for this.