WHAT IS VITAMIN A?
Retinol: Much more than just the eye vitamin. But what is vitamin A good for, what exactly happens in the event of a vitamin A deficiency - and can you overdose on vitamin A? We explain that here!
Table of contents
1. what is vitamin A?
A vitamins are also known as retinoids. But what exactly is vitamin A? In short, they are naturally occurring chemical compounds that our body needs for various of its biological functions. There are various molecules that belong to the group of A vitamins, for example retinol aka vitamin A1 or retinal aka vitamin A aldehyde. Our body can form vitamin A from provitamin A, also known as carotene - it is a precursor of vitamin A. The metabolism of vitamin A takes place in the small intestine and the vitamin is stored in the liver.
2 What is vitamin A good for?
We have now answered the question "What is vitamin A" - but the much more important question is: What do we actually need vitamin A for? Vitamin A has various functions in our body:
Vision: Vitamin A is best known for vision - which is why it is also known as the eye vitamin. Retinal, a form of vitamin A, is a component of the eye retina and is important for our perception of light and dark.
Skin: In the form of retinol, vitamin A is important for the elasticity of our skin and also plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy mucous membranes.
Reproduction : The formation of testosterone, sperm cells or placenta - vitamin A is necessary for many functions in the context of reproduction.
Antioxidant: Beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, supports the body in the fight against oxidative stress. Like vitamin C and vitamin E, it is therefore an antioxidant. This also makes vitamin A an anti-ageingvitamin1.
Vision: Vitamin A is best known for vision - which is why it is also known as the eye vitamin. Retinal, a form of vitamin A, is a component of the eye retina and is important for our perception of light and dark.
Skin: In the form of retinol, vitamin A is important for the elasticity of our skin and also plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy mucous membranes.
Reproduction : The formation of testosterone, sperm cells or placenta - vitamin A is necessary for many functions in the context of reproduction.
Antioxidant: Beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, supports the body in the fight against oxidative stress. Like vitamin C and vitamin E, it is therefore an antioxidant. This also makes vitamin A an anti-ageingvitamin1.
3 What happens with a vitamin A deficiency?
As long as 3500 years ago, a mixture of liver and honey was administered in China to treat night blindness. Liver is one of the foods with the highest vitamin A content: 100 grams of pork liver, for example, contains around 36 milligrams of vitamin A, calf's liver 28 milligrams. In fact, vision problems are one of the best-known consequences of a vitamin A deficiency. In addition to night blindness, it also manifests itself in blurred vision, high sensitivity to light and dry, burning and reddened eyes.
Do you suffer from dry skin, dandruff and painful skin cracks? Many people think of a zinc or vitamin Edeficiency. However, these symptoms can actually also be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. Increased hair loss can also indicate a lack of vitamin A. Not only the skin, but also the mucous membranes can dry out and become more susceptible to viruses and bacteria - the result: frequent colds, respiratory tract infections or fungal infections in the genital area.
What many people don't know: Vitamin A is also needed to metabolize iron. An iron deficiency with the familiar symptoms such as tiredness and anaemia can therefore also be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. People who frequently suffer from gastrointestinal disorders in particular are unable to metabolize vitamin A from food properly and therefore have an increased need for it.
Vitamin A deficiency can also occur in the case of various metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism and stress. Pregnant women from the fourth month of pregnancy also have a higher requirement: they should consume around 300 micrograms more vitamin A.
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Do you suffer from dry skin, dandruff and painful skin cracks? Many people think of a zinc or vitamin Edeficiency. However, these symptoms can actually also be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. Increased hair loss can also indicate a lack of vitamin A. Not only the skin, but also the mucous membranes can dry out and become more susceptible to viruses and bacteria - the result: frequent colds, respiratory tract infections or fungal infections in the genital area.
What many people don't know: Vitamin A is also needed to metabolize iron. An iron deficiency with the familiar symptoms such as tiredness and anaemia can therefore also be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. People who frequently suffer from gastrointestinal disorders in particular are unable to metabolize vitamin A from food properly and therefore have an increased need for it.
Vitamin A deficiency can also occur in the case of various metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism and stress. Pregnant women from the fourth month of pregnancy also have a higher requirement: they should consume around 300 micrograms more vitamin A.
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4 Where is vitamin A found?
As vitamin A is stored in the liver, it is mainly found in high quantities in cod liver oil, beef liver and pork liver. However, there are other animal and plant foods with a high vitamin A content:
Sweet potato - up to 1000 micrograms per 100 grams
Carrots - up to 850 micrograms per 100 grams
Kale - up to 730 micrograms per 100 grams
Butter - up to 680 micrograms per 100 grams
Spinach - up to 470 micrograms per 100 grams
Pumpkin - up to 250 micrograms per 100 grams
Egg - up to 140 micrograms per 100 grams
But beware: Vitamin A is relatively sensitive. It can oxidize quickly and does not tolerate high heat. Foods with a high vitamin A content should therefore be stored in a cool, dark place and not cooked for too long. In order to be able to metabolize the fat-soluble vitamin well, foods containing vitamin A should always be eaten with a little oil.
5. can you overdose on vitamin A?
Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that is soluble in fat but not soluble in water. As a result, it cannot simply be excreted via the kidneys like vitamin C, for example. Instead, vitamin A is stored in the liver. So is vitamin A harmful if it is overdosed? If vitamin A is heavily overdosed over a very long period of time, liver health can suffer. However, this only happens if vitamin A supplements are handled grossly improperly. Therefore, the manufacturer's recommendations should always be followed.
This leads us to the question: What is the daily vitamin A requirement? The German Nutrition Society recommends that men should consume 850 µg and women 700 µg of vitamin A perday2. However, individual requirements may be higher - for example, if you suffer from frequent gastrointestinal disorders. More than three milligrams of vitamin A should not be taken. In extreme cases, massive overdoses can lead to headaches or nausea. With less than three milligrams, however, negative side effects are not generally to be expected.
This leads us to the question: What is the daily vitamin A requirement? The German Nutrition Society recommends that men should consume 850 µg and women 700 µg of vitamin A perday2. However, individual requirements may be higher - for example, if you suffer from frequent gastrointestinal disorders. More than three milligrams of vitamin A should not be taken. In extreme cases, massive overdoses can lead to headaches or nausea. With less than three milligrams, however, negative side effects are not generally to be expected.
6 What should you look out for with vitamin A tablets?
We need sufficient vitamin A to maintain our eyesight, skin health and an intact iron metabolism. When choosing vitamin A tablets, high quality should always be ensured. Good preparations are free from artificial preservatives or sugar and are tested and certified in Germany - such as VITAMIN A from Vitactiv Natural Nutrition. It consists of natural beta-carotene, is free from gluten and soy and is also suitable for vegans.
Sources:
Sources:
1https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/mode-antioxidantien-beugen-alterserscheinungen-vor-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-180525-99-454033
2https://www.dge.de/presse/pm/neue-d-a-ch-referenzwerte-fuer-die-vitamin-a-zufuhr/
2https://www.dge.de/presse/pm/neue-d-a-ch-referenzwerte-fuer-die-vitamin-a-zufuhr/