When it comes to remaining healthy and keeping your body functioning properly, vitamin A is crucial. Vitamin A supports your eyesight, immune system, reproduction, and metabolism. Besides, vitamin A is crucial for the proper functioning of your heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Vitamin A also has antioxidant qualities, which may help protect cells from free radical damage.
Salmon, leafy greens, milk, cheese, egg yolk, beef liver, squash, carrots, and apricots are all good sources of vitamin A. In addition, several morning kinds of cereal are enriched with vitamin A.
Adult women should consume 700 micrograms of vitamin A per day, while males should get about 900 micrograms per day. Vitamin A deficiency is uncommon in the United States unless you have a very limited diet or a few specific conditions. While vitamin A deficiency is rare, you still need to know about the symptoms it may cause.
Below are 5 symptoms of vitamin A deficiency that every person needs to know.
1. Dental problems
Vitamin A is not crucial for your eyes and skin. Vitamin A deficiency is linked to various dental problems. Vitamin A ensures proper saliva production. When your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva, this may increase your risk of dental problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth sensitivity.
Saliva helps wash away bacteria and food particles from your mouth. Because of poor saliva production, bacteria and plaque accumulate on your teeth and gums, damaging your dental tissues. If you experience dry mouth, be sure to consult the dentist to reduce the risk of dental problems.
2. Frequent respiratory infections
Frequent throat, respiratory tract, and chest infections may be linked to vitamin A deficiency. But don't go reaching for vitamin A supplements only for this reason, because more study is needed in this area, and supplementing might have some major adverse effects if you're not deficient.
Vitamin A is considered a defender against the excessive inflammation caused by invasive microorganisms and infections. Vitamin A may help protect you from these infections by modulating inflammation.
3. Eye dryness
One of the earliest symptoms of vitamin A deficiency is dry eyes. Your eyes are protected and lubricated by a layer of fluid called tear film, which also keeps the surface of the eyes clear. A healthy and consistent tear film is required for good vision. If the tear layer is uneven, it scatters when light strikes the cornea. Dry eye symptoms might arise when the tear film is of poor quality. Bitot's spots, which are white foamy lesions on the cornea, are one of the early indications of vitamin A insufficiency.
The deficiency of vitamin A also puts you at risk of another eye condition called night blindness. Vitamin A is an essential component of rhodopsin, a protein in the retina that absorbs light. Rhodopsin is the 'rods' component of the 'rods and cones,' and it is essential for night vision.
4. Skin dryness
While vitamin A deficiency isn't the only cause of skin dryness and other skin problems, it may play a part. When it comes to skincare components, retinol is a very important element that is derived from vitamin A and has several cosmetic advantages. Retinols help reduce wrinkles, smooth skin, improve skin tone, and stimulate the production of collagen. For these reasons, the deficiency of vitamin A might have a role in skin issues.
5. Poor wound healing
Vitamin A is an essential component of wound healing. One of the reasons is that vitamin A helps to reduce excessive inflammation by modulating the body's inflammatory response. The body will not heal correctly if there is insufficient vitamin A. Besides, vitamin A restores the structure of epithelial, stimulates epidermal turnover, and increases the rate of re-epithelialization.