What Is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A was first discovered in 1912, by a Polish biochemist named Casimir Funk (no really!). He came up with the word vitamine, which was later became the name vitamin. Funk was the first to discover vitamins as we know them today. Vitamin A was actually the first one he discovered, hence it was called vitamin ‘A’.
Vitamin A can be found in natural foods such as oranges and yellow coloured fruits. It can also be found in vegetables as well, such as spinach and other leafy garden foods. When found in vegetables, vitamin A is water soluble, taking the form of beta carotene. The beta carotene form of vitamin A can be eliminated from your body through natural processes, making it an excellent way to get vitamin A.
Vitamin A is essential for your body on daily basis in order to maintain healthy skin and keep your eyesight in good condition. There are many people who say that carrots provide enough vitamin A to prevent you from getting night blindness. The fact is, ancient Egyptian doctors prescribed liver in their time, which they said contained enough vitamin A to combat night blindness. Vitamin A is also known as an antioxidant, which means it plays a part in helping to prevent cancer and promote anti aging. And on top of this, it also helps with your immune system as well.
Vitamin A can only be absorbed properly into the body in the presence of fat. Those of you who happen to be on a low fat or restricted diet, simply may not be absorbing the right amounts of vitamin A from your supplements. In addition, to get the proper absorption of vitamin A in your diet, you’ll need to consume a high enough level of protein. Protein combines with vitamin A to make it stronger, and help it move through your body.
On a normal day, you should be consuming around 5,000 international units (IU) of vitamin A. Depending on your health and your age, you may need to consume more or less. The safest form of vitamin A is beta carotene as mentioned above, and it can be taken in much larger doses. No matter what age you may be, you can feel safe to consume high amounts of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene.
If you don’t consume enough vitamin A in your diet, you could develop skin problems, increased infections, and even night blindness as well. A prolonged deficiency in vitamin A can put you at a risk for cancer as well, and you’ll also miss out on any effects of anti aging that the vitamin might have. Although you should begin taking a supplement immediately if you have a deficiency, the effects wouldn’t be the same as they would be if you stayed up to date with the right amount in your diet on a daily basis.
On the other hand, if you are getting too much vitamin A, you’ll put yourself at risk for pain in your joints, abdomen, and your bones. Even though too much or not enough can cause you serious side effects, you should always get the right amount in your diet. Vitamin A is very important, and should always be included in your diet. You can find it in many foods, which is the best way to get it, or you can take it as a supplement. If you are going to take supplements, you should make sure that they provide the right amounts - with no side effects.
