Possible Risks Of Vitamin A Deficiency
A vitamin A deficiency can lead to health problems. This nutrient is included in the category of vitamins known as fat-soluble vitamins, that is, it dissolves in fat and requires a minimal amount of adipose tissue to be stored in the body.
In the human body, this vitamin performs several essential functions, as it intervenes in the development of vision and ensures healthy vision. On the other hand, it acts as an antioxidant.
Its regular intake reduces the risk of developing complex diseases in the medium and long term, as described in an article published in the journal Nutrients.
The good news is that it is a fairly common micronutrient in your diet. In fact, red and orange foods usually contain it. Eating vegetables regularly therefore ensures that you have enough of this vitamin in your body.
Despite everything, you may still have a vitamin A deficiency. This can occur in very low-fat diets or in people who do not follow a varied diet. What are the consequences of that? In this article, we’ll look at exactly that.
Vitamin A deficiency is linked to neurodegenerative diseases
Vitamin A plays an important role in the nervous system and brain. As a result, vitamin A deficiency is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Vitamin A plays a neuroprotective role.
For this reason, low levels of it have been associated with a higher prevalence of conditions associated with the elderly, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Deficiency of this micronutrient is linked to higher production of beta-amyloids, compounds linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, as an article published in 2017 shows. Antioxidants reduce the risk of diseases related to aging. In this regard, vitamin A is no exception.
Vision Problems Associated With Vitamin A Deficiency
One of the first symptoms that warn of a vitamin A deficiency is the appearance of visual problems. The most common is known as night blindness and manifests as a difficulty adjusting to the dark. In the most aggressive cases of vitamin A deficiency, you can suffer eye damage. However, these cases are rare.
It is more typical to suffer from gastrointestinal disorders caused by the lack of this vitamin. For example, diarrhea is a common symptom in people who suffer from this nutritional problem.
It also affects lung health
Smokers or people with obstructive lung disease are more susceptible to vitamin A deficiency. In these types of people , low levels of this nutrient can lead to an increased risk of cancer.
For this reason, you can consider taking supplements in specific cases. Despite everything, it is usually best to get this vitamin through a varied diet.
Foods That Contain Vitamin A
Red and orange foods usually contain beta-carotene and vitamin A. It is therefore important to include them in your diet regularly.
Milk, butter and cheese are also a source of this nutrient. Even some pigmented fruits like apricot or mango contain good amounts of this vitamin. If you follow a varied diet, with lots of vegetables, it is very unlikely that you are deficient in this micronutrient.
Check your vitamin A levels to prevent illness
Keeping your vitamin A levels in the proper range will reduce your risk of developing disease in the medium and long term. The first manifestations of this deficiency are gastrointestinal and visual.
Over time, however, it may be associated with changes in neuronal health and an increased risk of cancer or lung disease.
In general, we do not recommend the use of vitamin A supplements. In fact, researchers have not shown any benefit in healthy patients on a healthy diet. It is only an effective treatment in people who smoke or who have obstructive lung disease.
In any case, we recommend regularly including red foods from the plant world to minimize the risk of deficiency. Dairy products are also a source of this vitamin.
You should also remember that this vitamin, due to its antioxidant power, helps fight aging and cell damage. For all of these reasons, you need to make sure you include enough in your diet.
