Vitamin A: The Eyes Need It

When you were growing up, you were probably told to eat your carrots so that your eyes would be strong. While this may not be completely true, carrots do contain provitamin A carotenoids which are pigments in some plants that the body converts into Vitamin A. And Vitamin A is definitely essential to your vision.

As with most vitamins, there are several different forms of Vitamin A. one form that has been found to be most useful to the body is called retinol and is commonly found in eggs, liver, and milk.

Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and cantaloupe contain beta carotene, which is easily converted into Vitamin A by the body. Along with being good for your vision, Vitamin A is also important for the well being of your immune system and bones.

It is often forgotten that too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing. Because Vitamin A is fat soluble, the body is trained to store it- generally in the liver. Typically, as the body builds up its Vitamin A supply, it simultaneously slows down the processing of beta carotene. But, occasionally, Vitamin A toxicity does occur and can lead to liver problems, bone density deterioration, birth defects, and central nervous system malfunction. When this rarity does occur, it is not caused by food sources, but from supplemental sources, generally in pill form.

If too much Vitamin A can cause such traumatic problems, too little is equally as dangerous. While Vitamin A deficiency is much more common in countries with widespread malnutrition, there have been cases in developed countries.

The body utilizes Vitamin A to create internal tissues such as those in the lining of the eyes, lungs, and intestinal tract; this is why Vitamin A is so vital for vision and immunity.

A Vitamin A deficiency weakens these linings and makes people more prone to such things as infection, various illnesses, blindness, and respiratory issues by allowing bacteria to easily penetrate into the body.

Those who may be more likely to develop a Vitamin A deficiency are people who consume large quantities of alcohol as well as those who suffer from metabolic disorders since the way that fat and other nutrients are absorbed into the body are greatly affected by these.

Among some of the recent and ongoing studies surrounding Vitamin A and beta carotene are investigations to determine whether high Vitamin A levels may be contributing to osteoporosis, and if beta carotene may be able to reduce the risks of some cancers.