There are many benefits of vitamin A that are good for the health of the body, ranging from maintaining eyesight, increasing immunity, to reducing the risk of chronic diseases. To find out more about the benefits of vitamin A, let's see the following article.
Vitamin A consists of two types, namely retinoids derived from animal products and carotenoids derived from fruits and vegetables. This nutrient is one of the nutrients that plays an important role in the body.
Everyone's vitamin A needs are different, depending on age and gender. The following are recommendations for nutritional adequacy for vitamin A by age:
- Toddler: 400 IU
- Children 4–9 years: 450–500 IU
- Adolescents and adults: 600–650 IU
- Pregnant and lactating women: 900–950 IU
Diverse Benefits of Vitamin A
Vitamin A has a variety of benefits needed by the human body, including:
1. Maintain eye health
One of the most well-known benefits of vitamin A is that it can maintain eye health. Adequate nutrition has been shown to protect the eyes from cell damage, maintain sharp vision, and reduce the risk of various eye diseases, such as night blindness and age-related macular degeneration.
2. Strengthening the immune system
Besides being beneficial for eyesight, adequate intake of vitamin A from food can also keep the immune system functioning properly, making it strong against disease.
This is presumably because vitamin A plays a role in the formation of immune cells to fight infection and produce strong antibodies.
3. Maintain the health of reproductive organs
Vitamin A is a nutrient that is essential for the development of sperm and egg cells. That is why, sufficient intake of vitamin A is needed to maintain and increase male and female fertility.
Even so, you also need to have adequate intake of other nutrients, such as folate, B vitamins, vitamin C, omega-3, antioxidants, and minerals, such as iron, zinc, and selenium, to maintain the health of reproductive organs.
4. Supports fetal growth and development
In order for the growth and development of the fetus to take place optimally, pregnant women need to meet their daily nutritional intake, including vitamin A. This vitamin is also important to keep the immune system of pregnant women strong, so they are less likely to get sick during pregnancy.
However, vitamin A intake during pregnancy should be obtained from food. If you want to take vitamin A supplements, pregnant women need to consult a doctor first. This is because high doses of vitamin A are at risk of causing defects in the fetus.
5. Reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases
Vitamin A is known to be an antioxidant so it is useful for protecting body cells from damage caused by free radicals or oxidative stress.
By meeting the body's need for vitamin A, you can reduce the risk of various chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, including cervical cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer.
Various Source of Vitamin A
Seeing the various benefits of vitamin A, it is important to ensure that these nutritional needs are met every day.
Most of the intake of this vitamin can be obtained from various food sources of vitamin A, such as:
- Beef and chicken liver
- Fish
- Milk and its products, such as cheese and yogurt
- Egg
- Fruits, especially those that are yellow or orange in color, such as mangoes, tomatoes, melons, and papayas
- Vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and red peppers
- Cereals that have been given additional vitamin A
Generally, the daily need for vitamin A can be met by adopting a healthy diet. However, in conditions where the intake of vitamin A from food alone is not sufficient, for example due to indigestion or being on a diet, the doctor may recommend taking vitamin A supplements.
Risk of Side Effects of Excess Vitamin A
Although rare, you need to be careful, because excess intake of vitamin A from supplements or food can cause several side effects, such as:
- Symptoms of vitamin A poisoning, including dry skin, nausea, dizziness, headaches, and joint pain
- Symptoms of drug interactions, especially if you are taking birth control pills, blood thinners, acne medications, and chemotherapy drugs
- Bone disorders, liver disorders, and the risk of birth defects
Therefore, you are not recommended to take supplements carelessly, including vitamin A supplements, especially if you are pregnant or suffer from kidney or liver disease. To be on the safe side, consult with your doctor about whether or not to take vitamin A supplements for your condition.