Vitamin A is an important fat-soluble vitamin. It is needed for vision, skin health, immune function and reproduction. It also works as an antioxidant to fight off cellular damage and protect against disease.
A lack of vitamin A in the blood and tissues is known as hypovitaminosis A (or vitamin A deficiency).
While vitamin A deficiencies are typically seen in the developing world, many individuals in developed countries simply do not get enough vitamin A in their diet. An inadequate or deficient intake of vitamin A can cause serious health problems
A hallmark sign of a vitamin A deficiency is night blindness. In fact, vitamin A deficiency is the most common, preventable cause of blindness in children around the world. Night blindness is common in developing countries where individuals are often vitamin A deficient. Vitamin A is the main component of the pigment in the eyes called rhodopsin and is needed to see in the dark.
Another hallmark sign of a severe vitamin A deficiency is Xerophthalmia, which is dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea and the inability to produce tears. In fact, eye issues are often related to decreased concentrations of vitamin A in the body.
Vitamin A is an essential component of the repair and cellular differentiation of new tissue that is needed for wound healing. Vitamin A is also needed to boost immunity and lower inflammation after a wound has occurred. Vitamin A signals cells to grow at a faster rate to regenerate healthy tissue. A vitamin A deficiency also impairs wound healing by reducing collagen synthesis.
Vitamin A deficiency results in impaired, stunted growth. Vitamin A is needed for proper growth and development. Vitamin A is an important growth factor throughout an individual’s life and is needed for growth and repair of tissues and bones.
Vitamin A plays a major role in skin health. It is needed for the creation and repair of skin cells. Dry, itchy or inflamed skin conditions could all be the result of inadequate or deficient vitamin A levels. A key sign of depleted vitamin A levels is skin issues. Vitamin A is also important for sebum production, which is the oil that keeps skin moist.
Adequate vitamin A levels are needed to protect the body from infectious diseases. This is why in developing countries where vitamin A levels are low there are high levels of infection and disease. Infections also quickly drain vitamin A stores in the body, leaving individuals susceptible to future infections. The reason vitamin A is needed to prevent infections is that immune cells (known as T-killer cells) require metabolites of vitamin A (retinol metabolites) to proliferate correctly. Both T-cells and lymphocytes are depleted in a vitamin A deficiency, thereby reducing immunity and increasing risk for infection.
There is evidence for a deficiency of vitamin A to cause anemia, or reduced blood cell production. This is because a vitamin A deficiency causes a depletion of blood stem cells. This blood stem cell reduction causes issues as many specialized blood cells have a lifespan of only a few days and thus require adequate blood stem cell stores.
A vitamin A inadequacy or deficiency can be treated with a vitamin A supplement and a proper Paleo diet rich in vitamin-A food sources.
Individuals with Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cystic fibrosis, cancer or infection could all use higher intakes of vitamin A. Infants, young children and pregnant women in developing countries also have an increased risk for a vitamin A deficiency.
We recommend our Super A supplement for support of inadequate or deficient vitamin A levels. Take 1 drop daily, or as directed by your physician.
Get your vitamin A levels checked with the best micronutrient testing in the world. This micronutrient test analyzes the level of micronutrients (like vitamin A) that are in your blood and also the level in your cells (where these nutrients belong).
If you think you could have a deficiency, it’s important to get your blood and cellular levels measured.
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