Lack of vitamin a: causes and consequences for the body

The lack of vitamin A in the body is mainly reflected in eye health, which can lead to eye problems such as xerophthalmia or night blindness, as this vitamin is very important for the production of certain visual pigments that allow you to see the entire spectrum of light.

However, and in addition, a lack of vitamin A can also cause skin problems, weakened immune systems, stunted growth and reproductive problems. The damage caused by vitamin A deficiency is reversible in most cases, requiring treatment with supplementation of the vitamin and an increase in its dietary sources.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause some problems such as:

1. Xerophthalmia

This is a progressive disease where there is an increase in the tissue that covers the eye and dryness of the external surface of the eye, which can cause blindness. The main symptoms include burning in the eyes, difficulty seeing in darker environments and the feeling of dry eyes.

As xerophthalmia progresses, corneal lesions and ulcers may appear as small white spots on the eye, known as Bitot spots, which, if left untreated, can cause blindness. Learn more about this complication and how it is treated.

2. Night blindness

Night blindness is a complication of xerophthalmia, in which the person has difficulty seeing in low-light environments, especially when moving from a location with a lot of light to a darker one. However, people with this problem can have completely normal vision during the day.

The difficulty caused by night blindness usually arises when the levels of one of the pigments in the retinal receptors, known as rhodopsin, are too low, affecting the eye's ability to process objects in low light. Rhodopsin production is usually regulated by the amount of vitamin A. See how to identify night blindness.

3. Thick and dry skin

The lack of vitamin A can produce follicular hyperkeratosis, which is when the hair follicles in the skin become clogged with keratin plugs, making the skin thicker. This change makes the skin look like a "chicken skin", in addition to being drier, scaly and rough.

Hyperkeratosis usually begins in the forearms and thighs, but over time it can spread to all parts of the body.

4. Growth delay

Low levels of vitamin A in the body can cause developmental delays in children, as it is an important vitamin for bone growth. In addition, vitamin A deficiency can also cause changes in taste and smell, causing food to lose its flavor, which leads the child to want to eat less, ultimately hindering development.

5. Fertility problems

Vitamin A is necessary for reproduction at both male and female levels, as well as for the proper development of the baby during pregnancy. In addition, the lack of this vitamin appears to be related to the appearance of spontaneous abortions.

6. Weakening of the immune system

The immune system can be weakened when there is a lack of vitamin A in the body, as the lack of this vitamin affects the functioning of T cells, which are important cells of the immune system. Thus, a lack of vitamin A increases the risk of catching various bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, especially at the respiratory level.

Vitamin A also acts in the production process of collagen and, therefore, its lack in the body can impair wound healing, for example.

What can cause lack of vitamin A

The main cause of vitamin A deficiency is an inadequate intake of foods rich in vitamin A, such as carrots, eggs, broccoli or liver, for example. However, other problems such as fibrosis, excessive drinking or liver disorders can also increase the risk of a deficiency of this vitamin.

In addition, as vitamin A is fat-soluble, if there is a malabsorption of fats at the intestinal level, it is also possible that the vitamin is not well absorbed from food. This type of cause is more common in people who have had bariatric surgery or who have inflammatory bowel diseases.

How to confirm the lack of vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is usually suspected in children and adults who are malnourished or in people who have risk factors, but the signs and symptoms should always be evaluated by a doctor.

The doctor may also order a serum retinol blood test, where values ​​below 20 mcg / dL indicate a lack of vitamin A in the body, and values ​​below 10 mcg / dL indicate severe deficiency.

How is the treatment

The treatment of lack of vitamin A is based on increasing the intake of foods rich in this vitamin, as well as oral supplementation, in order to reduce the risk of mortality. It is important that, during treatment, the person is followed up with a nutritionist to ensure the adequate supply of vitamin A for their daily needs.

Thus, treatment includes:

1. Eat foods rich in vitamin A

The preformed vitamin is found only in foods of animal origin, in storage places, that is, in the liver and in the fat of eggs and milk. A large amount of this vitamin is also found in cod liver oil.

However, there are also foods of plant origin that contain carotenoids, which are precursors of vitamin A and that are found mainly in dark green vegetables or yellow-orange fruits, such as carrots, spinach, orange juice, sweet potatoes, among others. See a more complete list of foods rich in vitamin A.

2. Take vitamin A supplementation

Vitamin A supplementation should be guided by a doctor or nutritionist, as the dose will depend on the age, weight and general state of health of the affected person.

In general, in adults, it is common to administer 3 doses of 200, 000 IU. Children younger than 1 year should receive half that dose, and babies younger than 6 months should receive only a quarter of the dose.

In some cases, vitamin A supplementation can be done with cod liver oil because, in addition to containing an excellent amount of this vitamin, it also contains vitamin D, omega 3, iodine and phosphorus, which are important for all child development.