The first symptoms of lack of vitamin A are difficulty in adapting to night vision, dry skin, dry hair, brittle nails and decreased immune system, with the frequent appearance of flu and infections.
Vitamin A is found in foods such as pumpkin, carrots, papayas, egg yolks and liver, and the body of an adult is capable of storing up to 1 year of this vitamin in the liver, while in children this stock lasts only a few weeks.
In the face of a deficiency, symptoms of lack of vitamin A include:
- Night blindness; Flu and constant colds; Acne; Dry skin, hair and mouth; Headache; Brittle and easily peeling nails; Lack of appetite; Anemia; Decreased fertility
Vitamin A deficiency is more common in people with malnutrition, the elderly and in cases of chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
When the risk of disability is greater
As vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, diseases that affect the absorption of fat in the intestine also end up reducing the absorption of vitamin A. Thus, problems such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency, inflammatory bowel disease, cholestasis or cases of bariatric bypass surgery small intestine, increase the risk of causing a vitamin A deficiency.
In addition, excessive alcohol consumption reduces the conversion of retinol to retinoic acid, which is the active form of vitamin A and which performs its functions in the body. Thus, alcoholism can also be a cause of the appearance of symptoms of lack of this vitamin.
Recommended amount per day
The amount of vitamin A recommended per day varies according to age, as shown below:
- Children under 6 months: 400 mcg Children from 7 to 12 months: 500 mcg Children from 1 to 3 years: 300 mcg Children from 4 to 8 years: 400 mcg Children from 3 to 13 years: 600 mcg Men over 13 years: 1000 mcg Women over 10 years: 800 mcg
In general, a healthy and varied diet is enough to meet the daily recommendations for vitamin A, it is important to only take supplements of this vitamin according to the guidance of the doctor or nutritionist.
