Vitamin A is one of the nutrients needed by the body that plays a role in the development of organs and can also help maintaining vision, reproduction, and the immune system. Antioxidant contained in vitamin A can also protect our cells from free radicals. Also, the vitamin is also known to help the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs to keep functioning properly.

Most of you will probably remember carrot when talking about vitamin A. However, in fact vitamin A can also be found in other food such as red meat, fish, and dairy products. Vitamin A can also be obtained from other orange plants such as pumpkin, sweet potatoes, melons, papaya, and mango. Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, paprika, and other green vegetables also contain beta carotene which is a precursor of vitamin A. You can also consume supplements.

Recommended daily vitamin A intake is vary depending on age and sex. For adult men and women, it is recommended to consume 900 mcg and 700 mcg of vitamin A every day. Children aged 9-13 years need 600 mcg of vitamin A per day, while children aged 4 - 8 years need 400 mcg per day.

Vitamin A deficiency can occur in some people, especially women who are in pregnancy and breastfeeding, premature babies, and patients with cystic fibrosis. Those who has high risk of deficiency are usually advised to take additional supplements. But make sure you do not consume too much vitamin A. Excessive intake of vitamin A can cause nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, to vertigo. If left untreated, excess vitamin A can increase the risk of thinning bones, heart damage, skin irritation, joint pain, until birth defects for pregnant women.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Adobe Stock Image

Source(s):

• Mayo Clinic - Vitamin A (2017). https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-a/art-20365945, 12 August 2019.
• Medical News Today - Everything you need to know about vitamin A (2018). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219486.php, 12 August 2019.