Vitamin Information Center

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, like vitamin D, that the body needs in order to ensure that a variety of bodily functions are carried out optimally. The true form of vitamin A is only found in animal products; however, some fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, a compound that can be converted to vitamin A once it is in the body. This means that if you are a vegetarian, it is still fully possible for you to meet your vitamin A requirements without having to rely on supplements. Now that we’ve given you a little background information, let’s get into the nuts and bolts of vitamin A 101.
Health benefits
Vitamin A is primarily known for its role in night vision. The retina contains four photopigments that store vitamin A compounds, and the rhodospin pigment (located in the rod cells of the retina) allow the rod cells to detect small traces of light.

When an individual has been deficient in vitamin A for an extended period of time, their rhodopsin production will be impaired and they may develop night blindness.

Vitamin A also plays an important role in the strength of your immune system and, thus, in your overall health. Vitamin A helps promote thymus gland growth, as well as increase the functioning ability of the white blood cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies that protect you against viruses.

Additionally, the body needs retinoic acid in order to effectively provide for the structure and function of the epithelial cells, the immune system’s defensive line, that are located in the lungs, trachea, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and oral cavity.

Vitamin A also helps the metabolism of normal bones, and thereby serves to prevent osteoporosis or stress fractures.

Finally, the body requires vitamin A for normal cell growth to occur.
What foods contain vitamin A?
The foods that are the richest sources of either vitamin A or carotenoids include:
Carrots
Spinach
Turnip greens
Kale
Parsley
Bell Peppers
Mustard greens
Romaine lettuce
Calf’s liver
Swish chard
Sweet potato
Chicken liver
Beef
Eggs
milk products
Recommended intakes for vitamin A
If getting your vitamin A through food proves to be difficult, you can take vitamin A in supplemental form, which is available as retinol or retinyl-palmitate. The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A is set at 3,000 international units (IU), or 900 mcg of retinal equivalents, for males aged 14 and older.

A very low-fat diet could cause a vitamin A deficiency since fat is needed to ensure proper absorption. Also, those who suffer from pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, gall bladder disease, or liver disease could also be at risk for deficiency due the ineffective absorption of vitamin A.

It should be noted that there are some nutrients that can interact with the vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is dependent upon several other binding proteins in order to be effectively used by the cells, therefore, a sufficient protein intake is required in order to form these binding proteins. Additionally, zinc helps the body to absorb and use the vitamin A that is taken in through the diet, so this is another nutrient that is essential for the body.

It’s important to note that vitamin A will interfere with the body’s absorption ability of vitamin K; you must balance out the two nutrients without getting too much of either one.

Aside from nutrient interactions with vitamin A, there are also some medications that can interact with this vitamin as well. Those who are taking any type of cholesterol-lowering medications may find that they have increased levels of vitamin A in their blood and are, therefore, required to ingest less through the diet.

Those who are taking bile acid sequestrants (also used to lower cholesterol) on the other hand, might find that they interfere with the absorption of vitamin A altogether. It is, therefore, very important to discuss with your doctor exactly what type of medication you are on and what corresponding action needs to be taken to ensure that it is not going to affect the status of vitamin A in the body.

Individuals who are taking Neomycin, which is an antibacterial drug, may also suffer from a decrease in the body’s ability to absorb vitamin A. If you are watching your vitamin A intake, you should be aware of this issue and speak to your doctor about it idea.

Finally, if you are taking Rin-A, Vitinoin or Vesanoid (often used to treat acne or skin cancer and have a very similar structure to that of vitamin A), you will need to ensure that you are not taking a large dosage of vitamin A through supplemental form (over 10,000 IU per day) in order to prevent symptoms of toxicity.
vit-a-vision
As you can see, vitamin A is essential to the quality of you night vision, something that every Predator or Alien combatant needs. Whether you an interplanetary warrior or just a guy looking for a bra strap in the dark, you’re body requires this basic and easy to consume vitamin. You do, however, need to be sure that you’re well-informed about your intake of this important vitamin and about all the interactions that could be at play.

Resources:
www.whfoods.com

Mothers everywhere probably will not be surprised to hear that they were right. Drinking your milk is, of course, good for you. Not only is milk chock-full of calcium, most milk has been fortified with vitamin D — and both nutrients are necessary for good bone health, among other things. And in recent years, a growing body of research has caused experts to conclude that many adults, particularly those over 50, are not getting enough calcium or vitamin D, says Dr. Michelle Germain, a part-time faculty member in the Department of Gynecology and Division of Urogynecology at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is absorbed from food through the GI [gastrointestinal] tract and also is made by the body. The body needs it because it helps with absorption of calcium and phosphorus, both of which the body needs for bone health.

You said that, in addition to absorbing vitamin D from food, the body also manufactures it. How does the body make vitamin D?

The skin manufactures the vitamin D with the help of ultraviolet rays from the sun. So you need sun exposure to make it. Once we have vitamin D in our bodies, the liver and the kidneys convert the vitamin D into the active form that is used for bone health.

What foods contain vitamin D?

Cod-liver oil is the best way to get vitamin D, but we don’t see many people taking that these days. So other really great sources of vitamin D are fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, and vitamin D-fortified foods, such as dairy products and cereals.

What happens if we don’t get enough vitamin D?

You can become vitamin D-deficient. Children can develop “rickets,” in which the bone doesn’t properly mineralize, and the children develop very soft bones and deformities of their skeleton. In adults, too little vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis. [Too much vitamin D, on the other hand, can make the intestines absorb too much calcium.]

How pervasive is rickets?

In developed countries like the United States, it is pretty uncommon because we fortify so many foods with vitamin D. But there has been a resurgence of rickets in African-American infants and children in poorer states, especially in the South such as Tennessee and Mississippi. The resurgence is being caused by poverty and poor nutrition. It also has to do with darker pigmentation of the skin, which converts sunlight less effectively into vitamin D.

Rickets also is more prevalent in immigrants from Africa, the Middle East and Asia because of their diets before they arrive in the United States and because they may not have enough money to afford good nutrition once here. Again, if they have darker skin, they are not converting UV rays into vitamin D as effectively as people with lighter skins.

Are there other populations for which vitamin D is particularly important?

Older women. If older women are vitamin D-deficient then they are at increased risk for osteoporosis. This is of special concern for menopausal women because once their estrogen levels drop, they begin to lose bone. The vitamin D is necessary to absorb calcium and utilize it in bone formation. And people who have any kind of gastrointestinal illness like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease or any kind of liver disease also are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency.

Are there any symptoms of vitamin D deficiency that might occur before bone loss?

Unfortunately, there are really no symptoms of it until you are diagnosed with osteoporosis.

What do you tell your patients about vitamin D?

Children and young adults need to consume a diet that is rich in vitamin D-fortified foods. At least 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight twice a week should be adequate to make sufficient amounts of vitamin D. But I also tell them that if you put on sunscreen with an SPF greater than 8, it can interfere with making vitamin D, so diet is very important. Particularly in winter, they should concentrate on eating a diet with plenty of vitamin D-rich foods.

What do you tell adults?

If a woman has osteoporosis, she should ask the doctor if she is potentially vitamin D-deficient. Very often, after a woman has a hip fracture, we check her vitamin D level, and it turns out to be ridiculously low. So, if you have osteoporosis or a fracture, ask about your vitamin D level.

How much vitamin D do we need?

Last year, the National Osteoporosis Foundation released new recommendations about vitamin D. The National Institutes of Health also are due to release this spring new guidelines. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, adults under age 50 need 400 to 800 IU [International Units] of vitamin D3 daily. [Also called cholecalciferol, vitamin D3 is the kind of vitamin D that best enhances healthy bones.] And menopausal women and adults over the age of 50 need 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

In a 1996 survey, however, when 1,009 Americans were asked which of five foods–lettuce, asparagus, navy beans, brown rice, and oatmeal–provided the best source of cholesterol-fighting soluble fiber, many missed the mark. While Americans may know they need fiber, they aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets is an essential element of a healthy diet.Some fibers are soluble in water and others are insoluble. As it passes through the gastrointestinal tract, soluble fiber binds to dietary cholesterol, helping the body to eliminate it. Antioxidants help prevent cholesterol from being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the blood vessels.

Weight loss is reverting back to a fiber diet. Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The following is a guideline for your cholesterol levels. Acceptable blood cholesteral-180-199. Borderline high blood cholesterol-200-219. 220 or higher-then your blood cholesterol level is too high. If your total blood cholesterol level is greater than 200 (and especially if it is over 220), you should have another test to see what type of cholesterol is high. Fresh fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grain products such as whole-grain breads and cereals are naturally low in fat, cholesterol-free, but rich in starches and dietary fiber. Including more starches and fiber in your diet can help you lower your cholesterol level as well as reduce your risk for obesity, cancer, high blood pressure and other maladies.

This information will guide you towards a fiber rich liquid vitamin with a minimum of 4 grams of fiber per ounce. Do not ignore this, as it is the basis for good health and well being! Today’s liquid vitamin nutrition is essential for protecting you & your family against disease.

Intestine or intestinal tract is the part of the alimentary canal between the stomach and the anus. It is a major part of digestive system where it helps in digestion and absorption of digested food. So, it comes in direct contact with any & every thing that is taken orally, be it food or medicines. Unfortunately, many drugs/ medicines are also associated with a range of adverse effects on various organs. The gastrointestinal tract is frequently the site of complications resulting from various prescription and non-prescription, over-the-counter drug use.
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In a 1996 survey, however, when 1,009 Americans were asked which of five foods–lettuce, asparagus, navy beans, brown rice, and oatmeal–provided the best source of cholesterol-fighting soluble fiber, many missed the mark. While Americans may know they need fiber, they aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets is an essential element of a healthy diet.Some fibers are soluble in water and others are insoluble. As it passes through the gastrointestinal tract, soluble fiber binds to dietary cholesterol, helping the body to eliminate it. Continue Reading…