Vitamin A By Alex Fishman, Philip Sidiroglou, Yesbel Herrera, Ian Leidner, Krenare Rexhaj

Function in Body Vitamin A plays a role in many functions Vision Gene transcription  Immunity  Embryonic development  Haematopoiesis  Skin health  Antioxidant Activity

Deficiency Symptoms or Disease Primary Causes  Inadequate intake of yellow and green vegetables, fruits and liver. Secondary Causes  Chronic malabsorption of lipids  Impaired bile function  Low fat diets  Chronic exposure to Oxidants (ex. Smoking)

Deficiency Symptoms Vitamin is very important for your retina.  First results in impaired vision Such as “night blindness”  Can lead to a total softening and destruction of Cornea (keratomalacia)  Persistent inadequacy can possibly lead to BLINDNESS!!!

Toxicity Vitamin A is fat soluble Therefore disposing of excess Vitamin A is much harder than water soluble vitamins and can lead to  Nausea, jaundice, irritability, anorexia (not anorexia nervosa the eating disorder), vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, hair loss, muscle and abdominal pain and weakness, drowsiness and altered mental state.

Vitamin A Sources Vitamin A can be found in two priciple forms in food: Retinol Carotenes and Xanthophyll

Food Sources Listed from most concentrated to less: liver (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish) (6500 μg 722%) carrot (835 μg 93%) broccoli leaf (800 μg 89%) sweet potato (709 μg 79%) kale (681 μg 76%) butter (684 μg 76%) spinach (469 μg 52%)

Who's at risk??? Anyone can be Deficient or Toxic when it comes to Vitamin A. However specific cultures and countries have diets that lead them to be more susceptible:  Malnourished populations  People on a dangerously low fat diet  According to WHO, children are leading in VAD

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