Vitamin A is a crucial nutrient that plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy vision, supporting the immune system, promoting skin health, and ensuring proper cellular function. Despite its importance, many people don’t realize how easy it is to become deficient or how much this vitamin impacts overall health. In this post, we’ll explore the food sources of Vitamin A, how the body converts beta-carotene into active vitamin A, the symptoms of deficiency, and its role in preventing and managing diseases like measles and fever.
What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for various physiological functions, including:
Vision: Particularly in low-light conditions, as it is a key component of the protein rhodopsin found in the eyes.
Immune Function: It helps the body fight infections by maintaining the integrity of skin and mucous membranes, which act as barriers to pathogens.
Cell Growth: Vitamin A supports cell division and differentiation, which is vital for proper growth and development.
Reproductive Health: It plays a role in fertility and proper fetal development during pregnancy.
Food Sources of Vitamin A
Vitamin A comes in two forms:
Preformed Vitamin A (Retinol): Found in animal products and readily absorbed by the body.
Food Sources:
Liver (beef, chicken)
Fish liver oils (cod liver oil)
Dairy products (butter, cheese, whole milk)
Eggs
Provitamin A (Beta-Carotene): Found in plant-based foods and converted into active vitamin A by the body.
Food Sources:
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Kale and spinach
Butternut squash
Red peppers
Mangoes
Cantaloupe
How the Body Converts Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A
Beta-carotene is a precursor to Vitamin A, meaning the body must convert it into active vitamin A (retinol) before it can be used. This conversion takes place in the small intestine, where beta-carotene is split into two molecules of retinal by the enzyme beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase.
Once converted, retinal is either stored in the liver as retinol esters or transported to tissues where it can fulfill its role in vision, immune function, and cellular health.
Interestingly, the body only converts as much beta-carotene into vitamin A as it needs, which is why consuming plant-based sources of vitamin A does not pose the same toxicity risk as consuming high amounts of animal-based preformed vitamin A.
Certain People are less able to Convert Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A
Research shows that certain individuals lack the enzyme that plays a key role in the conversion of beta-carotene into the active form of vitamin A. These individuals are considered low responders to dietary beta-carotene, and possess the GG version of the BCMO1 (Beta-carotene mono-oxygenase 1) gene. A simple saliva test can determine if this is the case. These individuals need to ensure they are consuming adequate amounts of active vitamin A, to support vision, immunity and reproductive functions.
Nutrigenomix Test for Risk of Low Conversion
How can you find out if you possess the GG variant of the BCM01 gene? You can do the Nutrigenomix Test. For those who possess the GG variant of the BCMO1 gene, it is important to
meet the RDA for vitamin A.
Women should aim for 700 mcg RAE/day and men should aim for 900 mcg RAE/day.
Consuming foods that are higher in preformed active vitamin A can help you to meet your needs more easily. These foods include fish, liver, eggs, and dairy products. Meeting your recommendations for vitamin A will help to support healthy immunity, vision, and
reproductive health. It will also act as an antioxidant when consumed in the form of beta-carotene (plant-sources).
Figure on the left - cropped from the Nutrigenomic report results indicating gene variant indicating inefficient conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A.
Symptoms of Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency is a major health concern, particularly in developing countries. People with long-term malabsorption of fats are more susceptible to developing a vitamin A deficiency. Those with leaky gut syndrome, celiac disease, autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic disorders or alcohol dependence are also at a higher risk of deficiency.
Some of the key symptoms include:
Vision Problems:
Night blindness (difficulty seeing in low light)
Xerophthalmia (dry eyes that can lead to blindness if untreated)
Weakened Immune System: Increased susceptibility to infections and delayed recovery from illness.
Dry Skin, Dry Lips: Rough, dry, or scaly skin due to impaired epithelial cell function.
Stunted Growth in Children: Vitamin A is essential for normal growth and development.
Fertility Issues: Deficiency can impair reproductive functions in both men and women.
Vitamin A’s Role in Measles and Fever
Vitamin A is critical for boosting the immune system, especially in vulnerable populations. In the context of measles, a viral infection that can be severe in children, vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce the severity of the disease and the risk of complications, including blindness, pneumonia, and diarrhea.
How Vitamin A Helps in Measles: Children with vitamin A deficiency are more susceptible to severe measles. During an active infection, the body's vitamin A reserves can be quickly depleted. Administering high doses of vitamin A to children with measles helps:
Reduce the risk of complications.
Shorten the duration of illness.
Lower the risk of mortality.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vitamin A supplementation for all children diagnosed with measles, especially in areas where vitamin A deficiency is common.
Vitamin A and Fever: Fever is a common symptom of infections like measles. During illness, the body’s demand for vitamin A increases as it plays a role in reducing inflammation and supporting immune function. Ensuring adequate vitamin A levels can help the body cope with the fever and heal faster by supporting the production of immune cells and maintaining healthy mucous membranes, which act as barriers against pathogens.
Supplementing with Vitamin A
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If you are tested for low conversion of Vitamin A or if you suffer from Vitamin A deficiencies (symptoms listed above), then we recommend supplementing with Vitamin A that is encapsulated in some oil (such as coconut or organic flaxseed oil) for better absorption. Cod liver oil also had vitamin A but in small quantities. When purchasing cod liver oil, look for one that is sourced from wild caught cod such as the Carlson Norwegian Wild Caught Cod (in softgel), or as a liquid format.
We recommend the vitamin A supplement from Natural Factors because of its value: it is a high dose of vitamin A in organic flaxseed oil at a fairly good price.
Conclusion
Vitamin A is a vital nutrient for maintaining healthy vision, skin, immunity, and more. While deficiency is uncommon in developed countries, it remains a significant health issue in many parts of the world, particularly for children. Eating a balanced diet rich in vitamin A-containing foods—such as liver, dairy, carrots, and leafy greens—ensures that your body has what it needs to stay healthy and resilient. Additionally, in cases of diseases like measles, vitamin A supplementation can be life-saving and reduce the risk of severe complications.
Incorporating both animal-based and plant-based sources of vitamin A into your diet can help you maintain optimal health, prevent deficiencies, and support your immune system in fighting off infections.
By understanding how your body converts beta-carotene into active vitamin A, you can make better choices about your diet and ensure that you're getting enough of this essential nutrient for long-term health and vitality.
Contact us if you have questions about the Nutrigenomix Test or if you need a consultation info@bechamphealth.com.
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