8 Symptoms That Indicate Vitamin A Deficiency
Expertise: Beauty, Health, & Wellness
Experience: 2 years
Indrani is a writer and artist who likes to add a dash of humor to everything she does. She has two years of experience in writing articles across beauty, health, and lifestyle genres. After graduatin... more
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Vitamin Deficiency is no joke, and anyone who is dealing with the mildest of symptoms must seek medical consultation immediately. Several bodily functions depend on vitamin A, such as eyesight and immune system, healthy reproductive organs, and good skin (1). Preformed vitamin A and provitamin A are two types of vitamin A found in food (2). Preformed vitamin A, or retinol, is commonly found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, and some fruits and vegetables (3). Carotenoids are found in red, green, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables (4). They are converted to vitamin A by the body. Vitamin A insufficiency is rare in affluent countries, but many people in developing countries do not get enough of the vitamin. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, babies, and toddlers are at the greatest risk of deficiency.
Additionally, conditions such as cystic fibrosis and recurrent diarrhea might increase your chance of being deficient in this vitamin (5). Here are some warning signs that the levels of vitamin A are fluctuating in your body, and you must take supplements to weigh them out. Read on to know them all.
1. Dehydrated Skin
Deficiency in vitamin A can lead to a lack of skin cell formation and repair. It also helps to reduce the irritation that might accompany various skin conditions. For example, eczema and other skin conditions may be caused by vitamin A deficiency (6).
2. Dry Eyes
Many health issues, including eye problems, have been related to the lack of vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency can cause deathly sores on the corneas known as “Bitot’s spots” or total blindness in the most extreme cases (7). Dry eyes or an inability to produce tears are among the first symptoms of vitamin A deficiency. Young children in India, Africa, and Southeast Asia deficient in vitamin A are more likely to suffer from dry eyes. The symptoms may be improved with a vitamin A supplement.
3. Night Blindness
Having a significant vitamin A deficit might result in night blindness. Observational studies have indicated that night blindness is common in developing nations. Since night blindness is such a serious disorder, doctors have worked to raise the vitamin A levels of those at risk.
4. Complications In Conceiving
Vitamin A is required for both male and female reproduction for the healthy growth of children. Deficiency in vitamin A may contribute to your inability to get pregnant. Antioxidants are important for male infertility patients as their bodies are under more oxidative stress (8). Antioxidant properties are one of the functions of vitamin A in the body.
5. Stunted Growth
Deformed or slow growth is possible in children who don’t get enough vitamin A. This is because the human body cannot properly develop without vitamin A. Vitamin A supplements have been found in several tribes to boost their development, whether taken alone or in combination with other nutrients. The majority of these investigations involved youngsters from underdeveloped countries.
6. Infections Of The Throat And Chest
Vitamin A insufficiency may manifest as increased infections, particularly in the throat and chest area (9). Respiratory infections may benefit from vitamin A supplementation, but research outcomes are inconsistent. Therefore, supplements should only be given to people who lack certain nutrients. High amounts of the provitamin A carotenoid beta-carotene in the blood of older persons may also protect against respiratory infections.
7. Slow Healing Of Wounds
Vitamin A deficiency may have a role in wounds that don’t heal as quickly following an injury or surgery. To keep your skin healthy, vitamin A helps produce collagen, a key component of elastic skin. Both oral and topical vitamin A have improved skin health (10).
A study concluded that the collagen formation in rats has increased by oral vitamin A supplementation. The vitamin had this impact even though the rats were on steroids, hindering wound healing. Supplementary studies have shown that treating diabetic animals’ skin with topical vitamin A prevents sores from developing. Similar outcomes have been seen in human studies. For example, vitamin A cream can reduce the size of wounds by half in elderly men compared to those who don’t use it.
8. Acne And Blemishes
Adding vitamin A to your diet may help prevent and cure acne as it encourages skin growth and reduces inflammation. Acne is linked to low vitamin A levels. People who suffer from frequent acne outbreaks have low levels of vitamin A in their bodies. The anti-acne treatments may include topical and oral vitamin A. Acne lesions can be reduced by 50 percent using vitamin A-enriched lotions (11).
So now that you know how important vitamin A is for your body and how easy and distinct the symptoms are, you can easily attend to your vitamin deficiencies. It is important to have a wholesome diet and take supplements when necessary. So which source of vitamin A is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section!
