Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it needs fats and minerals to be absorbed by the digestive tract. This vitamin can be stored in the system.
There are two forms of vitamin A. The first one is performed vitamin A, called retinol, which is found only in foods with an animal origin. The second form is provitamin A, called carotene, which is provided by foods of both plants and animals.
Vitamin A is measured in United States Pharmacopea (USP), International Units (IU), and Retinol Equivalents (RE). Depending on weight, the average person can take between 10,000IU - 25,000IU daily without causing toxicity. If a person takes levels of 100,000IU daily for several months (18,500IU in infants), systems of toxicity will appear. These systems are: hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, scaly skin, burred vision, rashes, bone pain, irregular menses, fatigue, headaches, and liver enlargement.
Vitamin A can be found in carrots, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, eggs, liver, margarine and cod liver oil.
A deficiency in this vitamin can cause xerophthalmia and night blindness. It can aid in the treatment of many eye disorders, shorten the duration of disease, build a resistance to respiratory infections, and keeping organs healthy. It can promote growth, strong bones, and healthy skin, hair, teeth, and gums. It also helps in the treatment of acne, impetigo, boils, carbuncles, and open ulcers if it's applied externally.
If you get ample amounts of liver, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, or cantaloupe, you probably don't need a vitamin A supplement.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I am by no means a doctor so I recommend that you find one that believes in vitamins and minerals. They are hard to find, so I suggest you look through the phonebook, through the Internet, or even ask your local health food stores if they know of a Holistic Health Center near you.
REFERENCE:
Mindell, Earl. Vitamin Bible, 1979, A Warner Communications Company, NY, NY.
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