Vitamin and why the body needs it. Vitamin A - benefits and beneficial properties of retinol

Hello, dear readers!
Not every one of us will begin to think about what foods contain vitamin A. The fact is that we are all unfairly less familiar with this beneficial nutrient. For example, each of us, having heard about vitamin C, will immediately say, “Oh, that’s for strong immunity,” and about calcium, “It’s for bones.” But why do we need vitamin A? It turns out that it, like its “brother” vitamin B, consists of a whole group of vitamins. In this article I will talk about its benefits, as well as how provitamin beta-carotene differs from retinol.

NB! Retinol is the original form of the vitamin, it is also a growth vitamin, which our body receives ready-made from food, and carotene is a provitamin, that is, a substance that enters our body and forms vitamins in it.

The effect of vitamin A on our body

First of all, it is needed for vision. Remember the children's joke that carrots are good for the eyes, since rabbits don't wear glasses? There is some truth in it: this product contains vitamin A, which helps the eye moisturize the cornea, improve the condition of the epithelium, and also “sharpen” the visual perception of the eye.
Bones and muscles also need it, especially growing ones. This useful nutrient also helps in the formation of dental tissue. So if your baby has lost a baby tooth and is about to hatch a permanent one, in addition to calcium-rich cottage cheese, let him crunch on vegetables, as well as other foods that contain a lot of vitamin A (which ones are needed, I will tell you in detail below).
Retinol is a strong antioxidant. That is, he fights the aging of every cell of our body, at the same time “vigilantly watching” so that malignant neoplasms do not arise anywhere.
Vitamin C is not the only thing needed for immunity. Beta-carotene also helps fight both a common runny nose and dangerous viruses.
Retinol is also needed for healthy skin and nails. Therefore, if there is not enough of it in the body, not a single cream will make your hands velvety.
This useful element is necessary for sound sleep and normal functioning of the nervous system.
Normal metabolism, stable functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, genitourinary systems- the result of the “A-diet”, that is, a diet rich in this vitamin.

NB! Finally, this nutrient is important not only for maintaining the health of a large organism, but also for the “building” of a small organism, which is why gynecologists so often tell pregnant women about its importance.

What if there was too much of it?

Our body will immediately react to an “overdose” with symptoms such as:

headache,
nausea, which may be accompanied by vomiting,
itching (skin anywhere can bother you, including under the hair on your head),
chapped lips,
painful swelling,
increased emotional excitability.

Doctors reassure: if you “extract” this vitamin only from food, an overdose is unlikely to occur. Although this does not mean that you can overdo it with any particular food. Doctors warn: if too much fish oil enters the body, it “clogs” the intercellular membranes, which can even lead to the formation of tumors.

NB! All of the above symptoms can be observed with a strong addiction to pharmaceutical vitamin preparations. In order for the body to come to its senses faster, the doctor may recommend a diet “poor” in vitamin A, that is, the patient will have to choose foods that do not contain this nutrient, but have a lot of vitamin C.

And more! No matter how necessary and important retinol is for pregnant women, its excess is also dangerous for pregnant women.

How much of this vitamin does a person need?

The maximum daily allowance for an adult, which doctors strongly do not recommend going beyond, is considered 3000 mcg. But there are also standards below which one should not fall either. They depend on the gender and age of each individual person.

A man needs 900 mcg.
A woman or young girl (for example, a high school student) - 800 mcg.
Children from 4 to 8 years old - 400 mcg.
Nursery group (from one to three years) - 300 mcg.
Infants (from six months to one year) - 500 mcg.
Newborns (up to six months of age) - 400 mcg.
Pregnant and lactating women - 2800 mcg.

If a “milk mother” consumes a lot of foods containing vitamin A, she will not have to worry about complementary foods for the baby - he will receive an important nutrient with her milk.

How to eat properly?

A, D, E, K are fat-soluble vitamins, so without the presence of fats they will not be absorbed. What should I do? Cod liver, egg yolk, cheeses, caviar already contain fats, but in order to get the vitamin from vegetables and fruits, you need to prepare salads with the addition of vegetable oil or sour cream, for example, here’s the recipe simple salad- With . When preparing first and second courses, vegetables should be stewed with the addition of vegetable oil. For example, when stewing onions and carrots, the oil turns orange, which indicates that the vitamin has dissolved in the oil.

22 Foods with the Highest Vitamin A Content

We've all heard about how carrots are so rich in beta-carotene. But in fact, most of this nutrient is found in animal products - liver, fish oil, and fish oil are especially rich in vitamin A. egg yolk. Where is there more of it, and how much exactly? The table will tell you.

	µg content (per 100g)	Daily value (in%)
Beef liver	8367	837
Cod liver	4400	440
Carrot	2000	200
Red rowan	1500	150
Parsley	950	95
	925	93
	750	75
Spinach	750	75
	653	63
Red caviar	450	45
	434	43
	386	39
Swiss cheese	300	30
Leaf lettuce	292	29
Cheddar cheese	277	28
	267	27
	250	25
	250	25
	250	25
	200	20
	200	20

What other foods contain this nutrient?

Country (that is, fatty) sour cream - 0.25 mg.
Sprats in oil - 0.15 mg. When purchasing this product, check where it is canned: in a seaside town, or somewhere in the outback. In the second case, defrosted fish was clearly used, so the canned food will be less healthy!
Fresh sea fish fatty varieties - 0.1 mg.
Fat cottage cheese - 0.1 mg.
Melon. In 100 g of queen melon you will find 170 mcg.
Tomatoes - 40 mcg.
Green peas - 38 mcg.
Green bell pepper - 18 mcg.

NB! To properly understand which of the following foods contains more vitamin A, you need to understand the difference between the designations “mg” and “mcg”. Mg is a milligram (0.001 grams) and mcg is a microgram (0.001 milligrams).

Is it found in oils?

Apart from creamy, there is practically none. But you shouldn’t eat pepper and tomato salad without oil dressing. The fact is that pumpkin, corn, sesame, nut or sunflower oil help the provitamin beta-carotene, entering our body, turn into the retinol we need.

NB! By the way, if you often buy pharmacy vitamin complexes, you may have noticed that pharmacists offer synthetic vitamin A to us in the form of an oil solution. And this is not without reason!

Lack of retinol and beta-carotene in the human body

Sudden onset of conjunctivitis and other eye diseases. When treating the organs of vision with medications, it was found that the therapeutic effect occurs faster if a person begins to eat food, rich in vitamins A.
Various skin problems, especially on the face (pimples, dryness or roughness). The person may become painfully pale and sweat constantly. Also, skin problems can be caused by disruption of the sebaceous glands. Finally, women may develop cellulite.
Problems with hair (they began to fall out more than usual, break).
Reduced immunity (just your hands are frozen - a runny nose is already right there).
Constant apathy (fatigue sets in already in the morning).
The brain's reaction slows down, the person becomes inattentive.
If this is a child, he may begin to lag behind his peers in growth.

Finally, I would like to remind you: raw foods much more vitamins than boiled, stewed or baked ones. So it’s better to crunch on raw peppers or carrots than to cook them into a stew. Of course, you are unlikely to want to eat the liver “as is,” but you shouldn’t overcook it either - in some cases, doctors generally recommend eating this product with blood, just holding it in a frying pan for a little while.

A special feature of vitamin A-rich foods is that they are not combined with alcohol. So if you want your body to absorb all the retinol from a portion of food offered to you, wash it down not with vodka or wine, but with juice. And if you have problems with nails, then let it be carrot-colored!

Why is vitamin A good for women?

Retinol is necessary at all stages of life for good health and full functioning of the body. Why vitamin A is beneficial for women:

Organism	Why do we need vitamin A?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	Retinol is necessary for the normal development of the embryo. Participates in the synthesis of adipose tissue, normalizes the functioning of the mammary glands. Accelerates regeneration processes after childbirth
For weight loss	Vitamin A is especially useful for those losing weight. It speeds up metabolic processes, protects cells from damage, and promotes speedy recovery. Makes the body more resilient, so weight loss workouts are carried out with maximum efficiency
For skin	Makes a woman’s skin more elastic, accelerates the healing of cuts, rashes, and combats dryness. Evens out complexion, provides nutrition and hydration to the skin, excellent prevention premature wrinkles. Retinol is involved in collagen synthesis
For hair	Normalizes the activity of the sebaceous glands, prevents the appearance of dandruff and dry scalp. Makes hair more elastic and shiny, accelerates its growth. Protects against UV rays
For nails	Effectively combats splitting, promotes the growth of nail plates, eliminates dryness and ribbing of the nail, making it more durable

The daily dosage for women is 2300-2500 IU. For diseases caused by vitamin A deficiency, the dosage can be increased to 10,000 IU. The maximum dose for pregnant women is 6000 IU. You should not overuse retinol. It can cause fetal malformations.

Natural Sources of Vitamin A

There are 2 forms of the vitamin:

Active (retinol) – found in products of animal origin, well absorbed by the body. Sources: liver, meat, heart, fish. As well as seafood, dairy products, eggs.
Passive (beta-carotene) – when it enters the body, it is converted into active, but is absorbed more slowly. Sources: carrots, broccoli, persimmons, spinach, pumpkin. And also carrots bell pepper and tomatoes.

In addition to an unbalanced diet, hypovitaminosis can occur due to chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), metabolic disorders, and taking medications. Signs of retinol deficiency:

Visual impairment (night blindness, conjunctivitis, decreased clarity).
Dry skin, the appearance of ulcers, rashes.
Decreased level of performance, chronic fatigue.
Deterioration of immunity - a person gets sick more often and longer.
The condition of hair and nails worsens.
Libido decreases, the functioning of the reproductive system is disrupted.
Decreased appetite.

Taking pharmaceutical drugs

The human body needs retinol constantly. IN small quantities it can accumulate in internal organs. This reserve is not enough for the normal functioning of all systems. Additional intake of vitamin preparations is recommended in following cases:

Seasonal hypovitaminosis.
The period of rehabilitation after injuries and illnesses.
Change of scenery stressful situations.
During pregnancy and lactation (according to indications).
For complex treatment of diseases of the skin, hair and reproductive system.

The most popular preparations with vitamin A

Preparation	Why is a drug with vitamin A useful for women?	Reception features
Retinol Acetate	Vitamin A drops are available in ampoules or bottles. Used primarily to enrich cosmetics, but can also be added to food	Add 1-2 drops to food. Better accepted with fatty foods
AEvit	The composition of the drug includes vitamins A and in equal proportions. Available in light yellow jelly capsules	Take 1 capsule with meals 2 times daily
AEkol	Vitamins in capsules contain tocopherol and retinol. Well absorbed by the body	Drink 1 capsule 2 times a day before meals
Multivitamins	Retinol is found in most vitamin complexes: Vitrum, Multi-Tabs, Duovit, Pikovit, Supradin, etc.	If a person takes multivitamins, he should not take medications with retinol at the same time.

Features of taking vitamins

It is recommended to take vitamins during or after meals. It is preferable to drink it with water clean water. Best period for taking medications - the first half of the day, since retinol has a tonic effect on the body. In most cases, preparations with retinol are well accepted by the body, but there are also contraindications:

Hypervitaminosis.
Gallstone disease.
Pancreatitis, pyelonephritis.
Hepatitis, liver cirrhosis.
Chronic diseases hearts.
First trimester of pregnancy.
Individual sensitivity to components.

For normal absorption, retinol is best taken with vitamin E - it protects vitamin A from rapid oxidation. Zinc is also needed, which converts retinol into its active form. The main obstacle to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins is mineral oils - they should be excluded from the diet.

Questions such as the benefits and harms of retinol are still being studied by scientists. An overdose of vitamin A can cause intoxication of the body. High doses are especially dangerous for pregnant women. They have a teratogenic effect on the fetus and can cause developmental pathologies. Hypervitaminosis is manifested by the following symptoms:

Weakness, nausea, vomiting.
Yellowing skin.
Allergic skin rashes, itching.
Pain in the abdomen and joints.
Heavy sweating.
Peeling of the skin, the appearance of sticking in the corners of the mouth.

If such symptoms appear, you should stop taking the drug and consult a doctor.

Healthy recipes for beauty products with vitamin A

Face mask. To prepare it you will need an ampoule of retinol and tocopherol, a tablespoon of almond oil, 1 yolk. All ingredients must be mixed and applied with a brush to the skin. Leave on for 20-30 minutes and rinse off warm water and a cleanser.

Hair mask. Ingredients: a tablespoon of castor and burdock oil, 1 yolk, 10 drops of vitamin A and 10 drops of vitamin E. Mix all ingredients thoroughly, apply to the roots and along the entire length of the hair. Wrap your head in a plastic cap and towel and hold for 1-1.5 hours. Rinse off with warm water and shampoo.

Expert advice! Vitamin A can be enriched in shampoos, masks, creams and other ready-made cosmetics. Before use, you need to do an allergy test by applying the composition to your wrist or elbow. If no redness or itching appears within 5-10 minutes, the composition can be used.

Why do a woman’s body need vitamins A and E? Recipes useful masks and advice from cosmetologists in the video below.

The human body functions normally only with a sufficient supply of vitamins. They are the ones who play main role in metabolic processes and other organ functions. Vitamin A is considered one of the most important. It strengthens the immune system, participates in the renewal of skin cells and in the synthesis of proteins. With its deficiency, vision may deteriorate, dry skin may appear, there may be a decrease in immunity and weakness. Therefore, it is so important that a person receives vitamin A in sufficient quantities. Why

it is contained, everyone needs to know.

Benefits of Vitamin A

It is needed for proper development bones, helps preserve. It is especially responsible for the eye’s ability to distinguish objects at dusk. Vitamin A is involved in metabolism and redox processes in the body. It can increase good cholesterol levels, aids in tissue regeneration and is a strong antioxidant. Therefore in cosmetics Vitamin A is often used. Everyone who cares about their health and beauty knows what it contains.

This is one of the few vitamins that can accumulate in the liver and be used as needed. But still, most people lack it. This is due to the peculiarities of the absorption of vitamin A, because it is fat soluble. Therefore, pharmaceutical preparations with it are made in capsules.

This is the only way it is fully absorbed. You should also consume fats together with foods containing vitamin A.

What contains this substance in its most easily digestible form?

It is found in products of both plant and animal origin. It is found in vegetables and fruits in the form of beta-carotene. This substance is deposited in the liver and, as needed, is converted into vitamin A. What does it contain in the form of beta-carotene?

1. Most of it is in carrots, pumpkin, apricots, sea buckthorn and other yellow or orange products. Moreover, the more intense the color, the more beta-carotene it contains. Since it is absorbed well only with fats. For example, carrots should be eaten with sour cream, and pumpkin with vegetable oil.

2. Vegetables and fruits of other colors contain a lot of vitamin A in soybeans, legumes, especially peas and green beans.

3. There is a lot of it in greens: parsley, spinach, celery and cabbage. Good to eat and medicinal herbs. Beta-carotene is found in mint, nettle, alfalfa, plantain, horsetail and burdock root.

Vitamin A is found in animal products in more. There it is in the form of retinol.

1. The champion in terms of quantity is from it this vitamin is absorbed immediately.

2. There is also a lot of it in liver - chicken and beef.

3. Retinol is found in some types of fish: cod, herring and horse mackerel.

4. It is very useful to eat dairy products, since they also contain vitamin A. What contains it the most? In sour cream, cream, feta cheese, butter and yogurt.

How much vitamin A should you consume?

It is especially important for young children, as well as pregnant and lactating women. If it is deficient, growth inhibition, dry skin, brittle hair and decreased immunity may occur. To an ordinary person About 1000 mcg of vitamin A is required per day. But its excess amount can also lead to problems: dyspepsia, brittle bones, headaches and weakness. Therefore, you need to know how much vitamin A is in foods. The table of nutrients contained in food will help you with this.

There is a king of beasts, there is a queen of fields, but there is no king of vitamins. There is, however, the most “promoted” one - the famous ascorbic acid, but there is no need to talk about its dominant role in the family of vitamins. Trying to build a vitamin hierarchy is as pointless as asking what is most important in a car: the engine, wheels or steering. All vitamins are important in their own way, they are all needed for something. Here, for example, is a vitamin called the first letter of the alphabet, A.

Description and general characteristics

Vitamin A is also very important for the normal formation of reproductive organs during puberty in children of both sexes. For girls, this element is useful in optimally establishing normal menstrual cycle, and for boys it helps in the formation of a normal erection and the development of the testicles.

The role of retinol in the prevention of respiratory diseases in children and in their maintenance is also important. good vision. It also helps in the fight against teenage acne and.

For adults

All the positive properties of vitamin A described above are in great demand by almost the entire adult population of the planet. However, its regenerating qualities are especially relevant for older people. But regarding elderly people, a problem arises here. Old people also really need it, but their worn-out bodies already have difficulty absorbing it.

Not everything is so simple for people with weakened immune systems, as well as for chronically ill people, especially those suffering from diabetes or having an overactive thyroid gland. Their body has great difficulty converting provitamin into vitamin itself. Therefore, with a plant-based diet, such people become deficient in retinol.

This element is very relevant for people with increased stress load on the body. lack of sleep, increased constant contact with environmental toxins or excessive exposure to the sun, other stress - all these factors lead to a lack of retinol in the body.

Did you know?Biochemist George Wald received the Nobel Prize in 1967 for his discovery of the role of revitol in vision.

Athletes should also pay attention to this element. Especially those on a high protein diet. In order for it to be fully absorbed, retinol is exactly what is needed. Even with a balanced diet in athletes high level protein entering the body still provokes vitamin A deficiency.

Although the well-known thesis that pregnant and breastfeeding women need to “eat for two” is not entirely true regarding retinol, nevertheless, during pregnancy, the embryo still requires the supply of this vitamin to stimulate its growth. At breastfeeding this need is also increasing.

Sources of vitamin

As already mentioned, retinol enters the body directly through food of animal origin or indirectly through plant foods, turning from a provitamin into a full-fledged vitamin.

Vegetable

Among the plants that are champions in the content of the provitamin we are interested in, we should name sweet potato, cabbage, leeks, apricots and.

Animals

In animal foods, vitamin A is present in ready-to-eat form. However, not everywhere it is available in sufficient quantities. Therefore, those who want to compensate for the lack of this element in their body should primarily rely on tuna or eel meat, animal entrails, especially liver, as well as other dairy products.

Daily requirement and norm

Each person's need for this wonderful vitamin varies, as we have already noted, depending on many factors. And most significantly it depends on the age and gender of the person.

Infants

Infants up to four months 0.5 mg per day is required.

Children

For children from four months to four years 0.6 mg is enough. Until the age of seven, this dose increases to 0.7 mg. From seven to ten years daily norm is 0.8 mg, and in children from ten to thirteen years old it grows to 0.9 mg.

In adolescents, the need for a daily dose of vitamins begins to depend on gender. Girls 13-15 years old require 1.0 mg per day, and boys of the same age - 1.1 mg. At the age of 15-19 years, boys still need 1.1 mg per day, but for girls this need decreases to 0.9 mg.

Important! At the same rate as children grow, their need for vitamin A also increases.

Men

Since the need to obtain retinol is highly individualized, it is necessary to accurately determine it for each individual person and in each individual case, for which there are specially developed standards and recommendations. And if we speak very generally, then The daily dose for an adult male is 1 mg or more. In the form of a provitamin, this requirement ranges from 12 to 24 mg, which can be covered by eating 100 g of cabbage or spinach.

Women

Deficiency and excess

The rule “everything in moderation” is especially true when taking vitamins. An excess of them in the body is often no less, or even more harmful, than their deficiency.

Hypovitaminosis

Since vitamin A is involved in the entire spectrum of life processes, its lack immediately affects the well-being of the body. And first of all, this applies to the immune system. A person becomes much more susceptible to infections, his wounds heal poorly, he suffers from frequent colds and various inflammations.

Important! Night blindness is often a consequence of retinol deficiency.

A deficiency of this wonderful element can also lead to dry eyes, hair and skin, and the formation of. Nails may become brittle, and the risk of kidney stones, atherosclerosis, and certain types of cancer increases.

But an excess of this element also does not bode well for the body. If it is supplied in excessive quantities over a long period, this leads to so-called hypervitaminosis, that is, an excess content of this vital substance under normal circumstances.

Such hypervitaminosis occurs only with an overdose of vitamin A itself, but practically does not depend on too much large quantity provitamin supplied with plant foods. And if animal products are consumed in moderation, then an overdose is also relatively unlikely.

Nevertheless, oversaturation of the body with retinol still happens, which leads to unpleasant consequences. Such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irritability, high blood pressure, jaundice and even hair loss.

Interaction with other substances

Actively participating in the life of the body, retinol naturally has various processes their comrades and opponents. For example, it promotes the absorption of vitamin A by the body. Sufficient availability also helps with this.

But mineral oils that enter the body in excess quantities significantly complicate the absorption of retinol in the intestines. Many drugs used in the treatment of cancer have a very detrimental effect on it.

This will very quickly and most detrimentally affect the condition of the liver. The proximity of retinol and anticholesterol drugs is very undesirable because of their antagonism.

Important! You should not take alcoholic beverages together with retinol.

Dosage forms of vitamin A

To cover the lack of retinol in the body, this element is synthesized, released in industrial scale and is sold in pharmacies. For convenience, retinol is produced in various dosage forms: in the form of dragees, drops and drops in oil for internal use, and various capsules. It is offered both as an intramuscular solution, and as a solution for internal injection and external use, and as coated tablets.

Possible harm and contraindications

We have already talked about the harm that an overdose of retinol can cause in the body, but there are also contraindications for its use, depending on individual qualities its consumers. For example, Some people experience hypersensitivity to retinol.

People suffering from alcoholism should use it with caution. viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, renal failure.

Important! Increased attention to retinol doses should be shown to pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as elderly citizens.

Vitamin A is truly miraculous when it enters the body in optimal doses and in a timely manner, but it can also cause trouble if used in excess or incorrectly.

Vitamins are very important for the human body. They help a person to be healthy and strong. In this article we will look at how it interacts with other substances and why our body needs vitamin A. It is pale yellow in color and was one of the first to be discovered, back in 1920.

Vitamin A (retinol) is a fat-soluble element, an antioxidant, it improves vision, strengthens bones and promotes the proper functioning of the immune system. It makes your hair look healthy and your skin is always in excellent condition.

Vitamin A has a lot of beneficial properties. We will consider why we need this vitamin further. The presence of retinol in the body plays an important role in the growth of bones and teeth, normalizes metabolism, regulates protein synthesis, affects the formation of new cells, and most importantly, slows down human aging.

Forms and sources of vitamin A

The first form is ready-made vitamin A. The second is Carotene (provitamin A), which, when entering the human body, is converted into retinol, which is why this form is also called vegetable.
Products such as liver, fish oil, milk, butter, yolk are excellent sources of vitamin A. In beef and grains, its amount is very small.
Experts advise consuming vitamin A - 700 mcg (2300 IU) for women, 900 mcg (3000 IU) for men per day. For diseases associated with a lack of retinol in the body, the dosage can be increased to 10,000 IU per day.

Interaction with other drugs

Vitamin E (tocopherol) prevents vitamin A from oxidizing in the intestines. If you do not have enough tocopherol, then retinol will not be absorbed in the body, so they must be consumed at the same time.
A lack of zinc interferes with the activity of vitamin A and leads to a low supply to tissues. These two elements are dependent on each other, one helps the other to be absorbed in the intestines.
Mineral oil, which is often taken as a laxative, dissolves elements such as beta-carotene and vitamin A. They pass easily through the intestinal tract because they are already dissolved in the oil. But it is important to know that its systematic use leads to vitamin A deficiency.
For excellent absorption of retinol, you need your food to be as enriched as possible with components such as fats and proteins. After all, the difference between edible and mineral oil is that the human body can absorb food fat along with vitamin A, which is already dissolved in it, but the oil product is not absorbed in the body.

Now you know which products contain useful substances, which dissolve better in the intestines and why every person needs vitamin A. Eat right and be healthy!