All about Vitamins
Sorting Through the Madness
-- By Zach Van Hart, Staff Writer
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Vitamin A
Function: As well as being necessary to new cell growth, vitamin A helps fight infections, and is essential for healthy skin, good blood, strong bones and teeth. It also plays essential roles in the kidneys, bladder, lungs and membranes, as well as helping maintain good eyesight. Vitamin A also helps eyes adjust to changes in levels of light.
Sources: Fish liver oils, liver, dairy products, carrots, cantaloupe, peaches, squash, tomatoes, and all green and yellow fruits and vegetables can fuel the body with vitamin A. Note: Many plants contain beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Dark green leafy vegetables and yellow and orange vegetables and fruits are excellent sources of beta carotene.
Recommended daily intake: It is recommended that women consume 800 mcg and men consume 1000 mcg of vitamin A daily. Like other fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin A can be harmful when too much is consumed. Too much can lead to toxicity and other health problems, including an increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women, nausea, blurred vision, and irritation. In more severe forms of overconsumption, it can lead to hair loss, growth retardation, and an enlarged spleen and liver. Too little vitamin A (though rare in the United States) can lead to night blindness, eye inflammation, and diarrhea.
