A ten state survey done by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare found widespread vitamin deficiency in the general public (1).  Chances are that you yourself are deficient.  The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin A is 1500-4000 IU for children, and 4000-5000 IU for adults (2), although those who have deficiencies probably need much more than this.   Although Vitamin A is a fat-soluable vitamin and is therefore stored by the body, Vitamin A toxicity from taking supplements does not occur until in adults until they have taken in excess of 50,000 IU per day for several months (1).  It would therefore seem safe to ingest Vitamin A supplements and adjust the dosage as you see your health improve.

Vitamin A occurs in nature in two forms:  preformed vitamin A and provitamin A, or carotene.  Preformed vitamin A is found only in animal products, one of the richest sources being fish-liver oil, and is readily destroyed with exposure to light, heat, and air (3).  Cooking of meats and pasteurization of dairy products greatly reduces the amount of available Vitamin A, so unless raw meats or unpasteurized dairy products are going to be consumed, fish-liver oil as a supplement is going to provide higher levels of Vitamin A than cooked foods.  Carotene is found only in fruits and vegetables, and must be converted to Vitamin A so the body can use it.  Carotene is found abundantly in carrots, but is found in higher amounts in green leafy vegetables such as beet greens, spinach, and broccoli.  While Preformed vitamin A is fat-soluable and stored by the body, carotene is water-soluable and is not stored by the body.  Any excess unabsorbed carotene is excreted in the feces (2).   This makes carotene extremely safe and there should be little concern about taking supplements of it.

Having said all that about the two forms of Vitamin A,  it should be known that the preformed Vitamin A absorbs more quickly and easily than the carotene form.  Preformed vitamin A is absorbed by the body in 3 to 5 hours after ingestion, whereas the conversion and absorption of carotene takes 6 to 7 hours.  In addition, the not all the carotene you ingest gets converted to Vitamin A.  Approximately 1/4 of the carotene in carrots and root vegetables undergoes conversion, and about 1/2 of the carotene in leafy green vegetables undergoes conversion (2).  Although it is preferable to eat vegetables in their raw form in order to get the most benefit from the live enzymes they contain, carotenes are more readily available for use by the body when the cell membranes are ruptured through cooking, pureeing, or mashing (2) so including both the raw and cooked forms in the diet is necessary.

The best way to release the carotenes from the cells without cooking or mashing is by juicing.  "Solid food requires many hours of digestive activity before its nourishment is finally available to the cells and tissues of the body.  While the fibers in such food have virtually no nourishing value, they do act as an intestinal broom during the peristaltic activity of the intestines, hence the need to eat raw foods in addition to drinking juices.  By the removal of the fibers in the extraction of the juices, however, such juices are very quickly digested and assimilated, sometimes in a matter of minutes, with a minimum of effort and exertion on the part of the digestive system" (4).

What is Vitamin A used for, and why do we need it?  "Vitamin A aids in the growth and repair of body tissues and helps maintain smooth, soft, disease-free skin.  Internally it helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs, thereby reducing susceptibility to infection.  This protection also aids the mucous membranes in combating the effects of various air pollutants.  The soft tissue and all linings of the digestive tract, kidneys, and bladder are also protected.  In addition, vitamin A prompts the secretion of gastric juices necessary for proper diestion of proteins.  Other important functions of vitamin A include building strong bones and teeth, formation of rich blood, and the maintenance of good eyesight" (5).

Another very important purpose of vitamin A is to greatly increase and enhance RNA production.  RNA is an nucleic acid that transmits to each cell of the body instructions on how to do their jobs.  So if you don't have enough Vitamin A, basically every cell of your body doesn't get good instructions on what to do, and a whole host of diseases result.

Here is a list of ailments for which Vitamin A can be beneficial:

Acne
Alcoholism
Allergies
Athlete's foot
Amblyoppia
Angina pectoris
Arterisclerosis
Arthritis
Asthma
Atherosclerosis
Bedsores
Bitot spots
Boils
Bronchitis
Canker sore
Carbuncle
Cataracts
Celiac disease
Chicken pox
Cirrhosis of liver
Colitis
Common Cold
Congestive heart failiure
Conjunctivitis
Constipation
Croup
Cuts
Cystic fibrosis
Cystitis
Dandruff
Dermatitis
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Dry skin
Ear infection
Eczema
Emphysema
Epilepsy
Eyestrain
Fatigue
Fever
Fractures
Gallstones
Gastroenteritis
Goiter
Gout
Hair problems
Halitosis
Hay fever
Headache
Hemophilia
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis
Hyperthyroidism
Impetigo
Impotence
Influenza
Jaundice
Kidney stones
Measles
Meningitis
Mononucleosis
Muscular dystrophy
Myocardial infarction
Nail problems
Nephritis
Night blindness
Osteomalacia
Psoriasis
Prostatitis
Pyorrhea
Reproductive problems
Rheumatic fever
Rhinitis
Rickets
Scurvy
Shingles
Skin abscesses
Sinusitis
Stress
Stroke
Swollen glands
Tooth and gum disorders
Tuberculosis
Ulcers
Vaginitis
Varicose veins
Warts
Worms

How should I get my needs for Vitamin A met?  The first and best way is to consume fresh, raw meat and raw, unpasteurized dairy products.  Many people have concern about possible bacterial contamination from ingesting raw food, but there are certain ways of ingesting these foods which can make them safe.  To learn about this, go to The Power and Safety of Raw Food .  The second best source of preformed Vitamin A is fish-liver oil.  In taking carotene supplements, try to get one which uses the whole family of carotenes.  In recent years, beta-carotene has been most focused upon.  However, naturally-occurring cantozantheen is known to be a more effective antioxidant (6).   The whole family of carotenes include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cantozantheen, gamma carotene, and omega carotene.

Here is a list of foods and herbs which contain Vitamin A or carotenes:

Green and yellow fruits and vegetables
Apricots
Asparagus
Beet Greens
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Collards
Dandelion Greens
Dulse
Fish liver
Fish liver oil
Garlic
Kale
Mustard Greens
Papayas
Peaches
Pumpkin
Red Peppers
Spirulina
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Turnip Greens
Watercress
Yellow Squash
Borage leaves
Burdock root
Cayenne
Chickweed
Eyebright
Fennel Seed
Hops
Horsetail
Kelp
Lemongrass
Mullein
Nettle
Oat Straw
Paprika
Parsley
Peppermint
Plantain
Raspberry leaf
Red clover
Rose hips
Sage
Uva ursi
Violet leaves
Yellow Dock (7)
 

To go to the next article in the series, go to  The B-Complex Vitamins

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Copyright 2001-8  Judie C. Rall and The Center for Unhindered Living

References:

(1)  Personal Health Lifestyles. (2000).  Pick A Nutrient:  Vitamin A. Healing With Nutrition.com.  Available Online:  [http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/vitamin.html#VitaminA].

(2)  Dunne, Lavon J.  (1990).  Nutrition Almanac, 3rd edition.  New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 13.

(3)  Vitamin Information Center (2000).  Vitamin A. Available Online:  [http://www.cyber-north.com/vitamins/vitamina.html].

(4)  Walker, N.W.  (1970).  Raw Vegetable Juices. New York:  Jove Books, p. 12.

(5)  Dunne, Lavon J.  (1990).  Nutrition Almanac, 3rd edition.  New York:  McGraw-Hill, p. 12.

(6)  NutriTeam, Inc.  (2000).  Natural Vs. Synthetic Vitamins:  How They Are Different and How to Tell Them Apart. Available Online:  [http://www.nutriteam.com/natural.htm].

(7)  Inner Self Publications.  (2000).  Vitamin A and Carotenoids.  Available Online:  [http://www.innerself.com/Magazine/Health/guides/vitamin_a.htm].