Besides Being Able To Cause Blindness, These Are 5 Other Problems That Can Arise If The Body Lacks Vitamin A

Illustration of Vitamin A (Askar Abayev/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining health and maintaining optimal body functions. Vitamin A helps regulate vision, immune system, reproductive and metabolic functions. As well as the function of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. But its role does not stop there. Vitamin A also has antioxidant properties that can help protect cells from free radical damage.

You can get vitamin A from various food sources, such as salmon, spinach, and other green vegetables. It can also be from milk, cheese, egg yolks, offal, beef liver, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, melons, mangoes, and apricots. Adult women are advised to consume about 700 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A daily. The daily recommendation for men is close to 900 micrograms (mcg) per day.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause health problems because the immune system can weaken. Moreover, several surveys say that some people in developing countries do not get enough vitamin A. Thus, vitamin A deficiency is the main cause of blindness in developing countries.

Launching Byrdie, Monday, August 1, here are the signs that you can feel if your body lacks vitamin A.

Dry eyes

Dry eyes can be one of the first signs of a vitamin A deficiency. The eyes are covered with a layer of fluid called the tear film. Its function is to help protect and lubricate the eye while keeping the surface of the eye clean. When the body lacks vitamin A, the quality of the tear film decreases, resulting in dry eyes.

night blindness

Night blindness is another early sign of vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A is an important part of rhodopsin, the light-absorbing protein in the retina. Rhodopsin is the 'rod cell' part of 'rod and cone cells' and is essential for regulating night vision.

Problems with wound healing

Vitamin A is an essential component of proper wound healing. One reason is that vitamin A plays a role in moderating the body's inflammatory response and can help control excessive inflammation. Without enough vitamin A, the body will not heal properly.

Dry skin

Although not the only cause of dry skin, eczema, and other skin problems, vitamin A deficiency plays an important role in these problems. Retinol derived from vitamin A is usually used in skincare products to treat skin problems such as reducing wrinkles, smoothing skin texture, and others.

The skin contains retinoid receptors and getting enough vitamin A will help create new skin cells, reduce inflammation, and prevent dryness. So not getting enough of this vitamin can lead to dry skin.

Fertility Problems

Animal studies have shown that vitamin A deficiency may be associated with infertility. As is known, vitamin A plays a role in a number of reproductive processes. However, more research is needed to determine whether vitamin A deficiency is associated with fertility problems in both men and women.