Vitamin A affects everything throughout life, from the development of the foetus right through to some of the commonest forms of cancer.
Vitamin A affects everything throughout life, from the development of the foetus right through to some of the commonest forms of cancer.
Although easily obtained by eating sufficient dairy products, liver, eggs, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, as well as dark green vegetables, vitamin A absorption is dependant on enough fats being eaten with these foods.
Our low-fat and fat-free diets sabotage our vitamin A levels and leave us open to disease. Being one of the few fat-based vitamins, vitamin A can accumulate in the body to toxic levels and needs to be treated with caution. Both insufficient and excessive amounts can cause foetal abnormalities. That being said, vitamin A has enormous value.
Identified in 1917, vitamin A was named Retinol due to its effect on the retina of the eye: deficiency causes light sensitivity, night-blindness, dry eyes and eventual blindness if very severe.
Soon the effects on skin and mucous membranes became known and today very high levels of vitamin A are often used to treat acne and stubborn skin infections. Deficiency of vitamin A can cause recurrent upper respiratory tract and bladder infections, but adequate amounts keep the immune system ticking over nicely.
Vitamins A and D work together to protect the lungs from TB, and will help to prevent permanent damage during an active TB infection. A deficiency also causes growth-stunting and inadequate bone and dental enamel formation, resulting in osteoporosis, short stature and sensitive teeth.
As one of the most important anti-oxidant vitamins, vitamin A protects us from developing cancer, especially prostate cancer. It stops the DNA mutations that trigger “bad” cancer cells and makes those “bad” cells more open to treatment.
And if that doesn't convince you, vitamin A deficiency seems to be implicated in Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, depression, autism, and lots, lots more! * Dr Marianne Baasch is a Grahamstown homoeopath. For queries call her at 073 997 7286
