Vitamin a

1. Vitamin AVitamin A
Soumya Ranjan ParidaSoumya Ranjan Parida
Basic B.Sc. Nursing 4Basic B.Sc. Nursing 4thth
yearyear
Sum Nursing CollegeSum Nursing College

2.  Vitamin A deficiency is the most commonVitamin A deficiency is the most common
preventable and reversible cause of blindnesspreventable and reversible cause of blindness
 Retinol (an alcohol) and retinal (an aldehyde)Retinol (an alcohol) and retinal (an aldehyde)
are often referred to as preformed vitamin Aare often referred to as preformed vitamin A

3. FunctionFunction
 VisionVision
 Regulation of gene expressionRegulation of gene expression
 ImmunityImmunity
 Growth and developmentGrowth and development
 Red blood cell productionRed blood cell production
 Nutrient interactions-Nutrient interactions-Zinc, Iron.Zinc, Iron.

4. DeficiencyDeficiency
 leading preventable cause of blindness .leading preventable cause of blindness .
 higher incidence of respiratory disease andhigher incidence of respiratory disease and
diarrhea, as well as a higher rate of mortalitydiarrhea, as well as a higher rate of mortality
from infectious diseasefrom infectious disease
 HIV-infected women who were vitamin AHIV-infected women who were vitamin A
deficient were three to four times more likelydeficient were three to four times more likely
to transmit HIV to their infantsto transmit HIV to their infants

5. Recommended Dietary AllowanceRecommended Dietary Allowance
(RDA )(RDA )

Life Stage Age Males: mcg/day (IU/day)
Females: mcg/day
(IU/day)
Infants 0-6 months 400 (1333 IU) 400 (1333 IU)
Infants 7-12 months 500 (1667 IU) 500 (1667 IU)
Children 1-3 years 300 (1000 IU) 300 (1000 IU)
Children 4-8 years 400 (1333 IU) 400 (1333 IU)
Children 9-13 years 600 (2000 IU) 600 (2000 IU)
Adolescents 14-18 years 900 (3000 IU) 700 (2333 IU)
Adults 19 years and older 900 (3000 IU) 700 (2333 IU)
Pregnancy 18 years and younger - 750 (2500 IU)
Pregnancy 19-years and older - 770 (2567 IU)
Breastfeeding 18 years and younger - 1,200 (4000 IU)
Breastfeeding 19-years and older - 1,300 (4333 IU)

6. Disease PreventionDisease Prevention
 CancerCancer
--Lung cancerLung cancer
-Breast cancer-Breast cancerDisease TreatmentDisease Treatment
 Retinitis pigmentosaRetinitis pigmentosa
 Acute promyelotic leukemiaAcute promyelotic leukemia
 Diseases of the skinDiseases of the skin

7. Food sourcesFood sources
 Cod liver oilCod liver oil
 Fortified breakfast cerealsFortified breakfast cereals
 Whole milkWhole milk
 EggEgg
 ButterButter
 Sweet potatoSweet potato
 Carrot (raw)Carrot (raw)
 CantaloupeCantaloupe
 SpinachSpinach

8. SupplementsSupplements
 The principal forms of preformed vitamin AThe principal forms of preformed vitamin A
(retinol) in supplements(retinol) in supplements
-retinyl palmitate-retinyl palmitate
-retinyl acetate-retinyl acetate
 Beta-carotene is also a common source ofBeta-carotene is also a common source of
vitamin Avitamin A

9. ToxicityToxicity
 vitamin A toxicity is called hypervitaminosis Avitamin A toxicity is called hypervitaminosis A
 caused by overconsumption of preformedcaused by overconsumption of preformed
vitamin A, not carotenoidsvitamin A, not carotenoids
 result acutely from high-dose exposure over aresult acutely from high-dose exposure over a
short period of time, or chronically from muchshort period of time, or chronically from much
lower intakelower intake

10. SymptomsSymptoms
 nauseanausea
 headacheheadache
 fatiguefatigue
 loss of appetiteloss of appetite
 dizzinessdizziness
 dry skindry skin

11. Symptoms of chronic toxicitySymptoms of chronic toxicity
 dry itchy skindry itchy skin
 loss of appetiteloss of appetite
 headacheheadache
 bone and joint pain.bone and joint pain.
 Severe cases of hypervitaminosis A may resultSevere cases of hypervitaminosis A may result
in liver damage, hemorrhage, and coma.in liver damage, hemorrhage, and coma.