Vitamin A... Anyone take it?

Question

I just started taking vintamin a on a friends advice. Anything good to say about it?

Answer 1

What is the importance of vitamin A?
Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, plays essential roles in vision, growth, and development; the development and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes; immune functions; and reproduction.

How much do you need?
Vitamin A is also called retinol. Measurement of the amount of vitamin A is taken in retinol activity equivalents (RAE). Carotene, an orange pigment found in food, is split by the body to become two active units of vitamin A. This is also important when calculating the amount of vitamin A in the body.

The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 700 RAE per day for women and 900 RAE per day for men. The U.S. RDA given is for adults and changes for women who are pregnant or lactating; therefore, please consult your healthcare provider for differences.

A good source of vitamin A contains substantial amounts of vitamin A and/or carotene in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10% of the U.S. RDA for vitamin A in a serving.

Do Americans get enough vitamin A?
According to recent surveys by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average intake of vitamin A (and carotene) by an American adult is adequate.

How to get enough vitamin A.
Eating a variety of foods that contain vitamin A (and carotene) is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. In fact, too much vitamin A can be toxic. Select foods that contain excellent to good sources of vitamin A each day.


Good Sources of Vitamin A
Food Serving Size RAE %RDA men % RDA women
Sweet Potato 1/2 C 1400 155 200
Carrot 1 medium 1015 112 145
Kale, boiled 1/2 C 240 26.6 34.2
Mango 1/2 medium 200 22.2 28.5
Turnip Greens 1/2 C 200 22.2 28.5
Spinach, raw 1 C 185 20.5 26.4
Papaya 1/2 medium 150 16.6 21.4
Red Bell Pepper 1/2 medium 140 15.5 20
Apricot 3 135 15 19.2
Cantaloupe 1/2 C 130 14.4 18.5
Milk, Fat Free 1 C 150 16.6 21.4
Romaine 1 C 70 7.7 10
Egg, large 1 95 10.5 13.5
Milk, whole 1 C 75 8.3 10.7
Tomato, raw 1 medium 35 3.8 5
Broccoli 1/2 C 35 3.8 5
Green Bell Pepper 1/2 C 15 1.6 2.1
Orange 1 medium 15 1.6 2.1

How to prepare foods to retain vitamin A.
Vitamin A can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage. To prevent loss of vitamin A:

Use raw fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
Keep vegetables (except sweet potatoes and winter squash) and fruits covered and refrigerated during storage.
Steam vegetables and braise, bake, or broil meats instead of frying. Some of the vitamin A is lost in the fat during frying.
What about fortified foods?
Low-fat and skim milk are often fortified with vitamin A because it is lost during processing. Margarine is fortified to make its vitamin A content the same as butter.

Most ready-to-eat and instant prepared cereals are fortified with vitamin A. Fortified ready-to-eat cereals usually contain at least 25% of the U.S. RDA for vitamin A. Cereals vary, so check the label on the package for the vitamin A content for that cereal.

What is a serving?
The amount of vitamin A in a serving depends on the weight of the serving. For example, ½ cup of a cooked vegetable contains more vitamin A than ½ cup of the same vegetable raw, because the cooked vegetable weighs more. Therefore, the cooked vegetable provides vitamin A, just not enough in a ½-cup serving to be considered a good source.

Food companies label their products according to regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Terms to define a serving of food that has 20% or more of the RDA include: “high,” “rich in,” or “excellent source of” vitamin A. Terms to define a serving of food that contains 10% or more of the RDA include: “good,” “contains or provides” vitamin A. Terms to define a serving of food that contains less then 10% of the RDA include: “enriched,” “fortified,” or “added” vitamin A.

References
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5551.html

Answer 2

Don't know about vitamin A I started taking it my self 3 Mouthe's ago.Vitamin Eon the other hand I can swear by it. My face started braking out when I was 16.I tried everything but nothing worked until someone told me to try vitamin E . I started with 400 Mg.and nothing until I upped the dose to 800 Mg. It took 3 months to work .Not only did it clear my face up my hair got thicker and grows faster then it did before I started taking it.

Answer 3

Well vitamin A is good for you. But be careful how much you take. Some vitamins and minerals can be flushed from your system quite easily if used in excess....but regretfully Vitamin A builds up in your system, therefore it can be toxic if taken in unsuitable dosages and cause health problems and in severe ones death (this only occurs if eating Liver products - the liver is the organ that stores the vitamin). If your taking a supplement make sure you only take it if your not getting your recommended dosage from the food you eat.

Answer 4

Don't take more than the RDA (recommended daily allowance). If you like dried apricots, eating 10 of those a day provides 100% of your vitamin A, in a natural way. Since vitamin A is a fat soluble substance, it can build up to a toxic level in your body.

Answer 5

If you forget to take the supplement, you can eat a serving of mini carrots (about 14) to get 300% of the Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin A.

Answer 6

Vitamin A is said to be great for skin and it's antioxidant properties. I actually use Retin-A gel which is a derivitive of Vitamin A, and it keeps my face clear of acne. Word of caution, can cause kidney stones, liver damage and even death if taken in excess. Vitamin A is fat Soluble not water soluble which means that it can build in your system

Answer 7

Involved in the formation and maintenance of skin, mucous membranes, bones and teeth, but mainly required for the production or rhodopsin (light-sensitive material in the rods of the retina, which actively convert light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve to the brain). In the body, retinol is oxidised to retinal, which combines with opsin to form rhodopsin ---> no night-blindness :)

Answer 8

Vitamin A along with ascorbic acid can make your immune system resist against any infection.

Answer 9

I've heard too much "A" is poisonous. What are you taking it for? If you are taking it for antioxidant, A, C, E are a good combination. There is some really good new stuff out there for this type of thing.

Answer 10

yes vitamin A is good for view and for chemical reactions at cellular level