Vitamin A

Maria Cecilia Torres RND

Characteristics
Soluble in organic solvents; insoluble in
water. Unstable in air but can be stabilized
by addition of antioxidants. Stable to high
temperature in the absence of oxygen.
Stable to acid, alkali, and ordinary cooking
methods. Occurs only in lipids of animals.
Provitamins A in plants exist in several
isometric forms. Most important are alphaand beta carotene and cryptoxanthin, of
which beta-carotene is the most potent.
No losses in cooking and ordinary storage
Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference
Dictionary Lagua, Claudio, Thiele

Physiology
Absorbed from the intestines and
transported via lymph. Bile is
necessary for absorption. Conversion
of provitamin A occurs chiefly in the
intestinal wall; some conversion
occurs in the liver and kidneys.
Stores chiefly in the liver and
kidneys. Stored chiefly in the liver as
an ester, primarily vitamin A acetate.
Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference
Transported as retinol
form)
Dictionary( alcohol
Lagua, Claudio,
Thiele

Functions of Vitamin A
Help maintain normal vision
Help keep lining of mouth, nose,
throat and respiratory tract healthy
Help keep skin and hair glossy, teeth
strong
Promote growth

Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

Lack of Vitamin A results in:

Xeropthalmia or dryness of the eye
Inability to see in dim light or
nightblindness
Eyes sensitive to bright light
Rough dry skin and membranes of nose
and throat
Low body resistance to disease
Poor growth
Blindness in severe deficiency
Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

Excess intake of Vitamin A results

in:
Yellow discoloration of the skin or
carotenemia
Excessive bone fragility and painful
swelling
Dry, itching skin and coarse, sparse
hair
Nausea, headache
Irritability
Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

 The Vitamin A value of food varies. Most

of our supply comes from pro-vitamin A
(called carotene) food in plant food.
Color of the food may indicate its vitamin
A value. The darker the leafy green, the
deeper the yellow orange color of the
food, the more vitamin A value it has.
Fresh vegetables taste better and have
more food value.
The richest source of actual ( preformed)
vitamin A is liver
Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

Rich Source of Vitamin A:

PLANT SOURCE
Green leafy and yellow vegetables
leaves of gabi, malunggay, pepper,
alugbati, ampalaya, kangkong,
spinach, petsay, kamote, lettuce,
carrot, squash

Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

Rich Source of Vitamin A:

ANIMAL SOURCES
Liver, fish liver oil, eggyolk, butter,
cream milk, powedered, whole
evaporated (fortified with Vitamin A

Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

Rich Source of Vitamin A:

OTHER YELLOW FOODS:
Yellow camote, enriched
margarine, ripe papaya,
mango and yellow corn

Basic Nutrition, FNRI-DOST

RENI
POPULATION GROUP

VIT A
(mg)

POPULATION GROUP

VIT A
(mg)

INFANTS
months

375

FEMALES

400

birth - < 6

10 - 12

6 - 12

400

13 - 15

450

1 - 3

400

16 - 18

450

4 - 6

400

19 - 29

500

7 - 9

400

30 - 49

500

10 - 12

400

50 - 64

500

13 -

550

16 -

600

19 -

550

2nd trimester

800

30 -

550

3rd trimester

800

50 -

550

months
CHILDREN

MALES

65 +

500

15
PREGNANT

1st trimester

800

18
29
49
LACTATING

1st 6 months

900

Biochemical
Assessment Issues
of Vitamin A

 Vitamin A describes a family of

essential, fat-soluble compounds that
are structurally related to retinol and
share
its
biological
activity.
Provitamin A in the body is stored in
the liver in the form of retinyl ester. A
measure of liver stores would be the
best index for vitamin A status, but
such measurements are not practical.
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 Moreover, the measure of plasma

levels do not reflect body stores until
they are severely depleted, as the
plasma contains only about 1% of
the total body reserve of Vitamin A.
Thus
experts
advise
using
a
combination
of
measures
from
different techniques
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Serum Retinol
Serum Vitamin A appear in the form
of retinol and retinol binding protein
(RBP). Serum retinol levels remain
constant until liver stores are
severely depleted or contain an
excess amount.

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Serum Retinol
Low serum levels are seen in patients
with Xeropthalmia. Normal serum
vitamin A levels hit above 20 mcg/dL.
Levels between 10 and 19 mcg/dL
depict marginally low stores and
below 10mcg/ dL indicates a
deficient states. Excessive intakes of
vitamin A can result in levels over 65
mcg/dL.
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 Factors that can decrease plasma

Vitamin A include stress, liver
disease, infection, parasites, and zinc
deficiency due to zincs role in the
synthesis of retinol-binding protein.
Low-fat
diets
can
impair
the
absorption of vitamin A because fat
is needed for its absorption.
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 Factors that increase plasma levels

include renal disease and estrogens,
which mobilize vitamin A from the
liver. Ingestion of Vitamin A does not
effect serum levels of retinol and
therefore fasting is not necessary
before a test. However, serum
samples should be protected from
bright light and hemolysis after being
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obtained