Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found in certain vegetables, milk, eggs and fish. This vitamin is best know for its significant for vision important to the health of the outer layer of cells in the skin and organs. A deficiency leads to roughening of the skin and night blindness.

Benefits of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is one of the most essential vitamins for you to maintain healthy skin, and mucous membrane cells. It is also well known for its benefits for hair and skin and is a noteworthy reason for healthy hair growth. As far as your skin goes, it has an abundance of benefits and there are tons of skin care products with vitamin A in it. There are also many beneficial features for acne and dry skin. It is known to help your skin to retain moisture and can also fight the signs of aging, wrinkles, fine lines, reduces stretch marks, eczema and psoriasis. It also promotes bone growth, teeth development, and reproduction.

It is also full of strong antioxidants that can help restore your body's health and free radicals. Free radicals are naturally made in our body assisting the metabolism of amino acids and fats. These free radicals are unbalanced molecules that can freely react with and can destroy healthy cells. These antioxidants are believed to help protect the body from free-radical damage. They assist our immune system in combating against the infection. Antioxidant properties can lower the risk for quite a few diseases including cancer and heart disease. Even people having a high level of blood cholesterol can be benefited from vitamin A.

Preventive and Therapeutic uses

Vitamin A supplements are widely used for the immune system. It keeps your skin and mucous membrane cells healthy. It helps the membranes stay moist and moistness is a inhibitor for bacteria and viruses protecting us from infectious diseases and cancer. It can fight cancer by preventing the production of DNA in cancerous cells and slows tumor growth in existing cancers and can keep leukemia cells from dividing.

Taken as nutritional supplements it can be beneficial in the prevention of diseases caused by viruses like measles and respiratory viruses. Blood levels of vitamin A are often low in people with viral illnesses. After receiving additional amounts of the vitamin, the body is better equipped to build its defenses, which can result in faster recovery. Even stroke sufferers that have healthy levels of vitamin A in their body are less likely to die or suffer serious disability.

Dangers of Vitamin A

Vitamin A can also be very toxic to you when taken in higher than suggested dosages for a long period of time. Almost every part of the body can be affected, including eyes, blood, skin, bones, the central nervous system and the liver. Overdosing can cause symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, nausea, headache and skin damage. In the event of serious over dosage, it can cause blindness. Pregnant women should ask their doctor before taking up an A vitamin regiment as they are at some risk for birth defects in their babies.