Many people are confused about the association between Vitamin A and Beta Carotene. Vitamin A can be made in the body by the break down of Beta Carotene into Vitamin A on an as needed basis. Sometimes this is confused and you'll find information stating that Vitamin A is turned into Beta Carotene by the body-this is not so. Beta Carotene is called the precursor to Vitamin A, but of course it is possible for the human body to obtain Vitamin A from the natural and pharmaceutical world.

Any animal will store Vitamin A in its liver, so a diet high in this meat and really, really high, enough to equal about 50,000IU/day of Vitamin A may actually cause an overdose. It is possible for Vitamin A and Beta Carotene to turn your skin a yellowish-orange. It's a little harder to do this with Beta Carotene than with Vitamin A because the body flushes it out of the system. If you turn yellow, stop taking either and consult your doctor. Also Vitamin A is available in kidney, egg yolk, butter and fortified dairy products, codfish oil and yogurt. Beta Carotene is available in yellow and green (leafy) plants such as spinach, carrots, mango, red peppers, apricots, and melons. The body can store up to two years worth of Vitamin A in the liver. Once the liver is basically full of the vitamin the body will begin to flush Beta Carotene that comes in via feces and urine.

There is no recommended daily value for Beta Carotene, but some food experts suggest a daily intake of no more than 5-10 mg. The recommended Daily Value of Vitamin A is 5000IU's. Be sure not to take larger amounts of either over longer periods of time because it may cause increased risk of cancer as the vitamin will start to act as pro-oxidant rather than an antioxidant. Other symptoms of overdose are vomiting, joint pain, headaches, skin irritation, gastrointestinal problems and hair loss.

The benefits of Beta Carotene and Vitamin A are essentially the same, as said Vitamin A is a strong antioxidant snatching up free radicals in the body that can cause cancer and infections. A regular diet of the vitamin is essential for healthy eyes, immune system, hair, nails, skin and bones. It is used in the fight against aging as an antioxidant and also helps to prevent acne. The vitamin is thought to help in treatment of Crohn's disease, diarrhea, heavy menstruation and pre-menstrual syndrome. Vitamin A is also used against the H. pylori bacterium which causes peptic ulcers.

Do not take Vitamin A or Beta Carotene without consulting a doctor if you are pregnant (It can cause growth retardation and urinary tract malformations in the fetus) or nursing. Do not take Vitamin A or Beta Carotene if you are allergic to Vitamin A.


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