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[P795]Protein Functions In The Body

by Dr John Anne, Dr

Sources of Vitamin A: Vitamin A is widely distributed in animal and plant foods ?in animal foods is preformed vitamin A (retinol), and in plant foods are pro-vitamins (carotenes).

(a) Animal Foods: foods rich in retinol area liver, eggs, butter, cheese, whole milk, fish and meat. Fish liver oils are the richest natural sources of retinol (Table 4), but they are generally used as nutritional supplements rather than as food sources.
(b) Plant foods: The cheapest source of Vitamin A is green leafy vegetables such as spinach amaranth which are found in great abundance in nature throughout the year. The darker the green leaves, the higher its carotene content. Vitamin A also occurs in most green yellow fruits and vegetables (e.g. papaya, mango, pumpkin) and in some roots (e.g., carrots). The most important carotenoid is beta-carotene, which has the highest vitamin A activity. Carotenes are converted to vitamin A in the small intestine. This action is poorly accomplished in malnourished children and those suffering from diarrhoea.
(c) Fortified foods: Foods fortified with vitamin A (e.g. vanaspathi, margarine, and milk) can be an important source.

Functions of Vitamin A: Vitamin A participates in many bodily functions:

(a) It is indispensable for normal vision. It contributes to the production of retinal pigments, which are needed for vision in dim light.
(b) It is necessary for maintaining the integrity and the normal functioning of glandular and epithelial tissue which lines intestinal, respiratory and urinary tracts as well as the skin and eyes
(c) It supports growth, especially skeletal growth
(d) It is anti-infective; there is increased susceptibility to infection and lowered immune response in Vitamin A deficiency, and
(e) It may protect against some epithelial cancers such as bronchial cancers, but the data are not fully consistent. However, the role of Vitamin A at the molecular level is not yet known.

There are many different organisms and substances that are targeting our bodies more and more these days and which can have such a devastating effect on our health and our bodies. This is caused by a variety of factors that work on the defense systems within the body and which can compound one another, leading to even more potent effects being felt by the body. These effects are manifested in a number of different manners, but primarily in an overall decrease in your level of health which can have related manifestations, include perpetual feelings of being tired and succumbing to different diseases and infections often if not on a regular basis.

This can be counteracted within the body if the immune system and other vital systems are provided with adequate support and can thus combat these organisms and substances within the body. This support can be provided to the body and the systems in the form of nutrients which can be found in health food and beverages. The drawback is that no matter how much healthy produce you eat, it will not be properly digested if your body is not producing enough enzymes and in order to produce enzymes the body needs nutrients. This means that a shortage of enzymes can lead to a vicious circle within the body as nutrients are needed to create new enzymes, but without sufficient enzymes the food cannot be digested and broken down into the nutrients that the body needs.

This can be halted or even reversed if the body receives a supplementary quantity of enzymes from another source, such as would be acquired if a person took an enzyme supplement. There are many different types of enzyme supplements available today and each of them contains enzymes which are derived from different sources. Some of them are derived from plant sources like Wobenzym which contains bromelain and papain which are derived from plant sources. There are also supplements such as Mega-zyme which contains pancreatic enzymes from an animal source. This means that if people have a problem with taking certain types of extracts then they can get equivalent benefits from taking similar supplements.

There are different types of enzymes within the body so the enzyme supplement that you take should address which ever deficiency of enzymes you are currently suffering from. Different supplements can provide the body with different types of enzymes. One example is that Wobenzym provides the body with proteolytic enzymes that help the digestive system, in particular the small intestine, to process and digest the food so that nutrients are released into the body and this can provide knock-on effects throughout the body. This can even lead to the general increase in the health of the body and so the exact benefits that you can derive from the use of enzyme supplements can vary from one person to the next.

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Both Dr John Anne & Juliette Pickup are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dr John Anne has sinced written about articles on various topics from amino acid, Fitness and Acne Treatment. More on Also read more on. Dr John Anne's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.

Juliette Pickup has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Alternative Medicine and Modelling. . Juliette Pickup's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.