Vitamin A or Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin and plays an important role in vision, development and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes; immune functions; and reproduction. Vitamin A or retinol, helps your eyes to adjust to light alteration when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.

Vitamin A is essential for the utilization of protein and the production of testosterone and other development factors.

Vitamin A is found in any of these forms:

*Retinol

*Other retinoids - retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and compounds of similar nature.

*Carotenoids - organic pigments that are naturally found in plants.

Quantity of the amount of vitamin A is measured in retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

The suggested daily requirement for vitamin A is 700 RAE (retinol activity equivalent) per day for women and 900 RAE per day for men. But the requirements may be different from one person to another. The requirements may differ for growing children, during puberty, and for women who are pregnant or lactating; therefore, it is necessary to consult doctor for differences.

1)Vitamin A supports healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts.

2)It Helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

3)It can also help boost the power of your white blood cells

4)It also keeps the mucus membranes, like the ones in your nose, moist.

Eating a range of foods that include vitamin A (and carotenes) is the finest method to get a sufficient amount.

Alcohol, coffee, or excessive iron can all reduce the body's supply of Vitamin A. But, the good information is that vitamin A is readily obtainable from numerous food sources.

Vitamin A can be obtained from food in two dissimilar forms -

1. Pro-vitamin A (also called beta-carotene). This is obtained from plant sources. It is mostly found in fruits and vegetables.

2. Pre-formed vitamin A (also called retinol or retinal) . This is obtained through animal sources. Main sources consist of liver, whole milk, and some equipped food products.

The top most vitamin A-rich foods consist of:

1) Sweet potato

2) Mango

3) Carrots

4) Spinach

5) Dried apricots

6) Cantaloupe

7) Egg yolk

8) Milk

9) Mozzarella cheese

10) Liver

Skimmed milk is often equipped with vitamin A because it is removed from milk with the fat.

1)Night blindness is one of the first Vitamin A Deficiency symptom

2)Vitamin A deficiency reduces the capability to fight infections, such as pneumonia.

3)Vitamin A Deficiency may increase a child's threat of developing respiratory infections, diarrhea, decreased growth rate and slow bone development.

Vegans who do not consume eggs and dairy foods need pro vitamin A carotenoids to fulfill their requirement for vitamin A. They should include at least of five servings of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet and habitually choose dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits to fulfill suggested amounts of vitamin A.

Vitamins are simply destroyed during food preparation and storage.

1)To get the maximum vitamin possible from food, refrigerate and store milk and grains away from strong light.

2)To retain vitamin A try to supply fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.

3)Steam vegetables, roast or bake meats in place of frying.

4)If you take vitamin supplements, keep them at room temperature in a dry place that is moisture free.

Overdose of vitamin A cause tiredness, sluggishness, severe headache, vomiting, peeling of skin and hair loss.

Research recommends that having more than an average of 1.5mg per day of vitamin A over a lot of years may affect bones and make them more liable to fracture when grow older.

Older people, especially women, are already at danger of osteoporosis. This is where bone compactness reduces and so the risk of fractures grows.

If pregnant, having overdose of Vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should avoid eating liver products because these are very high in vitamin A quantity.