Vitamin A is a very important micronutrient for human body. It is found mainly in animal materials like milk, meat, fish etc. It is found in higher concentration in liver. Here it is stored as a free alcohol or esterified form. Plants do not store vitamin A though it stores pro-vitamin A.
It helps to protect diseases and it is helpful for proper growth of human body. Deficiency of vitamin A causes Night Blindness and corneal ulceration. In extreme cases the mucous membranes of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracks do not function properly and are less of a defense against infecting organisms. Lack of vitamin A also causes Xeroderma in which skin becomes dry scaly and rough.
Due to all these stated above, general people become very interested to take vitamin A through too much amount of egg and protein. This is in practice nowadays too. But later, the scientists realized that there is no need of extra amount of vitamin A. Very less amount of vitamin A is sufficient for us. Which can be earned by having balanced diet only and that’s why there is no reason to take that extra amount of egg, milk and meat.
Vitamin A is not soluble in water, and this creates the entire problem. Vitamin B is soluble in water. So, extra amount of vitamin B can be washed out of our body. But excess insoluble vitamin A is stored in our body and it is by no means helpful for our body.
In the 80’s of the last century, research had been started regarding this. And the results of those researches proved the suspicion of the scientist. Extra amount of vitamin A is stored in human body and it is harmful for us. The babies are the worst sufferer for that. It may cause them to be physically handicapped.
Therefore, lack of vitamin A is causing diseases and the same is for extra amount too. Hence, what is the way out? The way out is to take pro-vitamin A instead of vitamin A. If we take pro-vitamin, it automatically synthesizes vitamin within our body, and also, extra amount of pro-vitamin do not cause any harm to our body. We can get enough amount of pro-vitamin A in carrots. So, say no to extra amount of vitamin and take pro vitamins instead.