What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is essential for lactation, reproduction and the
formation of hormones. It is used to form the cells lining the
digestive, respiratory, reproductive and urinary tracts and in all
tissue linings of the body. It is also vital for healthy skin and
is a famous antioxidant.
Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that
occurs only in animal foods. Carotenoids, however, serve as a great
source of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-carotene that our bodies convert
into vitamin A and can be found in many vegetables and
fruits. It is indispensable for our health and is especially
abundant in foods such as apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots,
kale, liver, mangos, red peppers, spinach and sweet
potatoes.
Why Take Vitamin A:
Immunity: Not
only does Vitamin A strengthen "entry points" into the human body,
such as mucous membranes, the lining of the eyes, respiratory,
urinary and intestinal tracts, it is also essential for the
lymphocytes, or white blood cells, that fight infection in the
body.
Eyes: Vitamin
A, when converted into the retinal (retinaldehyde) form, is vital
for healthy eyes. It allows the eye to effectively distinguish
between light and dark, thus improving night vision. Furthermore,
vitamin A is believed to fight against cataracts, macular
degeneration, glaucoma and other age-related ocular
diseases.
Bones and Teeth: When
converted into retinoic acid, vitamin A effectively maintains
healthy bones and teeth. Dentin, which also requires vitamin A,
forms the hard layer of material within our teeth, thereby ensuring
their strength. Vitamin A also plays an important role in replacing
worn out or old tissue with newer tissue to ensure healthy bones
and teeth.
Urinary Stones: Urinary
calculi, or solid particles in the urinary system, may cause pain,
nausea and vomiting when stones are formed. Vitamin A produces a
mineral compound within the body called calcium phosphate that
prevents the formation of these solid particles.
Skin: The
antioxidant properties of vitamin A combat free radicals that can
damage the skin through oxidative stress. By maintaining proper
moisture retention, the skin is not only protected from common
dryness, but also keratinization (the process in which the
epidermis hardens into a heavy material that makes up hair and
nails), psoriasis (a skin disease marked by red, itchy or scaly
patches), acne, and even wrinkling.
Reproductive System: Vitamin
A is known to be essential for the reproductive process for both
males and females.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D works synergistically with vitamin A, preferring a 7:1
ratio. It plays a role in absorbing and regulating calcium and
phosphorus. It also helps build strong bones, teeth and skin. It is
vital to the health of the nervous system and
kidneys.
It can be derived from the suns action on oils secreted and
reabsorbed by the skin. But the more tanned the skin, the less it
is absorbed. Also, the older the skin, the less active it is in
producing vitamin D. This vitamin helps the body synthesize protein
and incorporate magnesium into bone/teeth
structures.
Benefits of Vitamin D:
Immunity: Vitamin
D plays a crucial role in our immune system by triggering
macrophage cells that release antibacterial proteins. These
proteins are shown to prevent infections, including Mycobacterium
tuberculosis (responsible for tuberculosis) and Mycobacterium
leprae (responsible for leprosy).
Blood Pressure: Vitamin
D helps to manage our blood pressure by monitoring the system that
increases our blood pressure when it gets too low, called the
renin-angiotension system. Our body needs a healthy dose of vitamin
D to inhibit this system from raising our blood pressure too
high.
Muscles: Studies
have shown that a vitamin D deficiency not only leads to decreased
muscle strength (independent of muscle mass), but also may inhibit
proper nerve firing and triggering of muscle
contractions.
Mental Health: Recommended
intake of vitamin D greatly reduces the risks of age-related
cognitive disorders, such as senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease,
and mood disorders such as depression.
