DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN A -
1. Vitamin A deficiency primarily affects the health of the skin, hair, eyes, and immune system, though loss of appetite, bone abnormalities, and growth retardation are also associated with inadequate intake of this vitamin.
2. A goose bump-like appearance of the skin caused by excessive production of keratin (a protein found in skin) that blocks hair follicles.
3. Prolonged vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness, due to impaired production of rhodopsin, the compound in the retina responsible for detecting small amounts of light.
HEALING AND THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES –
1. When taken in large amount for treating deficiencies (7,500 mcg –15,000 mcg) a day, it is beneficial in treatment of cold, sinus, influenza and asthma.
2. It is valuable in curing night blindness which responds well to 9,000mcg of Vitamin A daily for a week.
3. Vitamin A is beneficial in treatment of acne.
4. Intake of Vitamin A (7,500 mcg – 15,000 mcg) in large doses helps relieve warts and other growths in skin such as boils, rashes and carbuncles.
PRECAUTIONS AND SYMPTONS –
1. Greater than 30,000 mcg of Vitamin A can produce toxic results in adults if continued for months.
2. Greater than 5,500 mcg of Vitamin A can produce toxic results in infants.
Symptoms include hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, scaly skin, blurred vision, rashes, headache and liver enlargement.
3. Acute toxicity from single massive dose manifests itself as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness and sluggishness.
4. Chronic toxicity may occur following ingestion of 12,000 mcg or more daily for prolonged periods. It is characterized by joint pains, hair loss, dryness and fissures of lips, loss of appetite, low grade fever, and weight loss.
