9 Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency (Signs, Symptoms and Treatments)

What’s covered?

In this article, we are going to cover the top 9 symptoms of a Vitamin a deficiency, including one common symptom that many people are unaware of.

We will also discuss the function of Vitamin A in the body, and the potential treatments of a deficiency vitamin.

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A (also called retinol) is a fat-soluble vitamin and an important ingredient in the human body. It is an essential nutrient for immunity, vision, skin, ear, cardiac muscles, lungs, kidneys, and foetus growth and development. Vitamin A is available in two main forms; retinol and retinal. Both are stored in the liver of the body. Retinol is converted into retinal which is the active form of vitamin A. For adult males, 800mcg/day is recommended, while for women 600mcg/day is recommended. The retinol level in the blood is 40 to 98mcg/dl. Deficiency or excess both affect the body seriously. Therefore maintaining a normal range of Vitamin A in the blood is mandatory. Vitamin A is naturally found in many foods like meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits, milk, fish, etc... After intake of vitamin A in food, it is absorbed in the intestine of the body and then stored in fat tissue as it is a fat-soluble vitamin. Decrease intake and deficiency of vitamin A lead to some serious problems. One of the most common signs of vitamin A is decreased vision and dry skin.

What are the different sources of Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is available in adequate amounts in almost all-natural foods. The liver is the most abundant source of Vitamin A. Other Sources include leafy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, sweet potato, peppers, carrots, spinach, and kale. Fruits like grapes, also contain large amounts of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is also present in fish, meat, and dairy products.

What are the different benefits of Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is very important for a healthy life. It is the main element of almost all parts of the body.

1. It is highly needed for the normal health of the eyes. Vitamin A is an essential component of rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a molecule found in the retina of the eyes. Vitamin A makes the rhodopsin sensitive to light.
2. Vitamin A helps in the production of white blood cells and protects the mucous membrane found on the lungs and cornea of the eye. Therefore it helps to boost the immune system of the body.
3. Vitamin A reduces the chance of cancer. According to research, people who used Vitamin A supplements have lowered the risk of certain cancer like Hodgkin's lymphoma.

1. Protect skin from dryness

Vitamin A helps in the development of sebaceous glands present in the skin and hair follicles. It strengthens the hair and prevents hair fall.

What cause Vitamin A deficiency?

Following conditions results in the deficiency of Vitamin A.

1. Decrease intake of Vitamin A.

Inadequate intake of vitamin A results in deficiency of the vitamin. Even in developed countries, vitamin A deficiency was observed.

1. Deficiency due to fats malabsorption.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and is stored in the fat tissue. Less amount of vitamin A is absorbed from the intestine when there is fat tissue disease. In the United States, vitamin A deficiency occurs due to fat malabsorption syndrome.

1. Liver Problems

Vitamin A is stored and converted into an active form in the liver. Liver disease can cause a deficiency of Vitamin A.

How do check vitamin A levels in the body?

Serum retinol is measured from the patient blood, which normally ranges from 40 to 98mcg/dl. Any deviation from this range can cause serious consequences.

You can order a Vitamin A Blood Test by going to the Welzo vitamin and nutrition tests sections and selecting the general deficiency test or the vitamin A test specifically.

To see our Vitamin A Blood Test, click here.

9 signs and symptoms of a Vitamin A deficiency?

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the common deficiencies among the other nutrients. In developing countries, vitamin A deficiency is found at a high rate. Vitamin A serum levels less than 40mcg/dl can cause many problems. The following are the main symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency.

1. Blindness

The most common cause of blindness in many regions is Vitamin A deficiency. The conjunctiva becomes dry and small patches are developed along the conjunctiva. Rhodopsin found in the cornea of the eye needs vitamin A to become sensitive to light and differentiate between different colours. Vitamin A deficiency lost the sensitivity of rhodopsin.

1. Skin problems

Vitamin A deficiency causes dry skin and hyperkeratinization of the skin.

1. Loss of taste.

There are different types of taste buds found on the upper surface of the tongue. Taste buds need vitamin A for growth and development, their function is to differentiate between different tastes. In the deficiency of the vitamin, the taste buds become under-develop and the taste is lost.

1. Impaired Mucous membrane

Vitamin A helps in the protection of mucous membranes found in the lungs and cornea. It helps to protect the lungs and cornea from damage. Vitamin A deficiency impaired the mucous membrane and the surface area of the lungs and eyes.

1. Frequent illness.

Vitamin A improves the function of white blood cells which reduces the intensity of illness and infection. In case of Vitamin A deficiency, white blood cell growth became decreases and frequent infections and illnesses occur.

1. Other symptoms include
2. Delayed wounds healing
3. Poor growth
4. Acne on the skin
5. Decrease immune response

What are the signs and symptoms of excessive vitamin A?

Intake of vitamin A in large amounts can cause vitamin toxicity. A serum level of vitamin A of more than 98mcg/dl can cause this type of effect. It causes staining of the skin. Staining is mostly found on the palms and soles. On the other hand, it also causes vomiting, hair loss, anorexia, etc...

The elevated level must be confirmed by checking the serum vitamin A level. The treatment for excessive vitamin A is a withdrawal of vitamin A from the diet. The sign and symptoms relieve rapidly after withdrawing the vitamin from the diet.

Can you use dietary supplements to help with a Vitamin a deficiency?

Yes, you can purchase vitamins a dietary supplements online. Make sure that the total amount you take does not exceed 1.5mg per day unless prescribed by a doctor. These are oral vitamins and should be injected as such. You can purchase a vitamin a oral vitamin online, or visit your local

The Best Sources of Vitamin A

Beta Carotene Supplementation

Beta carotene is a popular supplement used in the treatment of a vitamin a deficiency. Beta carotene is a plat-based pigment that gives plants the colour pigmentation of red, yellow and orange.

The Benefits of Beta carotene supplementation

Beta carotene is an antioxidant that can help protect your cells from damage. It's also a precursor to vitamin A, so it can help your body make this essential vitamin. Beta carotene can help protect your organs and the healthy function of your body.

Beta carotene is found in many fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. You can also take beta carotene supplements, these can be purchased online from Welzo Pharmacy or from a local pharmacy.

Can you get Vitamin A naturally from Foods?

It is relatively easy to get sufficient vitamin a from a healthy and well-balanced diet. The top food sources of Vitamin A are as follows:

1. Potatoes
2. Carrots
3. Spinach
4. Apricots
5. Leafy green vegetables
6. Yellow vegetables - "yellow vegetables such as corn, squash and yellow peppers"

By including these foods into your diet, you can make sure you have enough vitamin a present. You can also include fortified foods, that contain Vitamin A. Fortified foods are foods that have added amounts of vitamin a in them. Popular fortified foods include cereal and oats. However, you should be able to have enough vitamin a through all-natural foods.

Make sure not to take too much vitamin A. This can often happen when individuals stake both supplements and a multivitamin supplement that contains Vitamin A.

Finally, if someone is severely lacking vitamin a they can take high-dose supplements. However, these need to be prescribed by a doctor as high doses of Vitamin A can lead to risks and complications.

To view our Vitamin A Blood Test, click here.

For a full range of blood tests and medications, visit our Welzo Online Pharmacy Page. For more details, click here.