Who is prone to vitamin A deficiency?
Vitamin A is one of the three important micronutrients needed by the body for healthy eyes. Vitamin A deficiency causes children to grow slowly, reduce their resistance, or suffer from respiratory and digestive diseases, night blindness, even corneal ulcers.
1. The role of vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the essential micronutrients, participating in many functions in the body. Vitamin A participates in the vision function of the eyes in low light conditions, anti-oxidant helps keep eyes healthy and promotes the health of the cornea and mucous membranes.
Vitamin A is necessary for the protection of the integrity of the corneal epithelium of the eye, and the epithelial tissues under the skin, salivary glands, trachea, small intestine,...
Vitamin A is necessary for the protection of the integrity of the corneal epithelium of the eye, and the epithelial tissues under the skin, salivary glands, trachea, small intestine,...
In addition, vitamin A participates in the body's immunity process, increasing the body's resistance and fighting infections caused by viruses or bacteria. Vitamin A plays an important role in supporting the structure of lacrimal epithelial cells, protecting cell membranes against damage and hypoxia in free radicals.
2. Subjects prone to vitamin A deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency occurs when vitamin A stores are exhausted and vitamin A intake is insufficient. Subjects prone to vitamin A deficiency are those who have a diet deficient in vitamin A, suffer from bacterial or parasitic diseases and malnourished children,...
Due to vitamin A deficiency in the diet: The body cannot synthesize vitamin A on its own, so all vitamin A is obtained from food. If there are foods that are poor in vitamin A and lack fat, it will reduce vitamin A absorption. For young children, breast milk is an important source of vitamin A, so children who are not breastfed are easy to lead to vitamin A deficiency.
Infections and parasites: infectious diseases such as measles, diarrhea or respiratory infections, ... cause vitamin A deficiency or loss due to an increased need for vitamin A in the body to protect against pathogens. sick. The most common intestinal parasite infection is roundworm, which reduces the absorption of vitamin A. Protein malnutrition: malnourished children are often accompanied by vitamin A deficiency. Because protein deficiency affects metabolism, transport and use of vitamin A in the body. In addition, a lack of some micronutrients such as zinc can also affect vitamin A metabolism in the body.
3. What disease does vitamin A deficiency cause?
Vitamin A deficiency makes children grow slowly, reduces the body's resistance to diseases, and is prone to serious infections and infections. Especially respiratory or gastrointestinal infections and measles. Vitamin A is involved in the visual function of the eyes, helping the eyes to see in low light conditions. With vitamin A deficiency, the eye's ability to see in low light will decrease. The phenomenon of "night blindness" occurs when it is dark, is an early clinical manifestation of vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin A deficiency also reduces the production of dry skin and appears keratinized. Initially, the conjunctiva is dry and then the cornea is damaged, the epithelial cells are damaged along with a decrease in resistance, creating conditions for bacteria to invade.
4. Prevention of vitamin A deficiency
Ways to prevent vitamin A deficiency include:
Vitamin A supplementation through meals: for young children, it is necessary to breastfeed because breast milk is the best source of vitamin A. Make sure to eat enough nutrients, foods rich in vitamin A include: eggs, meat, shrimp, fish, water spinach, carrots, papaya, lettuce,... In addition, there should be enough oil in the meal. fat to support vitamin A absorption. Vitamin A capsule supplementation: high-dose vitamin A supplementation is performed for high-risk groups of subjects who receive vitamin A every 6 months. That target group includes: 6-36-month-old children and mothers after giving birth within 1 month. Prevention of infectious diseases: Infections, especially measles, cause very serious vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, prevention of the risk of vitamin A deficiency is very necessary and implemented in primary health care. Prevention of vitamin A deficiency needs to be combined with malnutrition prevention.
Vitamin A is a very necessary and important micronutrient of the body. Children or people who are malnourished, suffer from infections are susceptible to vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, to prevent vitamin A deficiency, it is necessary to eat enough, supplement with foods rich in vitamin A, and prevent vitamin A deficiency. infections, especially measles, in children.
Customers can directly go to Vinmec Health system nationwide to visit or contact the hotline here for support.
Bài viết này được viết cho người đọc tại Sài Gòn, Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang, Hạ Long, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng.