One cannot underrate the benefits associated with this nutrient because it keeps one in good health. It is involved in various functions within the body stretching from maintaining vision and immune function to healthy skin and bone growth. However, of note is that the existing vitamin A deficiency remains a critical public health concern, especially in developing countries. In this article, we shall consider the various effects that can result from a deficiency in vitamin A and why it is of paramount importance that we get adequate levels of this very essential nutrient.
Visual Impairment
Among the very well-documented effects of a deficiency in
vitamin A is its effect on vision. Vitamin A is essential for the properly
functioning cornea. When the level of vitamin A is below normal, exophthalmia
may ensue, which encompasses drying, roughening, and infection of the cornea.
This in turn affects vision. Night blindness tends to be significant in most
people affected by vision problems, who usually have reduced clear sight in
conditions of low light.
Unless treated, severe deficiencies can further develop into serious eye problems such as Bitot's spots, and foamy white deposits forming on the surface of the eye. In very severe cases, the cornea might get ultimately damaged and ulcerated, leading to definite vision loss or blindness.
Weakened Immune System
It is also quite important to immune function to begin with.
It supports the production and activity of an array of immune cells, including
T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and others. Having low levels of
vitamin A means having reduced resistance against a wide host of infections and
diseases.
People deficient in or lacking vitamin A become more ill with many infectious diseases, including measles, diarrhea, and respiratory infections. These diseases could mean severities, and in some instances, even deaths. Over the true course if events, a deficiency in vitamin A has caused one of the leading factors of preventable blindness and mortality among children especially in many parts of the world.
Reproductive Health Problems
It is also a critical factor in reproductive health.
Deficiency in vitamin A may cause a range of disorders in women from
infertility to increasing the risk of maternal mortality and complications
during pregnancy or childbirth. The deficiency, during pregnancy, may have
effects on the fetus regarding development in the form of an increased risk of
birth defects and impaired growth and development.
In men, it has been associated with low-quality of semen and decreased fertility. It can also result in testicular degeneration; this is a condition where testicles deteriorate and end up producing inadequate amounts of testosterone.
Skin and Hair Problems
Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and hair. It
promotes healthy sebum production, the natural oil that lubricates the skin and
hair. If very little amount of vitamin A exists within the system, the skin
turns dry, and rough, and is prone to acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
A lack of Vitamin A can also lead to follicular hyperkeratosis, a condition wherein excess keratin blocks hair follicles causing thinning or loss of hair and leads to rough, bumpy skin. More serious conditions may be associated with scaly skin and additional lesions.
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Bone and Tooth Health
Vitamin A is essential for developing and maintaining
bones and teeth. It has a central role in forming bone cells and in the
skeleton mineralization process. Deficiency in vitamin A has been related to
increased risks for osteoporosis, which is characterized by weak and brittle
bones.
It is also essential for the development and maintenance of proper teeth. Its insufficiency can cause enamel hypoplasia, a condition that creates thin or under-developed tooth enamel, which makes teeth easily decayed or carious.
Cognitive Impairment
New research now shows that it may also hurt cognitive function and brain development. Some studies have recently
reported that the condition of vitamin A deficiency in children may bring out
lower levels of intelligence, poor academic performance, and short-term memory
and learning abilities.
How vitamin A deficiency alters cognitive function remains to be identified but is most certainly related to the roles of this nutrient in neurodevelopment and neuronal function. Vitamin A may act in the 'critical periods' of growth and development to optimize brain health and critically determine the potential for optimal cognitive function.
Addressing Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency is a very common problem, particularly
within the developing world, where the accessibility of an expansive and rich
diet may fall off in order of precedence. This, however, is a preventable and
treatable condition with several strategies that may be put into place.
This can best be attained by raising the consumption of dark green leafy and orange and yellow vegetables rich in vitamin A, as well as animal products like liver, eggs, and milk. Vitamin A supplementation will also play an important role through food fortification or direct supplementation, mostly in at-risk groups like pregnant women and young children.
While vitamin A supplementation and food fortification
programs are only two of the many public health initiatives that have been
shown, in selected locales, to reduce VAD prevalence, far more must be done to
genuinely ensure that all have an adequate intake of what is needed for proper
body functioning, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location.
Necessity and awareness can prevent deficiency—enhancing the role of vitamin A and toiling on a consistent level in each sector to avert events that involve devastation in vision, immune function, reproductive health, and cognitive development. Ensuring adequate intake of vitamin A is needed significantly for better health and well-being of persons and societies across the world.
Conclusion
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required by almost
everybody to live well, but it is a major public health problem in
many parts of the world. It can be disastrous in deficiencies
related to vision, immune function, reproductive health, skin and hair,
formation of bone and tooth, and even cognitive function.
Thus, the deficiency in Vit A is an important issue not just for individual health but also as a definite requirement to solve other development imperatives like the mortality of children, improvement in maternal health, and the general well-being of health. It is only then that with a great purpose shared by all—by fighting against anyone's lack of the necessary nutrients for his or her survival—shall we have a world that is much fairer and healthier.
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