Quality vitamin nutrition is essential in maintaining proper health and preventing disease. Vitamins control specific body processes such as cell renewal, immune function, and bone strengthening. Although food can provide much of our nutritional needs, regular meals contain only part of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of most vitamins. Vitamin supplements are a great way to obtain quality vitamin nutrition while maintaining a balanced diet.
FACTS:
Vitamin A is fat-soluble. It requires fats as well as minerals to be properly absorbed by your digestive tract.
It can be stored in your body and need not be replenished every day.
It occurs in two forms—preformed vitamin A, called retinol (found only
in foods of animal origin), and provitamin A, known as carotene (provided by foods of both plant and animal origin).
Vitamin A is measured in USP Units (United States Pharmacopeia), IU
(International Units), and RE (Retinol Equivalents). (See section 168.)
1,000 RE (or 5,000 IU) is the recommended daily dosage for adult males to prevent deficiency. For females it’s 800 RE (4,000 IU). During pregnancy the new RDIs/RDAs do not recommend an increase, but for nursing mothers an
additional 500 RE is suggested for the first six months and an additional 400 RE for the second six months.
There is no formal RDI/RDA for beta-carotene, because it is not (yet) offi-
cially recognized as an essential nutrient. But anywhere from 10,000–15,000
IUs of beta-carotene are needed to meet the RDI/RDA for vitamin A.
WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU:
Counteract night blindness, weak eyesight, and aid in the treatment of
many eye disorders. (It permits formation of visual purple in the eye.)
Build resistance to respiratory infections.
Aid in the proper function of the immune system.
Shorten the duration of diseases.
Keep the outer layers of your tissues and organs healthy.
Help in the removal of age spots.
Promote growth, strong bones, healthy skin, hair, teeth, and gums.
Help treat acne, superficial wrinkles, impetigo, boils, carbuncles, and open ulcers when applied externally.
Aid in the treatment of emphysema and hyperthyroidism.