Vitamin A requirements from infants to adults

Vitamin A is considered as one of three types of micronutrients that are often easily deficient, causing poor resistance, growth retardation and some dangerous diseases. So what is the recommended daily vitamin A requirement for subjects?

Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in many foods. Vitamin A is important for the development of vision, the immune system, and reproduction. In addition, Vitamin A also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs to work properly.
There are two types of vitamin A. The first, preformed vitamin A, is found in meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. The second type, provitamin A, is found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products. The most common type of provitamin A in foods and supplements is beta-carotene.
So, what is the daily requirement of vitamin A for a person? With different subjects and ages, the need for vitamin A each day will be different or in other words, the need for vitamin A that the body needs depends on age and gender. The average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg) of retinol active equivalents (RAE).
Newborn to 6 months: 400 mcg RAE Infants 7-12 months: 500 mcg RAE Children 1–3 years: 300 mcg RAE Children 4-8 years: 400 mcg RAE Children 9–13 years: 600 mcg RAE Teenage boys 14–18 years old: 900 mcg RAE Teenagers 14–18 years old: 700 mcg RAE Adult men: 900 mcg RAE Adult women: 700 mcg RAE Pregnant teenagers: 750 mcg RAE Pregnant women : 770 mcg RAE Lactating adolescents: 1,200 mcg RAE Lactating women: 1,300 mcg RAE

Vitamin A can be found in foods naturally or vitamin A is added to some foods, such as milk and cereals. You can get the recommended amount of vitamin A by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
Beef liver and other organ meats (but these foods are also high in cholesterol, so limit yourself diet). Certain types of fish, such as salmon. Green leafy vegetables and other green, orange, and yellow vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and squash. Fruits that are yellow or red, including: cantaloupe, apricots, and mangoes. Dairy products, one of the best sources of vitamin A. Fortified breakfast cereals Vitamin A supplements: Vitamin A is available in dietary supplements, usually in the form retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate, beta-carotene or provitamin A, or a combination of vitamin A. Most multivitamin-mineral supplements contain vitamin A. Vitamin A-only supplements are also available.

Most people get enough vitamin A from the foods they eat, and vitamin A deficiency is rare. However, some groups of people have difficulty getting enough vitamin A:
Premature babies often have low levels of vitamin A during the first year. Infants, young children, pregnant women and lactating women in developing countries. People with cystic fibrosis. In the case of not getting enough vitamin A there will be some effects. The most common vitamin A deficiency symptom in young children and pregnant women is an eye condition known as ophthalmopathy. Xerophthalmia, the disease cannot see in low light and can lead to blindness if left untreated.

Scientists are studying vitamin A to understand how it affects health. Here are some examples of what this study has shown.
4.1. Cancer People who eat a lot of foods containing beta-carotene may have a reduced risk of certain types of cancer, such as lung cancer or prostate cancer. But studies to date have not shown that supplementing with vitamin A or beta-carotene can help prevent cancer or reduce the risk of dying from the disease. In fact, studies show that smokers who take high doses of beta-carotene supplements have an increased risk of lung cancer.
4.2. Age-related macular degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), or loss of central vision as people age, is one of the most common causes of vision loss in older adults. . Among people with AMD at high risk of developing advanced AMD, dietary supplements containing antioxidants, zinc, and copper with or without beta-carotene have shown promise in slowing the rate of vision loss.
4.3. Measles When children are vitamin A deficient when they get measles i , the illness tends to get worse. In these children, high-dose vitamin A supplements can shorten the fever and diarrhea caused by measles. These supplements may also reduce the risk of death in children with measles living in developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is present.

Getting too much preformed vitamin A (usually from supplements or certain medications) can cause dizziness, nausea, headache, coma, and even death. Excessive intake of vitamin A in pregnant women can also cause birth defects in the unborn baby. Therefore, pregnant women should not take high doses of vitamin A supplements. In addition, consuming large amounts of beta-carotene or other forms of provitamin A can cause the skin to appear yellow-orange, but the condition is harmless.
Daily limits for preformatted vitamin A include intakes from all food sources, beverages, and supplements. These levels do not apply to people who are taking vitamin A, for medical reasons under the care of a doctor. An upper limit for beta-carotene and other forms of provitamin A has not been established.
Newborn to 12 months: 600 mcg Children 1–3 years old: 600 mcg Children 4–8 years old: 900 mcg Children 9–13 years old: 1,700 mcg Adolescents 14–18 years old: 2,800 mcg Adults 19 years of age age and older: 3,000 mcg Although vitamin A offers many health benefits, we need to supplement it with the right amount and dosage as recommended by our doctor. Taking too much vitamin A is not only bad for health, it also causes many problems such as: hair loss, hypercalcemia, hyperlipidemia, enlarged lymph nodes, amenorrhea, etc. Get expert advice before taking this important vitamin supplement.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical address with many care and examination services for all different subjects. When there are any health problems, customers can contact the hospital for support from a team of qualified medical staff.

Reference source: ods.od.nih.gov