Hypovitaminosis A: causes, symptoms, treatment methods, consequences

As you know, the role of vitamins in the human body is enormous. There are many kinds of these organic compounds that have a positive effect on certain cells and tissues. A person needs vitamins, because without them he can not live normally. These organic compounds are necessary for the proper assimilation of nutrients, strengthening the body as a whole, etc. Vitamin A is responsible for the normal growth and condition of nails, teeth, skin, hair. At its or his shortage there are certain problems connected with education of sexual hormones and maintenance of immunity. In connection with this, hypovitaminosis A develops, which means the insufficiency of this element in the body.

Vitamin A

First, you need to determine what is this organic compound. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble substance with two forms: retinol (basic) and carotene (provitamin). Retinol enters the human body as an ether, then it is split in the small intestine and enters the liver. After that, as necessary, it is transferred with a current of blood. Other carotenoids, which got their name from the English word "carrot", meaning carrots, are digested a little worse. The name appeared as a result of the fact that for the first time the elements were found in this vegetable.

Doctors say that for an adult, the daily norm of vitamin A is 1 mg. And about 80% of the norm should be obtained in the form of retinol, and the remaining 20% - in the form of other carotenoids. If a person does not get this amount, there is a shortage of vitamin A. This can lead to serious consequences. In most cases, the ailment develops as a result of malnutrition.

Hypovitaminosis: What is it?

As we have already explained, vitamin A and other organic compounds are very important for the normal functioning of the human body. It should be noted that retinol is synthesized only in animal cells, it is not contained in plant foods. Accordingly, the ailment can arise due to inadequate intake of food products of animal origin.

Hypovitaminosis is the lack of organic compounds in the body. The lack of retinol and carotene is diagnosed quite often. Scientists suggest that vitamin A helps maintain blood sugar levels. If this theory is confirmed, it will be used in the fight against diabetes, obesity, etc.

Hypovitaminosis A is divided into two types: primary and secondary. The attribution of a particular case to one of them is caused by the causes that caused the appearance of the disease. The primary shortage of retinol and carotene is caused by malnutrition. This problem concerns mainly the inhabitants of Central Asia, who often eat rice in which there is no carotene. Secondary hypovitaminosis A has a different cause - insufficient intake of fat in the body.

Daily rate of retinol and carotene

To avoid this unpleasant disease, you need to monitor the implementation of the daily plan for vitamin production. Hypovitaminosis A in humans develops quite quickly, so this question is relevant. So, for different ages and categories of people the norm is different:

• 0-12 months - 0.4 mg;
• 1-3 years - 0.45 mg;
• 4-6 years - 0.5 mg;
• 7-10 years - 0,7 mg;
• 11-50 years - 0.8-1 mg;
• Pregnant and lactating - +0.3 mg.

People working in occupations who receive the maximum physical load, need to enter the body retinol and carotene. The daily rate for them is 1 mg. This category of people is more exposed to the risk of developing hypovitaminosis.

Where is vitamin A?

Fat-soluble substance enters the body naturally through food. Consider what kind of food contains this vitamin:

• Vegetables. By themselves, these products are very useful, because they have a lot of other vitamins. Retinol and carotene are found in carrots, spinach, pumpkin, green onions and parsley.
• Fruit. Of these, you can distinguish apples, apricots, grapes and melons.
• Berries. Enriched with vitamin A cherry and sea buckthorn, as well as watermelon.
• Milk and fermented milk products. Here you can note sour cream, cheese and milk.
• Egg, chicken yolk, beef liver, red caviar and fish oil.

The use of these products will help to protect yourself from a lack of vitamin A. Health is the main thing in life, therefore, it is necessary to follow it.

Causes

In most cases, it is the wrong diet or a strict diet that causes the occurrence of hypovitaminosis A. Children suffer from ailment most often because of diathesis. In addition, improper operation of internal organs can also lead to a shortage of retinol and carotene.

The lack of this vitamin leads to the development of dry eye syndrome. And he, in turn, is the most common cause of complete blindness. In addition, hypovitaminosis is a source of premature aging.

There may be a situation where a person consumes a certain amount of vitamin, and the ailment still appears. Then the cause is a violation of the functioning of internal organs. Retinol enters the body, but is not absorbed because of problems with the liver or bile ducts. There are two types of causes: exogenous and endogenous. The former are associated with external exposure to unwanted factors, and the latter - with problems inside the body.

Symptoms

There are a lot of symptoms of hypovitaminosis A, so let's consider the main ones. The lack of retinol is expressed in the appearance of wrinkles, premature skin aging, the formation of dandruff. One of the most striking symptoms is "night blindness", which indicates the inability to see in the dark. In addition, there is dry skin, acne, the condition of teeth deteriorates.

Symptoms of vitamin A hypovitaminosis in childhood are characterized by a decrease in the level of immunity, color blindness, fatigue, apathy, and slowing growth. The lack of retinol and carotene often leads to problems with the intestines. Women may experience erosion of the cervix, and men will face problems with urinary incontinence and lack of erection. In rare cases, a deficiency of vitamins leads to the development of lung cancer, pneumonia and bronchitis. In any case, with the first symptoms you should seek help from a specialist, self-medication is not recommended.

Stages of hypovitaminosis

Symptoms of a shortage of retinol are quite diverse and each person is individual. However, there are three general stages of vitamin A deficiency:

1. The first stage is characterized by a disruption in the functioning of organs within the body, which leads to a decrease in efficiency and a weakening of immunity. A person becomes exposed to various viruses and infections. To determine this, it is necessary to conduct a laboratory examination with a doctor.
2. The second stage is determined by the presence of visual signs that appear as a result of a shortage of nutrients. It is already beginning to develop the disease.
3. The third stage is said when there is a complete lack of vitamins or there are problems with its assimilation. In this case, such diseases develop with hypovitaminosis A, which can be treated only after replenishing retinol and carotene.

Application in medicine

Vitamin A is prescribed by doctors, when they understand that the body lacks it. Usually retinol is recommended in the following cases:

• Diseases of the skin and mucous membranes, for example dermatitis, thrush, etc .;
• Problems with the visual organs with prolonged use of the computer;
• Damage to the skin.

In most cases, the intake of vitamin A preparations is part of a comprehensive therapy aimed at eliminating a particular disease. It is especially active in the treatment of internal diseases. They are also appointed to fill the lack of iron in the body. This is due to the fact that the retinol content directly depends on the amount of iron.

Diagnostics

As already noted, when the first symptoms appear, you need to see a doctor. Here the question arises: to which? It depends on the symptoms that were seen. If a person has pain or discomfort in the abdomen, you should register with a gastroenterologist. If you have problems with the visual organs, you need to contact an ophthalmologist. Well and in case of occurrence of problems with a skin (irrespective of the reasons) a direct road to the dermatologist.

All these specialists, one way or another, face in their practice with hypovitaminosis. To correctly diagnose ailment, you must first conduct an examination of the patient. By its results, a biochemical blood test and an ophthalmoscopic procedure are usually prescribed. As a result of these studies, the doctor collects all the data and makes a diagnosis. It should be noted that the probability of error is quite high, since the symptoms of avitaminosis coincide with the signs of a mass of other diseases.

Treatment of ailment

It should be noted immediately that you do not need to delay with the replenishment of vitamins in the body. Many people think that it's okay, they say, we'll start eating properly later, and everything will pass. This is fundamentally wrong. The state of vitamin deficiency can lead to serious consequences. First of all, if a disease is found, therapy should be performed to replace retinol. Treatment of hypovitaminosis A is carried out in several ways:

1. The correct diet. It is necessary to start eating foods with a high proportion of retinol.
2. Medicines. This therapy lasts for several weeks, usually up to a month. Preparations of vitamin A are prescribed individually, depending on the stage of development of the disease.
3. Treatment of other diseases. Deficiency of vitamins leads to the appearance of various diseases, up to oncology. Therefore, it is possible to try to eliminate precisely such diseases in order to prevent their development.

However, the latter method is not entirely correct, since it is still recommended to first fill the shortage of vitamins, and only then start a serious treatment.

Of the drugs containing retinol, you can select Undevit, Complivit, Hexavit and Vitrum. The use of these medicines will accelerate the process of replenishing vitamins in the body. They are prescribed mainly to patients who do not have the opportunity to eat in a balanced manner. In any other situation, doctors recommend combating the disease with special diets.

Prevention

In fact, everything is simple. After all, what is hypovitaminosis? This is a deficiency of vitamins in the body. To prevent this from happening, you must use products that contain these elements. Vegetables, fruits, greens and eggs should be present in the diet of each person. They have not only vitamin A, but also other groups of organic compounds that have a positive effect on the body.

If a person does not have the opportunity to eat these foods, or he does not like them, it is recommended to take medications. The above medications are excellent for maintaining the required level of retinol. Doctors often recommend taking "AEVIT" or multivitamins.

Effects

The consequences of hypovitaminosis A are not the most comforting. A prolonged shortage of retinol and carotene leads to diseases of internal organs and all systems, disruption of life. Most often, blindness, dermatitis are diagnosed, development of oncology is possible. To protect yourself from this, you need to monitor your diet.

If you find the first symptoms, you should not postpone visiting a doctor. The problem, which at first glance seems not serious, can develop into a health hazard. Discomfort in the abdomen can easily turn into pancreatic cancer, and there are a lot of such examples. Therefore, you need to love your body and in every possible way to protect it from the penetration of bacteria and infections.