What is Retinol Supplement?
Retinol supplement is also known as vitamin A and commonly found in food. Mostly it is consumed to fulfill the deficiency of vitamin A. This supplement is very useful to cure xerophthalmia. Some other use of vitamin A include:
- It makes our immune system strong and helps our body to defense against viruses and infections.
- It is good for eyesight and improve our vision in low light.
- It helps to keep our skin and the lining of some body parts healthy, such as the nose.
Sources of Retinol (vitamin A) Supplement
The good source of vitamin A are milk, yogurt, fish oil, eggs and cheese. Other than these resources it is also found in liver or liver products. If you are pregnant you should avoid liver products or your pregnancy may be at risk. Beta-carotene is also provide good source of vitamin A, our digestion system convert it into retinol. Beta-carotene includes some vegetables and fruits such as carrots, spinach, red peppers, sweet potatoes, apricots, papaya and mangoes.
How much vitamin A should we consume?
If we talk about consumption of vitamin A, it is used to measured in micrograms (µg) generally in a content of a food.
Adult from age group 19 to 64, varies in gender, for men 700 µg and for women 600 µg a day. You can able to get it from your routine diet. It is not compulsory to have vitamin A daily in your diet. Our body have natural system that it stores vitamins for future use unless your body has deficiency of vitamin A, consult your doctor and include vitamin A in your diet as prescribed by doctor.
What happens if we take excess amount of vitamin A?
Research shows that having in excess of a normal of 1.5 mg (1,500 µg) a day of vitamin A over numerous years might weak your bones, making them bound to break or fractured when a person is above 50 years old. Patients suffering from osteoporosis (disease of bone weakens) should avoid excess use of vitamin A. Mostly older age women suffers from osteoporosis condition. So avoid excess consumption of vitamin A, remember when you are eating liver or liver products, supplements like multivitamins and fish liver oil because these products are enriched with vitamin A.
Assure yourself that amount of vitamin A should not exceed 1.5 mg (1500 µg) a day, if you are taking any kind of multivitamins. And if eat liver in a weak than you should skip your supplements that contain Vitamin A.
Vitamin A in pregnancy
Consumption of vitamin A in excessive amount can be harmful in pregnancy. You should stop eating liver or liver foodstuffs like liver paste or pie as well as supplements that contain vitamin A. Consult your doctor or your midwife for more information.
Guidance of Health Department and Social Care
- Eating a mixed and balanced diet from which you get vitamin A.
- Do not consume excess amount of retinol supplement because this could be harmful.
- Only eat liver or liver products such as liver pate once in a week because it is very rich source of retinol.
- You should also take care of amount you consume of vitamin A contain in any supplements you take or prescribed by the doctor.
- If you’re thinking of having a baby or pregnant:
- You should not use multivitamins or supplements containing excess amount of vitamin A as well as fish oil, unless prescribed by your doctor or midwife.
- Discontinue consuming liver or liver foodstuffs, as these are enrich in vitamin A.
Females who are above 50s going through the process of menopause and males who are above 60s, mostly have weaker bone and has a risk of osteoporosis, should stop consuming excess amount of retinol supplement. Consumption of vitamin A should not exceed form 1.5mg in food or supplements in a day.
