Vitamin A

Carotene or Retinol

 Fat

soluble

Yellow

colour in plants has vitamin A like activity,

converted to Vitamin A in body

 The

IU of vit A is equivalent to 0.3 microgram of

retinol or 0.55 microgram of retinol palmitate

Retinol
Well

Equivalent RE retinol & beta carotene

fed person reserves 6-9 months

RDA ICMR
GROUP

RETINOL (mcg)

Beta carotene (mcg)

Man

600

4800

Woman

600

4800

Pregnancy

800

6400

Lactation

950

7600

0-6 months

350

2800

6 -12 months

350

2800

1 -6 years

400

3200

7-9 years

600

4800

10-17 years

600

4800

Dietary Sources
Animal in the form of retinol
Egg
Fish liver oil
Milk
Butter
cheese

Plant carotenoid pigment

Green leafy vegetable-spinach & amaranth
Yellow coloured fruits
Mango
Papaya
pumpkin
carrot

Fortified foods
Vanaspati
milk

Food

Retinol content mcg / 100 g

Halibut liver oil

900,000

Cod liver oil

18,000

Ox liver

16,500

Carrot

1,167

Butter

825

Spinach

607

Cheese

350

Mango

313

Green leaves

300

Egg

140

Papaya

118

Tomato

84

Fish

40

Cow milk

38

Orange

25

Functions
Maintenance

of vision rhodopsin pigment

Maintaining normal functions glandular & epithelial
tissue-intestinal, respiratory, urinary tract, skin & eyes
Skeletal Growth &
Reproduction - Pregnancy
Develops immunity maintain normal epithelia
Bone & tooth development
Reduced risk of several diseases cancer, CVD

DIET
Containing Vit A & Protein

Circulation

Rods cell of Retina

Retinaldehyde (vit A Precursor) + opsin (protein)
Rhodospin
( visual pigment )
Nerve impulse

Vision in dim light

Absorption & metabolism

Body

gets Vitamin A in the form of retinol & retinyl

esters from animal food
Retinol directly absorbed by intestinal cell
Retinyl esters on hydrolysis retinol & organic acid
get absorbed
Plant food in the form of beta carotene
Beta carotene converted into retinol then absorbed
All forms of Vitamin A is absorbed in presence of
fat follows pathway of fat absorption

Storage
Stored

in body for longer period time-fat soluble

Stored in liver in the form of retinyl palmitate
Stored in stellatte cell special storing cell

Deficiency

Night blindness
Xeropthalmia dryness & thickening of conjuctival epitheliumnot treated irreversible damage conjuctival xerosis
Keratomalacia-untreated xeropthalmia-ulceration & perforation
of cornea
Bitots spots-muddy dry triangular patches
Corneal xerosis-dull, dry, non wettable cornea
Growth retardation
Dry skin
Affects immunity

Night blindness

Xeropthalmia

Keratomalacia

Bitots spots

Treatment
Single

massive dose
200,000 IU or 110 mg of retinol palmitate

Prevention
Improvement

of diet
Reducing contributory factors-PEM, RTI,
diarrhoea, measles
Nutrition education
200,000 IU in oil orally every 6 months to
preschool
100,000 IU 6 months to 1 year

Hypervitaminosis
Excess

vitamin A
Toxic effect

Symptoms
Anorexia
Hyperirritability
Sparcity of hair
Painful sweeling-bones & joints
Headache
Drying of skin
Enlargement of liver & spleen

Signs
Serum vitamin A
Bone pain
Hydrocephalus & vomiting children
Dry skin
Hair loss
Gingivitis
Fatigue
Ascites & portal hypertension