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Vitamin A is one of the most prevalent vitamins in most
American’s diets today and it provides us with a great deal of
health benefits all the way from our vision to fighting off the free
radicals within our bodies that can create cancer cells. Vitamin A
can be consumed through many different foods that may already be
included in your daily diet. Some of these foods include fish liver
oils, green and yellow fruits and vegetables, carrots, papayas,
peaches, sweet potatoes, watercress, paprika, kelp, cayenne and so
much more. As you can see Vitamin A can |
be found in numerous amounts of foods that many people consume on a daily
basis without even realizing the benefits they are reaping.
On the other hand, a Vitamin A deficiency can cause symptoms like dry skin
and hair, night blindness, insomnia, frequent colds, acne and weight loss
to name a few. Carotenoids are related to Vitamin A and have many different
functions in relation to this vitamin. In some instances Carotenoids can act
as antioxidants and provide other important functions to the already health
beneficial aspects of Vitamin A. The most commonly known group of
Carotenoids are the carotenes and within this group, the beta-carotenes.
When foods and supplements are consumed that contain beta-carotenes, these
carotenes are then converted into Vitamin A in the liver. Recent research
studies and reports state that beta-carotenes can aid in the prevention of
cancer by neutralizing all the free radicals within the body, which have the
potential to create cancer cells. For instance, a study was conducted by the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute which found people who consumed
high doses of beta-carotene either through supplements or food sources,
smoked and drank alcohol as well
doubled their risk of cancer. On the other hand, those who took
beta-carotene and did not smoke or drink alcohol decreased their risk of
cancer by 44%.
Some of the other forms of Carotenoids include: xanthophylls, limonoids and
the phytosterols. Within each of these categories of Carotenoids includes
another group of Carotenoids that can benefit you in one way or another.
Higher consumption of lutein, which is in the xanthophylls family of
Carotenoids can help reduce the risk of cataracts and slow the progress of
prostate cancer. Although science has yet to discover all the Carotenoids
associated with Vitamin A, so far several hundred have been discovered
and researched.
Vitamin A and Carotenoids can be of great benefit to anyone’s health but
remember that too much Vitamin A or too little can create deficiencies and
overdoses that can cause your health and body harm. It is important to speak
with a naturopathic professional to understand the proper dosages of Vitamin
A in order to remain healthy and vibrant.More
Health Conditions and Topics
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