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Vitamin A

https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR25/nutrlist/sr25w318.pdf and

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/HG72/hg72_2002.pdf

 

 

 

Assessment and Plan: Vitamin A

  • Vitamin A supplements in children aged 6 months to 5 years reduced all-cause mortality by 24% in 17 trials evaluated by Mayo-Wilson E., et al. Mortality associated with diarrhea was found to be reduced by 28% in 7 trials. Vitamin A was also found to reduce occurrence of diarrhea, measles, and vision problems. These findings are especially important in countries such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. (1)

 

  • The supplementation of Vitamin A in children with measles was documented to have an association with lower mortality rate in both malnourished and overall healthy children diagnosed with the disease. Vitamin A may reduce in morbidity and mortality by about 50% may also prevent eye damage and blindness. The World Health Organization recommends that all children diagnosed with measles throughout the world receive vitamin A supplementation regardless of which country they live. See vitamin A for more information about this nutrient.

 

  • For patients at risk of iron deficiency, vitamin A improves the effectiveness of iron supplementation. (4)

 

  • In patients with retinitis pigmentosa, 15,000 international units per day of vitamin A had on average a slower rate of retinal function decline than two groups not receiving this dosage.

 

  • Inadequate vitamin A intake may exacerbate iron deficiency and degrade immunity, but excess intake of vitamin A may result in toxicity. (6)

 

  • The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) expressed that insufficient evidence exists to recommend for or against the use of vitamins A, C, or E supplements or multivitamins with folic acid or antioxidant combinations for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease (9). However, a study by Roncucci L et al found that antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E (30,000 IU per day, 1 gram per day, and 70 mg per day respectively) lowered the recurrence rate of cancers of the colon including a reduction in adenoma recurrence of 5.7% of the antioxidant vitamin group compared to 14.7% in a group taking lactulose and 35.9% in the placebo group. (7)

 

  • Beta carotene is a pro-vitamin A and converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A or beta carotene is best consumed in food sources since supplements may be harmful. See the section on beta-carotene for detailed information. Heavy smokers, ex-smokers or asbestos workers who took beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements showed a significant increase in the risk of lung cancer (8).

 

 

 

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