Vitamin A deficiency

An ongoing one Vitamin A deficiency an can lead to vision problems and a higher susceptibility to infection. An increased risk of vitamin A deficiency occurs in: People with clinical pictures that affect the type of food intake in the intestine, such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis. Diseases affecting the liver or pancreas. People who live on a strictly vegan diet. Prolonged excessive drinking or alcoholism.

What is Vitamin A Deficiency?

Vitamins are a group of substances that the body needs in small amounts to maintain health. Vitamin A cannot be made by the human body, making it an essential part of a healthy diet. Vitamin A is important for healthy eyes, good eyesight, healthy skin, and fighting infections. Vitamin A is sometimes referred to as retinol.

Foods that contain vitamin A include yogurt, milk, eggs, and fish liver oils. Another substance called beta-carotene, found in green lettuce and orange and yellow vegetables and fruits, can be converted to vitamin A by the body. Mild forms of vitamin A deficiency can usually be treated with no long-term effects.

Vitamin A deficiency is more common in developing countries, where it often leads to blindness and even death. The recommended daily amount of vitamin A for adults is 0.7 milligrams for men and 0.6 milligrams for women. A daily diet that includes some of the foods listed above is sufficient for healthy adults. Excess vitamin A is stored by the body. Therefore, you do not necessarily need the recommended amount of vitamin A every day.

Very high intake of vitamin A can lead to problems such as rough skin, dry hair, and an enlarged liver.High amounts of vitamin A in pregnant women can also cause the unborn baby to develop birth defects. Therefore, women who are pregnant or become pregnant should not take vitamin A supplements. Women who are pregnant or become pregnant should also avoid consuming liver or liver products such as liver pate and liver sausage.

causes

Vitamin A deficiency can be caused by a prolonged inadequate intake of vitamin A. This is especially the case in crops where rice is a major part of the diet as it does not contain carotene. Vitamin A deficiency can also occur when the body is unable to process the vitamin A from the diet.

This can occur with a variety of diseases including: celiac disease, Crohn's disease, giardiasis (an infection of the intestines), cirrhosis of the liver, obstruction of the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder into the intestines.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

Mild forms of vitamin A deficiency can lead to fatigue. Both mild and severe forms of vitamin A deficiency can increase your risk of: Infections, including throat and chest infections and gastroenteritis, delayed growth and bone development in children and adolescents, infertility, miscarriages.

Severe forms of vitamin A deficiency can also cause eye and vision problems, night blindness, thinning and ulceration of the cornea on the surface of the eyes, dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea on the surface of the eyes (xerophthalmia), oval or triangular, or irregular foamy spots on the whites of the eyes (Bitot spots).

Perforations of the cornea and severe visual impairment due to damage to the retina at the back of the eye can also occur as side effects. Dry skin, dry hair and itching (pruritus) are common symptoms of vitamin A deficiency.

Diagnosis & course of disease

If a doctor suspects a vitamin A deficiency, a blood test will be ordered. Initially, confirmation of the vitamin A deficiency is pending. Then check for any symptoms such as anemia.

Additional tests will include eyesight tests, especially in nighttime conditions. The serum retinol binding protein test is easier to perform and relatively inexpensive. Determining the zinc level can also help, as zinc deficiency disrupts the production of retinol-binding protein.

In children, x-rays of the long bones can be useful to assess bone growth, which can be delayed in case of vitamin A deficiency. Morbidity increases once blindness has progressed. Irreversible conditions include punctiform keratopathy, keratomalacia, and corneal perforation.

Complications

Since vitamin A is involved in many metabolic reactions, a vitamin A deficiency can lead to various complications. First of all, a pronounced lack of vitamin A manifests itself in the occurrence of night blindness. If the deficiency is intense and persists for a long time, the eyes are also destroyed by keratin formation in the conjunctiva and cornea.

Increased vascularization and infiltration of leukocytes then takes place in the cornea. This leads to edema and dissolution of the collagen matrix. The eyes are irreversibly damaged. Malnutrition and the associated reduced supply of vitamin A can lead to blindness. The skin and mucous membranes also become increasingly horny if vitamin A is lacking.

These cornifications in turn increase the risk of cracks in the skin and mucous membrane. These skin injuries greatly increase the risk of infection. The number of cells producing mucus also decreases. This can lead to complicated infections, especially in the respiratory organs. Often these are associated with extensive necrosis (death of the cells).

As a result, stubborn pneumonia can develop, which can sometimes be fatal. Frequent urinary tract infections increase the risk of developing bladder stones. Another complication that can occur with vitamin A deficiency is additional bone formation in the ear. By crowding out nerves, this can also lead to numbness or blindness.

When should you go to the doctor?

The person concerned should always consult a doctor in the event of a vitamin A deficiency. In most cases, this disease cannot heal itself, so treatment by a doctor is always necessary. The earlier the person concerned visits a doctor, the better the further course is usually, so that the patient should consult a doctor at the first signs of the deficiency. In the case of vitamin A deficiency, a doctor should be consulted if the person concerned frequently suffers from various infections.

Bones are often broken and growth is delayed in children. Those affected also very often show infertility or increased miscarriages. In the eyes, the vitamin A deficiency can lead to visual problems or even night blindness, so that a doctor should also be consulted with these symptoms. Furthermore, very dry skin and severe itching on the skin also indicate this deficiency.

In the case of these complaints, a general practitioner or a pediatrician can primarily be seen. Further treatment then depends heavily on the cause of the vitamin A deficiency, so that no general prediction can be made about the further course.

Treatment & Therapy

Treating mild forms of vitamin A deficiency includes eating foods rich in vitamin A - for example, liver, beef, chicken, eggs, milk, carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, and leafy green vegetables. If the vitamin A deficiency is already causing more severe symptoms, treatment also includes daily oral intake of vitamin A supplements.

Severe forms of vitamin A deficiency can cause permanent vision loss if treatment with vitamin A supplements is not given early. If mild eye problems occur early on, treatment can result in full recovery without any permanent vision loss.

prevention

Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin A will usually prevent a vitamin A deficiency from developing in the first place, as long as no chronic illness prevents the body from getting the vitamin A it needs from the diet. It is recommended that you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Vitamin A is often added to various foods such as breakfast cereals, baked goods, bread, cookies, and fitness bars. For people with a generally higher risk, especially children, vitamin A supplements can be an adequate addition to a regular diet.

Aftercare

A vitamin A deficiency does not require extensive aftercare. If the deficiency is compensated early enough, there will be no secondary symptoms or health complications. Further follow-up care is only useful in the case of severe deficiency symptoms, which may have already caused secondary symptoms. For example, deteriorated eyesight or inflammation of the mucous membranes must be clarified by a doctor.

As part of the follow-up care, the specialist can examine the affected areas of the body, draw blood and, if necessary, arrange a CT scan. The aim is to completely capture the symptom picture. The symptoms can then be alleviated through targeted measures. The intensity and duration of the therapy depend on how severe the deficiency symptoms are.

If you are tired or have difficulty concentrating, a discussion with the doctor is usually sufficient. Under certain circumstances, light medication can be prescribed. A conversation with a nutritionist can also be part of the aftercare. During follow-up care must be taken to ensure that the patient does not develop a vitamin A deficiency again.

This is guaranteed by comprehensive advice from a nutritionist and, if necessary, from other specialists. The family doctor or the responsible specialist will take care of the follow-up care if severe symptoms occur. Since the susceptibility to infection increases with a vitamin A deficiency, people with previous illnesses may have to consult their doctor again.

You can do that yourself

A vitamin A deficiency can be compensated for by those affected. A change in diet is usually sufficient. The menu must include many animal foods, especially dairy products, fish, liver and lean meat. Food rich in vitamin A should be stored in a dark and sealed place in the refrigerator, as the substance is sensitive to light and oxygen. In the case of noticeable deficiency symptoms, dietary supplements with vitamin A or beta-carotene are ideal. The use of supplements should be discussed with the doctor in order to avoid an overdose. Pregnant women are particularly at risk and speak to the gynecologist or general practitioner if there are deficiency symptoms.

Along with the causal treatment, the symptoms must be cured. Reduced vision can be temporarily reduced by using a visual aid or the use of eye drops. If you are tired or weak, rest and rest are recommended. Massages and hot baths can help if muscle problems occur. Dry skin can be treated with a suitable care product from the drugstore or homeopathic cabinet. If you have difficulty breathing, a walk in the fresh air helps. Signs of anemia require medical clarification. The same applies to persistent exhaustion, poor concentration or inflammation of the mucous membrane and skin.