Breaking Down Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the essential nutrients that the human body needs in order to operate. It is found in a number of foods that are readily available, which is the main source of vitamin A for the body. These foods include liver, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots, among others. It can also be found in many vitamin supplements that are available at drug and grocery stores. When food it eaten and digested, the vitamin is broken down into retinol (the easiest form of vitamin A for the body to absorb) and then distributed throughout the body, which uses it in a number of different ways.
Vitamin A and Vision
One way the body uses vitamin A is in the retina. The body is able to use vitamin A in the creation of rhodopsin. These are the rod-shaped parts of the retina and are important in the way we see. Rhodopsin is needed to see black and white and also to see at night. Without them, the body suffers from nightblindness. The body uses vitamin A in order to replenish the retinas' supply of rhodopsin. This is the reason why vitamin A is so important for a person's vision and a reason why carrots are thought of to be one of the best foods for vision.
Vitamin A and the Skin
Another way the body uses vitamin A is by converting it into retinol and using that to heal skin. While this is still being researched, vitamin A is one of the only vitamins and nutrients that show a dramatic change in the skin when put to use. For one, it is able to drastically reduce secretions of the sebaceous glands. When these glands secrete oils, pimples are formed on the skin, so when the body uses vitamin A, it helps prevent blemishes. In addition, the vitamin also reduces the number of bacteria in the ducts and pores of the skin.
Vitamin A as an Antioxidant
Vitamin A is also used by the body as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight of the formation and attacks of free radicals. These are responsible for attacking important cells in the body, including those that are involved with the immune system. By converting some of the vitamin A into antioxidants, the body is able to use them in the defense of these free radicals and therefore keep the body healthy and protect it from disease or harm.
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