Vitamins

Tweet

Vitamin A - People At Risk Of Deficiency

Date reviewed: 5 July 2015 | Date updated: 5 July 2015

Certain people are more at risk of vitamin A deficency:

• People that are on a very low fat diet - people that are on very low fat diets may not be eating enough foods that are rich in vitamin A, because most foods high in vitamin A tend to be high in fat also. Low fat diet could contribute to a deficiency of vitamin A and supplementation may be required
• People that drink alcohol excessively - people that drink excessive amounts of alcohol may be deficient in vitamin A because the alcohol prevents the body from transporting and using vitamin A properly. If they are not eating enough food, they may not get enough vitamin A from their foods
• People that have recently undergone surgery - people that have undergone surgery may be deficient in vitamin A, as all the reserves will be used to help the body heal from the surgery, so may need vitamin A supplementation
• People that smoke cigarettes - Tobacco reduces the amount of vitamin A that is absorbed from foods eaten, so people who smoke cigarettes may become deficient in vitamin A and need supplementation
• People that take certain medications - many prescription as well as over-the-counter (OTC) medications cause a decreased absorption of vitamin A, which could cause a deficiency
• People under a lot of stress - people that are under a great deal of stress, especially if it is constant and prolonged, may have used up most of their vitamin A reserves to combat the free radicals that are produced at times of stress (which is constant for them) and could become deficient
• People with certain illnesses - people with certain illness may have low vitamin A levels - illness such as cystic fibrosis, liver disease and chronic diarrhoea
• People with chronic infections - people with any type of chronic infection (bacterial, viral or fungal) usually have low levels of vitamin A due to the infection and may have used up most of their vitamin A reserves to combat the free radicals that are produced at times of infection, so could be deficient and may need supplementation
• People with recent severe burns - people that have recent and severe burns may be deficient in vitamin A, as all the reserves will be used to help the body heal from the severe burns, so may need vitamin A supplementation
• Strict vegetarians and vegans - vitamin A only exists in food that is of animal origin - meats and meat products such as milk, cheese, eggs and butter. People that do not eat animal foods (or only very little animal products) may be at a high risk of being deficient in vitamin A and could need supplementation, especially if their body doesn't effectively convert betacarotene into vitamin A

People with any type of medical condition should seek advice from their doctor before trying any vitamin A supplements to ensure it is suitable for their individual circumstances.

Comments