Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency appear when its level in the blood drops below 20 mcg/deciliter, as the body stores it in fatty tissue. Therefore, its deficiency often occurs after a long time as a result of malnutrition, and this phenomenon is more common in developing countries.
Vitamin A contributes to maintaining healthy skin and hair, balancing the immune system to fight infection, as well as maintaining eye health, so its deficiency leads to dysfunction of these organs and the injury of many diseases.
Symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency in the eyes
Vitamin A is an important component in the formation of light-sensitive neurons in the retina, and the most important symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in the eye are as follows:
- Dry Eye
Dry eye is one of the signs of vitamin A deficiency, and it appears in the form of redness and burning in the eye, and the inability to produce tears and its continuation may cause complete blindness and death of the cornea.
- blurred vision
Vitamin A deficiency causes blurry vision due to the formation of irregular oval or triangular spots on the white of the eye called Bitot’s spots.
- night blindness
Night blindness (inability to adapt to darkness) appears in cases of severe vitamin A deficiency and is more prevalent in developing countries because of their poor diet for this vitamin.
A scientific study conducted on women suffering from night blindness after giving them nutritional supplements rich in vitamin A showed that their condition improved by 50% within a month and a half of treatment, and their ability to adapt to darkness increased.
- Corneal ulcer and erosion
One of the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency is an eye ulcer, which appears in the form of redness and pain in the eye, and white spots appear on the surface of the eye.
- Visual impairment due to damage to the retina.
Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency on the skin
Vitamin A is one of the important elements in the formation of skin cells and maintaining their health, as it helps protect it from many diseases, and the symptoms of its deficiency on the skin are the following:
- skin dryness
Vitamin A enters into the formation of collagen in the skin, and therefore its deficiency leads to the emergence of skin diseases, such as eczema, which causes severe dryness of the skin and itching.
A scientific study conducted on people suffering from eczema demonstrated a 53% reduction in eczema symptoms after taking vitamin A derivatives for 3 months.
Another scientific study was conducted on children and infants and showed that a diet rich in vitamin A for 6 months reduces the risk of developing dry eyes by 63%.
- Difficulty healing wounds
Since vitamin A is involved in the production of collagen in the skin, its deficiency leads to difficulty in wound healing and weak skin cells.
A scientific study conducted on the elderly, after treating their skin wounds with topical vitamin A, showed a 50% decrease in the size of their wounds and their speed of healing.
- The appearance of acne
Vitamin A helps treat acne, fight inflammation, and prevent it, whether it is in the form of topical cream or tablets.
A scientific study showed the success of vitamin A in reducing acne wounds, whether the treatment was tablets or topical by 50%.
- Dry lips and thickening of the tongue
One of the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency is dry lips, which appear in the form of swelling and cracking of the lips, frequent wounds, and bleeding in them.
Symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency in children
Children are often exposed to malnutrition and a lack of vitamins in their diet, especially in developing countries. Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include:
- Recurrent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections
Vitamin A helps to strengthen the immune system and increase its efficiency in fighting infection, due to its role in the formation of white blood cells, and other immune cells needed in the fight against diseases of the digestive system, sore throat, and chest.
There are statistics indicating that vitamin A deficiency is associated with an increased risk of measles and an increased mortality rate, especially in children in developing countries.
- delayed growth
One of the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in children, which appears clearly in developing countries, is delayed growth.
A scientific study was conducted on more than 1,000 children in East Asia, and the results of this study resulted in an increase in the growth of these children by 0.39 cm after they took nutritional supplements rich in vitamin A over a period of 4 months, compared to others who took nutritional supplements that do not contain this vitamin.
Vitamin A deficiency also causes poor bone health and an increased risk of fractures.
Symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency on hair and nails
Vitamin A deficiency causes hair loss and dryness, as it enters the formation of the sebaceous glands necessary to moisturize the scalp and maintain hair health, as well as its deficiency leads to cracking and weak nails.
What are the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in the thyroid gland?
Malnutrition leads to a lack of vitamins and nutrients necessary to maintain the efficiency of the thyroid gland, such as: vitamin A and iodine.
When the level of vitamin A in the body decreases with iodine deficiency, it causes an increase in the size of the thyroid gland, and the level of its hormones decreases, causing the following symptoms:
- Constant feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
- skin dryness.
- Neck swelling and difficulty swallowing and breathing.
