Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, plays an important role in keeping the tissues that line your intestinal tract healthy. Found in both plant and animal food sources, vitamin A comes in several forms, including beta-carotene, found in plants, and retinol, found in animal sources. Because excess vitamin A is stored in the fat tissues, toxicity can occur. Do not take supplemental vitamin A unless your doctor recommends it.
ACTIONS
Tissues in the body are constantly being replaced. Vitamin A helps repair and replace the intestinal lining as well as other tissues. The lining of the intestine is an important line of defense against bacteria and viruses that can cause intestinal illnesses.
PREVENTING INTESTINAL DISORDERS
Vitamin A deficiency can cause the lining of the intestine to harden, but it can also become more "leaky," leading to intestinal damage from disorders such as ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome, according to Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., a nutritionist with the Weston A. Price Foundation, a non-profit nutrition education agency. Vitamin A supplements may protect against diarrhea in populations where vitamin A deficiency is common, but this has not been conclusively proven.
STUDIES
In clinical studies, results have been mixed on the effectiveness of vitamin A in preventing or treating diarrheal infections in countries where vitamin A deficiency is common. A Harvard School of Public Health article published in the January 2002 issue of "Pediatrics" reported that vitamin A supplementation reduced growth stunting associated with chronic diarrhea in children with HIV or malaria infection. However, a meta-analysis of studies conducted by researchers from the Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel and reported in the March 2003 "Journal of Pediatrics" found that supplemental vitamin A had no benefit in reducing diarrhea in a review of nine studies.
CONSIDERATIONS
Vitamin A, like other vitamins and minerals, plays an important role in keeping your body healthy. In most cases, high supplemental doses of vitamin A are not necessary and may be harmful. Vitamin A is not normally used as a treatment for intestinal problems. If you have a disorder that causes malabsorption, you may need vitamin A supplementation -- along with other vitamins and minerals -- to replace nutrients lost because of poor fat absorption. Ask your doctor before you begin taking vitamin A for your particular digestive tract issue.
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