Contents:
- Medical Video: How To Heal Broken Bones Faster Naturally
- What is vitamin A?
- Is it true that excess vitamin A can cause fractures?
- Tips to avoid the risk of fractures
Medical Video: How To Heal Broken Bones Faster Naturally
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin needed by our body. Vitamin A is very closely related to vision health. In addition, vitamin A is also needed for growth, the immune system, and reproduction. However, behind all the benefits, excess vitamin A also seems to endanger health, especially for bone health.
What is vitamin A?
Before discussing the dangers of further vitamin A, you should first know what vitamin A.
We can get Vitamin A from fruits and vegetables and animal sources. There are two forms of vitamin A that we can get from these food sources, namely:
- Retinol, or also commonly called the actual form of vitamin A because the form of vitamin A is immediately ready for use by the body. We can get retinol from animal sources, such as liver, eggs, and fatty fish. In addition, many foods have been fortified or fortified with retinol, such as in cereals. Vitamin A form of retinol can also be found in supplements.
- Beta carotene, is a precursor of vitamin A, so the body must convert it to retinol or vitamin A before you can use it. Beta carotene can be found in fruits and vegetables that are orange and dark green, as in carrots, yams, mangoes and kale leaves.
Vitamin A is one type of fat soluble vitamin. The body stores vitamin A in the form of retinol and beta carotene in the liver, this vitamin A reserve will be used when the body needs it.
Is it true that excess vitamin A can cause fractures?
Some studies have shown that excess vitamin A can weaken bones and cause fractures (fractures), especially in the hip area. A study by the Harvard Medical School in 2002 showed that high intake of vitamin A increases the risk of fracture in women after menopause. This study also shows that the main cause of this is retinol.
Another study conducted in Sweden showed that men with high levels of retinol in the blood had a risk of fracture at the hip more than twice that of individuals who had average blood retinol levels. Also, individuals who consume vitamin A more than 5000 IU per day have a doubled risk of fracture compared to individuals who take vitamin A less than 1666 IU per day.
However, there are also studies that contradict this because the study did not take into account vitamin D intake as an important vitamin in bone formation. As stated by Caire-Juvera,et al in his study involving 75747 women from the 2009 Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, showed that excess vitamin A intake was not associated with fracture risk, except in women with low vitamin D intake.
However, many studies have linked excess vitamin A with an increased risk of fracture. One of them is a study by Feskanich in 2002 which showed that long-term high intake of retinol can support the development of hip fractures due to osteoporosis in women.
Experts believe that excess vitamin A triggers an increase in osteoclasts, which are cells that function to erode bones. In addition, excess vitamin A can also interfere with vitamin D activity. So, experts suggest that older men and women limit their retinol intake, especially those obtained from supplements. Also, suggest that it is better to consume vitamin A in the form of beta carotene than in the form of retinol.
Tips to avoid the risk of fractures
Here are some tips that you can do to avoid the risk of fractures.
- Take 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables provide your vitamin A needs in the form of better beta carotene.
- Limit consumption of liver and fish liver oil because they contain high amounts of vitamin A.
- If you take vitamin and mineral supplements, you should pay attention to the content. Don't choose supplements that contain 5000 IU of vitamin A or 1500 mcg (100% of vitamin A needs per day). Supplements containing 20% of the needs of vitamin A per day in the form of beta carotene or carotene mixtures are the best choices.
- Also read information on nutritional value on packets of foods fortified with vitamin A. Limit foods that contain 50% or more of vitamin A in the form of retinol per serving, you can consume 1-2 times per week.
- If you want to take supplements, you should consult with your doctor first.
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