A Combinaton of Vitamins A and D: Benefits and Drawbacks

The combination of vitamins A and D has been the topic of much discussion. It offers some very real benefits, but also has some possible (it varies from person to person) drawbacks. The following information is intended to show both sides of the proverbial coin, and put the facts into perspective.

Vitamin A assists the immune system, especially the intestines and respiratory tract. It is also an essential part of maintaining healthy vision. It was also established that vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining a healthy skin. A lack of it normally firstly shows up in vision problems, and secondly in a dry skin, or skin disorders.

Vitamin D, on the other hand, plays a less “visible”, but more crucial role. It is involved in regulating calcium intake, it aids with cell differentiation, it’s involved in insulin secretion, and it helps regulate your blood pressure. Vitamin D processing is aided by the effect of sunlight on the skin. As you grow older, your skin becomes less capable of this action, and you become more prone to a vitamin D deficiency. That explains why older people become more vulnerable to high blood pressure and diabetes.

Vitamins A and D, when combined, greatly improves immune response, and healing capabilities of the skin. It is a strong anti-oxidant, and helps in slowing down the ageing process of the skin.

There is, however, one crucial factor to be taken into consideration: Too much vitamin A has a negative effect on the ability of vitamin D to regulate the calcium intake and processing. If you do take different vitamin supplements, take care not to add up too much, as it is possible to create unwanted difficulties arising from a lack of calcium.

This was, among others, concluded by the University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. They set out to find the reason for the high occurrence of osteoporosis in northern Europe, and found that the population of the area has a very high intake of vitamin A, but a lack of sunlight limits the production of vitamin D.

In conclusion: The combination of vitamins A and D has been proven to be of great benefit. Be careful, however, not to overdo the recommended intake, or you might risk severe side effects.