How important is vitamin A?

01/06/2022 06:15 GMT+7

Are side effects scary?

Although her daughter is 3 years old, Le Thi Lan (Duong Noi, Hanoi) still has not given her high dose of vitamin A on occasions when the health station organizes to give it to children. Ms. Lan said that once, her child had diarrhea and vomiting after drinking. Although she knew it was a side effect of vitamin A, she was still worried about losing more.

Doctor Truong Huu Khanh – Children’s Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said whether children taking vitamin A have side effects is a question many mothers are concerned about. Many scientific studies have shown that vitamin A is safe for children. In fact, about 1.5-10% of children experience side effects when using this active ingredient. Because in fact, no food or medicine is 100% safe.

Common symptoms such as children may have vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, fontanel bulge. Some children may have local allergies, headaches, and difficulty breathing.

Usually these symptoms will only last for 1-2 days and then subside and disappear without endangering the baby’s health. According to experts, depending on the age and weight of each child, the severity of symptoms will vary.

Usually, the younger and weaker the baby, the more likely it is to experience this side effect. However, vitamin A deficiency in children’s health will be greatly affected. Children may not develop and grow slower than their peers. Therefore, children need to take vitamin A on schedule.

Night blindness is caused by a vitamin A deficiency. Rhodopsin helps the eyes see low light. Rhodopsin is made up of protein and carotenoid compounds (vitamin A derivatives), so when vitamin A is deficient, the ability to see in low light will be reduced, this phenomenon often appears at dusk.

Children need vitamin A supplements according to their age.

In 2009, it was estimated that more than 500,000 children worldwide suffered from night blindness and vision loss due to vitamin A deficiency. But more importantly, studies of these children’s lives have documented mortality rates, Diseases and social burden of night blindness children due to vitamin A deficiency are very large.

Two roles of vitamin A

Firstly, vitamin A constitutes the mucous layer and increases the protective properties of the mucous membranes not only of the eyes but also of the whole body, it is the main structure of the immune system in the mucosa from respiratory, digestive, skin …. So the addition of vitamin A also strengthens the resistance of the respiratory and digestive systems to help reduce the rate of diarrhea, severe infections….

Second, vitamin A is a substance that helps immune cells to be activated, multiply and differentiate to fight the invasion of microorganisms, especially T-cell lines.

Those who need vitamin A supplements are children aged 6-36 months or children at high risk of vitamin A deficiency, severe malnutrition, prolonged diarrhea, recurrent respiratory infections, children with signs of dryness. eyes… need vitamin A supplements. In addition, women who are breastfeeding within 1 month after giving birth.
Dosage to take: Under 6 months old, not breastfed: 50,000 units
• From 6-12 months old: 100,000 units
• From 12-36 months old: 200,000 units
• Children under 5 years old are at risk of Vitamin A deficiency
• Children with confirmed measles infection
• Mothers 1 month after giving birth: 200,000 units

Vitamin A capsules are safe and effective to use, transient side effects such as abdominal pain, vomiting … will disappear after a few hours without any treatment. If there are more manifested side effects such as severe abdominal pain, continuous vomiting, allergies, the child should be taken to a medical facility.

Khanh Chi