A Story about Vitamin A

Apr 6
13:21

2011

Judy He

Judy He

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Vitamin A is the first vitamin that is discovered by human beings. There are generally two types of vitamin A. We are familaiar to this substance. We know its ingredients and functions. But we have never notice the story behind it.

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Vitamin A is the first vitamin that is discovered by human beings. There are generally two types of vitamin A. We are familiar to this substance. We know its ingredients and functions. But we have never notice the story behind it. Not long ago,A Story about Vitamin A  Articles Mr. Ge, the director of the Chinese Nutrition Society told me a true story about former Chinese soldiers and vitamin A. Once upon a time, the Chinese soldiers could not see anything in the darkness. Such a situation not only disturbed their life, but also influenced the war. Two Chinese doctors were sent to the battle field immediately. Soon they found that the soldiers did not have enough fruit and vegetables to eat. As a result, they all lacked the nutrition, vitamin A. It was this very reason that these solders suffered from nyctotphlosis. The doctors boiled the branches of the local pines and let the soldier eat potherbs to ingest adequate vitamin A. Later, they provided a potherb menu for the army to help them prevent this disease. From this story, we can naturally come to a conclusion that vitamin A is crucial to our life.

Recently, a seminar about vitamin A was held in Beijing, China. Experts said, according to the investigations, lack of this vitamin is an important issue in China. 50% of the people investigated have such a problem and many of them are women and children. In recent years, the ingestion of vegetables and rice has been decreasing year after year in China, which leads to the decrease of human body’s ingestion of micro elements. Only 15% of surveyed people reach the standard. A survey intended for 3-year-old to 12-year-old children reveals that children under the age of ten should take this problem more seriously. Meanwhile, Chinese women, especially the pregnant ones, have higher risks in lacking this vitamin. As for the elderly, they have this problem as well. Obviously, it has become a health issue in China.

As David Hipgrave from United Nations Children’s Fund say, it has been recognized as one of the four deficiency diseases by the WHO. An epidemiological research indicates that the lack may increase the possibility of respiratory and intestinal infections. At present, there are three methods to improve this situation. They are balancing the diet, ensuring the food diversity and taking vitamin A complements. Of all the complements, oil is the best choice. In America, margarine has been used as a carrier of vitamin A since 1944. People in Venezuela add the vitamin to the corns. All the countries have made great achievements through the governments’ cooperation with companies and manufacturers.

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