Vitamin A

We all know that vitamins are an essential part of life.  They are micronutrients because our bodies require them in small amounts compared to things like carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water.  Vitamins are a significant part of our good health because they regulate metabolism and are part of how our processes our food to release the energy within it.  Vitamins are either soluble in water or fat.  Water-soluble vitamins must be brought into the body daily because they are not stored in the body but pass through the body within hours.  Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body, usually in the body's fatty tissues.

Vitamin A

• Essential for healthy eyesight, skin, nails, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, a strong immune system, red blood cell production, and regulates genetic expression.
• Has been successfully used to enhance immunity, help heal gastrointestinal ulcers and to prevent night blindness. 
• Deficiency can cause dry hair and/or skin, dry eyes, poor growth, insomnia, fatigue, reproductive troubles, sinusitis, pneumonia, respiratory infections, skin disorders and weight loss.

Vitamin A, an antioxidant, is a fat-soluble vitamin commonly known as the anti-infective vitamin, because it is required for normal functioning of the immune system.  Without each of the necessary components of the immune system, we get sick and experience other negative symptoms in our lives.

Antibiotics, laxatives, and some cholesterol-lowering drugs interfere with the body's absorption of Vitamin A.  Overdose of Vitamin A (over 100,000 IU daily for a long period of time) can be toxic to the body, particularly to the liver, and can cause birth defects.  

Carotenoids are a class of compounds related to Vitamin A that are found in dark colored plant foods.  One commonly known carotenoid is beta-carotene, others are lycopene and lutein.  Beta-carotene has been shown to help prevent cancer by scavenging for free radicals.  You cannot overdose on beta-carotene but if you take in too much your skin may turn slightly yellow-orange in color.

Supplements
Supplementation is important today because while we were created to get all the nutrients we need for healthy lives through our food, our commercialized food supply today does not provide the same volume of important nutrients that it once did.  Due to poor commercial farming practices, depleted soils and premature harvesting, our produce is not as nutritious as Grandma's produce was.  It is important that we supplement our diets with food based supplements because our bodies don't appreciate synthetic copy-cats. 


Shaklee's Vitalizer®  is the result of fifty years of research and based on 12 Shaklee clinical studies. With 80 bio-optimized clinically proven nutrients, Vitalizer provides the best spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-aging phytonutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics.*

 
VitaLea® multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplements are food based supplements that provide 23 essential vitamins and minerals at clinically proven levels for optimal health.  VitaLea is the multi that is contained in the Vitalizer pack. Taken daily, Vita-Lea promotes overall health and wellness and supports long-term colon, heart, and eye health, and strengthens the immune system.



Shaklee also has an anti-oxidant powerhouse supplement combination.  This nutrition pack delivers a 30-day supply of whole-body antioxidant protection. CarotoMax contains the six most important classes of cartenoids, while FlavoMax provides the six key classes of flavonoids. Combined, they are nature's antioxidant powerhouse, protecting your cells and DNA from free radical attacks.



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Vitamin A from Linus Pauling Institute
Vitamin A from the US National Library of Medicine
Prescription for Nutritional Healing
Office of Dietary Supplements: National Institute of Health