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Vitamin A (Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate)
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Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
Vitamin A skin care benefits are making headlines. But there is also much more to this helpful vitamin.
Vitamin A benefits include helping with acne, skin care, stretch marks, eczema, menstruation, urinary tract health, wound healing, resistance to infection, heart health, sinusitus, and more.
Topical application of vitamin A helps relieve dry-eye disorder. Vitamin A taken orally and applied topically looks promising in preventing and possibly even treating skin cancers. It may be helpful, too, in lightening liver spots, those dark spots that often appear on aging skin. Topical application used in one study significantly lightened liver spots within one month.
Women who are involved in sports and exercise who may be prone to sprains are interested to learn that Vitamin A supplements have been shown in studies to play a central role in improved healing. It also may reduce the appearance of wrinkles and reverse the effects of sun damage on the skin.
Sources of Vitamin A
Top sources of vitamin A include:
Beef liver
Egg yolk
Cheddar cheese
Fortified milk
Top sources of beta-carotene include:
Sweet potato
Carrots
Pumpkin
Cantaloupe
Broccoli
Apricots
Spinach and collard greens
Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene, found in many fruits and vegetables, is a precursor of Vitamin A. Most notably, beta-carotene is responsible for pigmentation qualities, such as the orange color of carrots. Considered an antioxidant for properties that protect from, and induce the breakdown of, free radical reactions in plants and animals, beta carotene increases resistance to various environmental influences. Beta-carotene is usually synthesized from Vitamin A for cosmetic use, and is often used interchangeably with the term "proVitamin A." It is widely used in the cosmetics industry, in suntan products, cleansers, moisturizers, aftershave lotions, bath products, makeup, hair care products, and facial skin care products. Its common use is as a tinting agent in makeup products and sunless tanning lotions. In hair care products, "proVitamin A" is used to solve fragility and prevent split-ends. In skin care products, beta-carotene is used for its antioxidant properties, its ability to protect the skin from sun damage (note that it is not intended for, or should be used as, a method of sun protection), and its ability to help even the skin tone, deeming it an active "anti-aging" ingredient. It is also used in anti-aging products for its sun damage protection capabilities. Dermatologists use beta-carotene for its ability to increase cell turn-over and regeneration in the outer layersof the skin, making it effective for diseases and skin conditions related to epithelium damage. Topical application of beta-carotene in retailed skin care products can enhance the appearance of the skin by restoring suppleness and adding a "glowing" pigment that seemingly evens out the skin tone. Beta-carotene's antioxidant attributes, such as sun damage protection, are used to prevent the signs of aging in the skin; and, in conjunction with its tinting ability, used in suntan creams and lotions to promote a continuous suntan while protecting the skin from sun damage. Beta-carotene's corrective properties are used in skin creams to help heal scratches and prevent scarring, and to reduce skin irritation and itchiness.
Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate)
Vitamin A palmitate (retinyl palmitate, all-trans-retinyl palmitate) is the form of vitamin A which is absolutely essential for normal vision, and a deficiency of this vitamin will lead to night blindness in the beginning. Most of the body's vitamin A is stored in the liver as retinyl palmitate. Synthetic vitamin A comes in two forms; palmitate and acetate. Vitamin A acetate is used in tablets, and
is what you would consume when buying straight vitamin A pills. Vitamin A palmitate is the version used in food products because it is much more stable and dispersible in moisture than the acetate is. Vitamin A palmitate is spray-dried and has good particle size for blending in food products. Vitamin A palmitate is a combination of retinol (pure vitamin A) and palmitic acid. There is research showing it to be effective as an antioxidant and skin-cell regulator.
Vitamin A palmitate (retinyl palmitate, all-trans-retinyl palmitate) is known to normalize skin. Retinyl palmitate accounts for about 80% of the vitamin A found in the skin. The advantages of using the milder forms of vitamin A on the skin are that they are converted into retinoic acid in the cells and effectively give similar results to those seen with retinoic acid. It will help to keep skin stay soft and plump. Clinical results have shown that vitamin A palmitate increased significantly skin composition to increase collagen, DNA, skin thickness, and elasticity. Vitamin A palmitate's stability is superior to retinol. Topical application of retinyl palmitate is the most sensible way for loading the skin with retinol (vitamin A). Cosmetic products containing retinyl palmitate are also more effective than those containing retinol. Furthermore, retinyl palmitate readily penetrates into the epidermis and dermis. The activity of vitamin a palmitate in skin may depend on its conversion to retinoic acid. This conversion depends on the enzymatic cleavage of the ester bond in retinul palmitate, and on the skin's ability to ozidse retinol to retinoic acid. Non-specific esterase enzyme activity exists within the skin and it has been demonstrated that skin preparations can convert retinol to retinoic acid.
Retinyl palmitate is the easiest retinoids to formulate topically in the over-the-counter moisturizers. Cosmetic formulations containing retinyl palmitate are substantially more stable than those containing retinol.
Disclaimer: The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
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