One the earliest signs of vitamin A deficiency is night-blindness, but a continued deficiency will lead to serious immune dysfunction.  Lack of this nutrient is associated with developing Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile Arthritis, Lyme Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and diabetes. It may also be linked to Gulf War Illnesses, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and Sick Building Syndrome. Susceptibility to disease and HIV/AIDS is also associated with a lack of vitamin A.  A vitamin A deficiency has been found to accelerate the development of lupus symptoms in animal experiments.

Food sources of vitamin A include cod liver oil, sweet potatoes, carrots, boiled kale, mango, turnip greens, raw spinach, papaya,  and apricots.

According the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average intake of vitamin A by an American adult is “adequate”. However, environmental factors are depleting that vitamin A or sabotaging its ability to be used by the body.

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