Explain the interaction of vitamin A with Iron?
Iron: Iron status of an individual correlates with vitamin A. The deficiency of vitamin A has been found to be associated with microcytic anaemia. While the exact mechanisms underlying the impact of vitamin A on iron and anaemia are unknown, several hypotheses exist to explain this phenomenon. One prevalent hypothesis is that vitamin A increases levels of serum iron, which allows haeimatopoesis to thrive, increasing haemoglobin and erythrocyte production. In vitamin A deficiency, iron would not be available for erythropoesis, and anaemia would result.
Another hypothesis, proposed by Thurnham, involves the immune function of vitamin A. Thurnham suggests that the anti-infectious activity of vitamin A could have an impact on the reversal of anaemia.