Skin Health: Eat Fruits And Veggies Rich In Vitamin A To Reduce Risk Of Skin Cancer, Says Study

Among some of the most essential vitamins required by the body for smooth functioning of organs is Vitamin A. The vitamin is responsible, in particular for protecting the eyes from damage and maintaining health of the vision. It has also been credited with skin health and keeping acne and other skin problems at bay and it is also said to help with keeping immunity levels up. Vitamin A has also been linked with reduced risk of certain types of cancers and a new study has backed this up. The study says that higher intake of vitamin A may reduce a person's chances of having skin cancer. It indicated that diets with high levels of Vitamin A in them may be linked with significantly lower risks of skin cancer, as compared to diets low in this Vitamin.

The study titled, "Association of Vitamin A Intake With Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk in the United States" was published in Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology in July 2019. The study was conducted by researchers at brown University, who looked at data from two long-term observational studies and unearthed a link between Vitamin A intake and incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer among people with fair skins. Earlier scientists have believed Vitamin A as an essential nutrient for the growth and maturation of skin cells.

Vitamin A is found in a number of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly orange and red coloured fruits and vegetables. The scientists said that adding these foods to your diet may be an effective way of reducing risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which they said is hard to prevent. The study concluded by saying, "This study suggests that increased intake of dietary vitamin A is associated with decreased risk of incident SCC. Future studies are needed to determine whether vitamin A supplementation has a role in chemoprevention of SCC."