MAIN Health Vitamins & Minerals Vitamin A

Vitamin A, which is also sometimes called Retinol, is a fat soluble vitamin that has several extremely important health benefits that everyone who takes their health seriously should be aware of.

Contrary to what our parents told us, not eating enough vitamin A rich foods will not impair our vision, but it is true that a healthy intake of vitamin A will promote healthy eyes and better night vision. Vitamin A contains an important chemical for the process that converts light entering our eyes in to electrical signals destined for the brain, so getting plenty of Vitamin A is indeed important for good vision.

In addition to healthy vision, vitamin A is important for maintaining healthy skin and can be essential for treating acne, which it dramatically reduces in size and severity.

Vitamin A works on the skin you can see, as well as the skin you can't see, such as mucus membranes, which are the first line of defense against infection for the body. This means that vitamin A is also important for maintaining an infection free body.

Vitamin A is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect against free radicals, which are naturally occurring unstable molecules within the body. Antioxidant protection from free radicals has been shown to reduce heart disease, neurological disease, and various types of cancer.

There is also evidence linking free radicals to the bodies aging process, meaning that taking antioxidant rich foods such as those that contain vitamin A could actually help combat the bodies aging process.

The most vitamin A rich meat product is liver, which contains very high levels of vitamin A. If liver isn't your thing, sweet potatoes, mangos, and many leafy vegetables such as spinach contain high levels of vitamin A, and as your parents also probably told you, carrots — either juiced, raw, or cooked — contain high levels of vitamin A.

Find out what else Vitamin A and beta-carotene can do for maintaining healthy hair, skin and more...

Vitamin A - A graph showing the average intake of Vitamin A in the American population, its importance in daily diet, and list of food sources by serving size and corresponding U.S. RDA., related references.

Vitamin A or Retinol - Its role in nutrition, recommended intake by age level, deficiency symptoms, good vegetarian sources, and a caution about possible overdose.

The Merck Manual, Vitamin A Deficiency - Overview of food sources and how the vitamin is converted by use in the body, with facts on deficiency, causes and symptoms, laboratory findings and diagnosis, and treatment.

Vitamin A & Carotene - Q&A on food sources, with facts on supplements, their benefits, related research studies.

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Vitamin A - Information on the functions of vitamin A and beta-carotene, good food sources, side effects of deficiency and overdosage, recommended daily requirement.

Facts About Vitamin A and Carotenoids - Good food sources, recommended dietary allowance by age level, causes and symptoms of deficiency, the association between vitamin A, beta carotene, and cancer, and possible links between excessive intake and osteoporosis. Also available in a printable PDF file.

Vitamin A (retinol) - Concise fact sheet with information on its benefits, a table listing foods high in Vitamin A with typical RAE (retinol activity equivalents) and tips on how to prepare foods to retain Vitamin A.

also see Feature Story -> Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Value

also see -> Beta Carotine