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    YOU ARE HERE   ThinkNatural / Vitamin Supplements / Vitamin A

    Vitamin A

    Vitamin A
    Vitamin A is related to a group of chemicals called the retinoids. They come in many different forms throughout nature, from both animal and plant sources. Generally speaking, they are used in the body for growth and healthy skin.
    Most importantly, vitamin A helps form part of the complex photosensitive chemicals in the eye that allows us to perceive light. Hence the name retinoids is named after the retina of the eye.


    What foods are rich in vitamin A?
    Chemicals that are converted by the body into vitamin A (provitamins) are present in meat and dairy sources like butter and liver. They can also be found in sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli kale spinach pumpkin egg and apricot.
    However, the provitamins from plants, the beta-carotenoids, are less potent than pure vitamin A, and so it is necessary to eat up to 12 times as much from plant sources to get an equivalent effect.


    How much do I need?
    Adult males 900µg/day
    Adult females 700µg/day
    Infants require much less, up to 600µg/day


    Why might I need to take it?
    Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, the absorption of retinoids and lipids in the small intestine is linked. Therefore people with fat absorption problems or those on a low fat diet may require Vitamin A. Other reasons that you might take it include:
    Several prescription medicines may reduce absorption of Vitamin A.
    Vitamin A has been used for acne and other skin conditions like psoriasis.
    Leading a strict vegetarian diet may result in a diet low in vitamin A.


    Other Information
    Beta Carotene is a natural source of vitamin A but is equivalent to only half of vitamin A supplement.



    The role of vitamin A in maintaining healthy eyes was understood thousands of years ago. The ancient Greeks used roast ox liver as a treatment for night blindness.