Key Facts about Vitamin A

About Vitamin A:

• It is a fat-soluble vitamin primarily stored in the liver.
• There are two types of vitamin A that are found in the diet.
  • Preformed vitamin A is found in animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy foods.
  • Precursors to vitamin A, also known as provitamin A, are found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables.
    • These compounds are converted to the active form in your body.
    • The most common type of provitamin A is beta-carotene.
  • Foods with the highest levels of vitamin A include:
    • Beef liver and other organ meats
    • Some types of fish such as herring and salmon and cod fish oil
    • Eggs
    • Dairy products such as cheese and fortified milk
    • Fortified breakfast cereals
    • Orange and yellow vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, and cantaloupe
    • Broccoli, spinach, and most dark green, leafy vegetables
• Function:
  • Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin.
  • It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye.
  • Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, especially in low light.
  • It also has a role in healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• If you do not get enough vitamin A, you have more risk of eye problems such as:
  • Reversible night blindness
  • Non-reversible corneal damage known as xerophthalmia
  • It can also lead to hyperkeratosis or dry, scaly skin.
• Vitamin A deficiency can be treated with vitamin A supplements.