Vitamin A Supplements

What Is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is fat-soluble, antioxidant-rich vitamin that is essential for total body health. Although most people associate vitamin A with vision health, its benefits for the immune system, skin and bone health are no less impressive. Vitamin A’s two most common forms are retinol and beta-carotene. Retinol (vitamin A1) is often delivered to the body via its precursor, retinyl palmitate, which is abundant in foods such as liver, milk and milk products, cheese, fish and eggs. Beta-carotene (provitamin A) is found in yellow, red and green vegetables and fruits like carrots, grapefruit, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, apricots and more.

7 Benefits of Vitamin A

Vision health support

When people say that carrots are good for eye health, they’re referring to the high amount of vitamin A (beta-carotene). Vitamin A, as it turns out, is excellent for promoting macular health. Vitamin A is also a component in the rhodopsin molecule, which is a light-sensitive receptor protein that aids vision in low light conditions.

Promotes healthy skin

How does vitamin A aid in skin health? Once again, it’s the high beta-carotene content along with the antioxidant power of provitamin A carotenoids. These antioxidants stay busy by neutralizing collagen-unfriendly free radicals. Vitamin A is also instrumental in boosting skin cell production, which aids in keeping skin firm and hydrated.

Strengthens bones

When thinking about bone health supplements, vitamin A isn’t the first one that comes to mind, but it should be part of the conversation. That’s because as we age our plasma retinol levels decrease, which can lead to reduced bone mineral density. That being the case, taking a vitamin A supplement is a sensible way to support bone health today and into our later years.

Helps rejuvenate body tissues

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in allowing your body’s soft tissues to repair themselves. This is in part due to the high antioxidant content therein, which neutralizes free radicals and helps minimize oxidative damage. But aside from its ability to protect already existing tissue, vitamin A helps the body produce new tissues by delivering nutrients.

A vital micronutrient during pregnancy

For many, the go-to vitamin during pregnancy is folic acid, but vitamin A is also excellent at nourishing not only the health of the developing fetus but the health of the expecting mother as well. Vitamin A promotes embryonic growth, assisting in heart, lung, kidney, eye and bone development. Vitamin A also helps new mothers by supporting postpartum tissue repair.

Builds muscles

Since vitamin A boosts the body’s ability to produce testosterone, it is an essential building block for muscle growth. Also significant is the fact that vitamin A is required for the body to be able to utilize protein. In fact, some studies indicate that a high protein diet may deplete vitamin A levels within the body, making supplementation a good option.

Supports healthy cholesterol levels

Some research indicates that vitamin A is effective in lowering cholesterol levels. While studies continue, there seems to be at least some evidence that a vitamin A supplement may support healthy cholesterol levels within the normal range.

How is Vitamin A Used?

Vitamin A is fat soluble, meaning that it can be absorbed with fats in the diet and stored inside the body’s fatty tissue. Vitamin A comes in two forms: retinol, which can be used directly by the body and beta-carotene, which needs to be converted into retinol by the body before it can be utilized. Vitamin A aids vision health, immune function, bone health and more.

Often Paired With…

Vitamin D

When paired at the right dosages vitamins A and D can work in tandem, with vitamin A boosting vitamin D metabolism.

Vitamin A Food Sources

Food sources high in active vitamin A (known as retinol) include liver, milk and milk products, egg yolks, fish and cheese. Sources of beta-carotene include yellow, red and green vegetables and fruits like carrots, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, broccoli and grapefruit, to name just a few.

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