AboutThoughts
Ever wonder why your eyes feel dry at night or why your skin seems to lose its glow even with all those fancy creams? Not long ago, I was chasing surface-level fixes without realizing the real issue was deeper. It turns out I was missing one of the most underrated nutrients in the book: Vitamin A.
We hear a lot about Vitamin C or D, but Vitamin A? It rarely makes headlines. And yet, it's quietly running the show behind the scenes, protecting your vision, skin, immunity, and even your DNA.
In this article, I'll discuss the real-world benefits of Vitamin A, what happens when you don't get enough (or take too much), and how to ensure you're getting a healthy dose from food first and dietary supplements only when needed.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for vision, immunity, skin health, and gene expression [1].
Found in animal foods, plant-based beta-carotene, and fortified foods.
Deficiency causes eye problems, infections, and skin disorders.
High dose vitamin supplements may cause chronic toxicity or severe birth defects [9].
Most people can meet their needs through whole foods—dietary supplements are helpful only in specific cases.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body stores mainly in the liver. It plays vital roles in vision, cell growth, immune health, reproduction, and gene expression [7].
What's interesting is that Vitamin A isn't a single compound—it's a group of related substances, including:
Preformed Vitamin A (like retinol, retinyl esters, and retinyl palmitate) from animal products.
Provitamin A carotenoids, especially beta carotene, are found in colorful fruits and vegetables.
Your body converts beta carotene into active Vitamin A when needed, though the conversion rate varies based on genetics, overall health, and even fat intake.
Vitamin A interacts with retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X receptors, both of which are involved in regulating over 500 genes [7].
These nuclear receptors impact everything from pluripotent stem cells to skin cells and pigment epithelial cells in the eye. That's how deeply integrated Vitamin A is into your biology.
Vitamin A is like a multitool—quiet but versatile. It supports several key areas of health:
Vitamin A is crucial for making rhodopsin, a pigment in the retina that allows us to see in dim light [1]. Without it, night blindness becomes a real concern.
However, there's more—low retinol intake is also linked to age-related macular degeneration, which is one of the leading causes of vision loss among older adults [2].
Vitamin A also supports pigment epithelial cells that protect your retina and maintain sharp vision [14]. When these cells break down, it can lead to long-term eye issues, especially in people on a vitamin A-deficient diet.
Vitamin A enhances immune health by boosting the function of white blood cells, which act as the body's first responders [3]. A lack of Vitamin A means slower healing, increased susceptibility to infection, and even poor outcomes in respiratory illnesses.
This is especially critical in low-income countries, where the World Health Organization recommends vitamin A supplementation for children to reduce mortality [4]. Vitamin A deficiency is considered a public health issue globally.
Your body converts retinol into retinoic acid, the active form of Vitamin A that helps regulate skin cell turnover, collagen production, and inflammation [5]. This is why retinoids are a go-to in dermatology—whether you're treating acne, wrinkles, or skin disorders like psoriasis.
Recent research has also shown that adequate vitamin A intake may help protect against skin cancer by supporting healthy cell division and reducing DNA damage from UV radiation [6].
But it's not just about what you apply. Taking vitamin A through food or supplements helps nourish skin from the inside out.
Vitamin A also influences gene expression—a fundamental biological process that determines how your cells grow, specialize, and react to stimuli [7]. This is particularly vital during fetal development, where retinoic acid receptors play a role in organ formation.
Some studies suggest that vitamin A's role in cell differentiation may help reduce risk factors associated with heart disease by influencing cholesterol metabolism and arterial health [8].
For those planning families, Vitamin A plays a key role in reproductive health and fetal development. Pregnant women need to watch their intake—not too little, but also not too much, as too much vitamin A (particularly from supplements) can cause severe birth defects [9].
Vitamin A helps maintain pluripotent stem cells during early embryonic development, making it essential for proper organ formation [15]. This delicate balance emphasizes why prenatal nutrition requires careful consideration.
While rare in developed countries, deficiency vitamin issues still arise—especially in people with restrictive diets, chronic alcohol consumption, or fat absorption disorders.
⚠️ Symptoms include:
Night blindness or dry eyes
Dry, flaky skin
Frequent infections
Fertility struggles
Delayed wound healing
In more severe cases, severe vitamin deficiency can lead to total blindness, weakened immunity, and stunted growth in children.
The World Health Organization warns of an increased risk of death among deficient children under five, particularly from measles and diarrhea [10].
You don't need to rely solely on oral vitamin pills. Here's a breakdown of dietary carotenoids and preformed Vitamin A food sources:
Note: Values are in mcg RAE (Retinol Activity Equivalents) per serving. The article mentions that carotenoid-rich foods may provide additional health benefits beyond vitamin A activity, including potential protection against lung cancer through their antioxidant properties.
Research indicates that carotenoid-rich foods may provide additional health benefits beyond vitamin A activity, including potential protection against lung cancer through their antioxidant properties [11].
You'll also find added Vitamin A in fortified foods like margarine and fortified breakfast cereals, which are often labeled as containing synthetic vitamin A, such as retinyl acetate.
Yes, excess vitamin A can be dangerous, especially from supplemental vitamin forms.
Acute vitamin A toxicity Happens when very large doses are taken at once. Symptoms may include nausea, blurred vision, and headaches.
Chronic vitamin A toxicity: Develops over time with long-term high intake. Risks include liver damage, hair loss, joint pain, and severe birth defects if taken during pregnancy.
Taking high dose vitamin A supplements (above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of 3,000 mcg/day for adults) increases your risk, especially with synthetic vitamin A [12].
Chronic vitamin A intake above safe levels can lead to chronic toxicity, affecting your liver and bones.
Pregnant women should be particularly careful. Excessive additional vitamin A can cause severe birth defects, particularly during early fetal development [9]. Always consult your doctor before taking a supplement.
If you're generally healthy and eat a varied diet, you likely don't need vitamin A supplementation. But certain groups may benefit from dietary supplements or oral vitamin A, including:
People with digestive disorders that impair fat absorption
Vegans or vegetarians not eating many dietary carotenoids
Individuals recovering from illness or surgery
People on long-term low-fat diets
When choosing a supplement, look for safe doses of retinyl acetate or beta carotene, depending on your preference and dietary habits.
Your doctor may also check your plasma retinol-binding protein levels, which reflect your Vitamin A status. These are rarely tested unless there's a clinical concern.
The Food and Nutrition Board has set the following Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A [13]:
RAE = Retinol Activity Equivalents
Most people can get sufficient vitamin A through whole foods, especially if those meals include a small amount of fat to enhance the absorption of these fat-soluble compounds found in both plants and animals.
Your body needs just the right amount, not too little, not too much. And, like me, you might not notice an imbalance until your skin breaks out, your vision shifts, or your immune system slows down.
So the next time you're whipping up a meal, think about adding some sweet potatoes or spinach or even trying a new fortified food. It's all about finding balance, naturally, through food, with supplemental vitamin A only when necessary.
The information provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any health or wellness program.
