It’s important to get your daily vitamins, but what exactly do all of those vitamins do? To help you understand more about the vitamins your body needs, let’s dive into vitamin A — what does it do, why we need it, where to find it in foods, and more!

Vitamin A at a Glance

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient, meaning your body can't make it on its own. You get vitamin A from the foods you eat. It is fat soluble, so it is broken down by bile and absorbed in your small intestine. Then, vitamin A is transported through your lymphatic system until it ultimately reaches your bloodstream. If your body has an excess of vitamin A, it will store it in your liver and fat tissue until you need it.

There are actually a number of different yet related compounds that are considered to be “vitamin A.” But they are classified based on where they come from: plants or animals.

  • Preformed vitamin A: This type of vitamin A includes retinol and retinyl esters. It is typically found in animal products and is considered the “active” form of vitamin A, or the form that the body can use right away.
  • Provitamin A carotenoids: This type of vitamin A naturally occurs in plants. In fact, carotenoids are what make some plants green and some fruits and vegetables red or orange — think carrots. But provitamin A carotenoids have to be converted to retinol before your body can use them.

Why Does My Body Need Vitamin A?

Vitamin A has a wide variety of uses in your body. Here are just a few:

  • Promote eye health: You may have heard that eating carrots would help improve your eyesight. That’s because carrots contain carotenoids in the form of beta carotene, which can ultimately be used as retinol in the eyes. Vitamin A can help improve your eyesight in low light conditions and may help reduce cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
  • Protect cells from free radicals: Vitamin A also has antioxidant properties, meaning it helps protect your cells from free radicals — molecules that have an uneven number of electrons. Free radicals easily interact with cells in the body, causing damage and increasing risk for some health conditions. These molecules can put the immune system on high alerts and cause inflammation throughout the body.
  • Build healthy bones: You might think that calcium is the key to strong bones, but vitamin A also plays a part in bone health! It is involved in the formation of the cells that build bones and the cells that break down bones. Proper levels of vitamin A can help reduce fractures and bone density.
  • Boost immune system: Vitamin A helps the body produce white blood cells, which are the blood cells that fight off infection.
  • Support prenatal development: Improper levels of vitamin A are also linked to birth defects because it helps the body regulate cell growth and differentiation of cells. This vitamin is crucial for forming organs, like the heart, eyes, lungs, etc.

How Much Vitamin A Do You Need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A for adult men is 900 mcg and 700 mcg for adult women. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (or maximum amount you can ingest before vitamin A could be harmful) is 3,000 mcg. However, your unique body composition and overall health ultimately determine how much vitamin A you need.

If you want to know how much vitamin A your body needs, reach out to support@eatlove.is. We can put you in touch with a nutrition professional who can help you determine the right vitamin A intake for you.

Effects of Too Much Vitamin A

Too much of anything can be bad for your body. Consuming more than the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of vitamin A takes a toll on your body and results in hypervitaminosis A. When vitamin A levels reach this toxic level, you may experience the following symptoms:

  • Nausea
  • Irritability
  • Drowsiness
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain

What Foods Contain Vitamin A?

As we mentioned before, vitamin A can come from plant or animal sources. Here are a few foods that contain vitamin A.

Plant Sources of Vitamin A

  • Mango
  • Papaya
  • Squash
  • Carrots
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Dark, leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, etc.)
  • Cantaloupe
  • Bell peppers

Animal Sources of Vitamin A

  • Liver
  • Fish oils
  • Egg yolk
  • Milk
  • Cheese
  • Butter
  • Fortified foods

You can discover the unique amounts of vitamin A in these foods along with complete recipes in the EatLove database. Our nutrition intelligence can analyze any recipe and provide you with a complete nutritional breakdown. Sign up for a free account to get started.