What is vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means your body can store it for a while.

There are several forms of vitamin A including:

• retinol
• beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A by your body.

Why is vitamin A important for my health?

Vitamin A helps to keep your body healthy. You may have heard that vitamin A is important for skin and eye health.

Vitamin A is also used:

• by your immune system to protect you from infections
• by your body organs to function at their best
• to protect important structures in your eyes: the cornea, conjunctiva, photoreceptor rod and cone cells in the retina
• to maintain healthy skin
• for growth and reproduction

Why should I include vitamin A in my diet?

Vitamin A is considered an essential vitamin. This means that your body can't make it. You need to get vitamin A from your food.

What foods are high in vitamin A?

Fruit and vegetables

Eating different coloured fruits and vegetables increases the variety of vitamins you get.

Carotenoids (including beta-carotene) are mostly found in the orange pigment in fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in your body.

Some foods high in beta-carotene are:

• green leafy vegetables
• orange, yellow, red or green coloured fruit and vegetables
• margarine

The way you prepare your food affects how well vitamins are absorbed. Cutting up or cooking vitamin A-rich food will help you get the most out of it.

Animal products

Some foods that come from animals are also high in vitamin A. Retinol is found in foods such as:

• dairy products including milk, cheese and yoghurt
• egg yolk
• fish and fish oil
• liver
• meat

Vitamin-rich food has other nutrients, which help your body to absorb and use the vitamins. This is one reason to try to get your vitamins from food instead of taking supplements.

How much vitamin A do I need?

The Australian Government has listed the amount of each vitamin that should come from your food each day.

For vitamin A this amount ranges from:

• 250μg (micrograms) a day for infants up to 6 months of age
• 900μg daily for adult males

Here are some examples of the amount of vitamin A in your food:

• one egg contains about 75μg of vitamin A
• one mango contains about 112μg of vitamin A
• half a cup of raw carrots contains about 460μg of vitamin A

If you are concerned about how much vitamin A you should have, ask your doctor or a dietitian for advice.

Can I have too little vitamin A?

Vitamin A deficiency (too little vitamin A) is rare in developed countries like Australia. You can usually get enough vitamin A from a healthy diet.

Some people with chronic illness, injury or restrictive diets can develop a shortage of vitamin A. If you have a health condition that means you have difficult absorbing fats, you could be at risk of vitamin A deficiency.

Some risk factors for vitamin A deficiency are:

• Crohn's disease
• previous surgery to your small intestine
• liver disease
• cystic fibrosis
• anorexia nervosa
• a very low-fat vegan or vegetarian diet
• chronic infections

What happens if I have too much vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and can accumulate (build up) in your body.

If you eat or take more than you need over a long period of time, vitamin A will slowly build up in your body.

It's possible that having very large amounts of foods such as carrot juice or liver might cause vitamin A to build up. But you are unlikely to experience health problems if you get all of your vitamins from food.

Do vitamin A supplements cause side effects?

It's possible to have too much vitamin A so be careful. Taking large amounts of vitamin supplements that contain vitamin A may cause health problems.

Vitamin A supplements

If you take vitamin A supplements for a long time, it can slowly build up in your body and may be harmful, especially if you are pregnant or are a smoker.

There is a possibility of birth defects associated with having too much vitamin A. If you are pregnant, and taking vitamin A supplements talk to a dietitian or your doctor. It's important that you don't take too much.

There is also some evidence that having too much vitamin A over many years can affect your bones, making them more likely to fracture (break) as you get older.

This is important for older people to consider, especially post-menopausal females, who are already at increased risk of osteoporosis.

Beta-carotene supplements

There are some studies that show a link between taking beta-carotene supplements and a greater risk of lung cancer in people who smoke.

The Cancer Council recommends that you avoid taking more than 20mg of beta-carotene supplements, especially if you smoke.

If you are concerned that you have taken too much of a vitamin A supplement, call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26) immediately.

Further, if someone has too much beta-carotene, it can cause their skin to turn a yellow shade.

Should I take vitamin A supplements?

You don't need to take a vitamin A supplement unless you doctor has diagnosed you with vitamin A deficiency. The best way to give your body the vitamins it needs is to eat a varied diet. Include healthy proteins and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Taking a vitamin supplement may mean you get that vitamin, but not enough other nutrients to help your body absorb it.

If you are worried about having enough vitamins, speak with your doctor or an accredited dietitian.

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Resources and Support

See the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Look for an Accredited Practising Dietitian on the Dietitians Australia website.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.