Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy. Vitamin A helps in vision, bone growth, reproduction, growth of epithelium (cells that line the internal and external surfaces of the body), and fighting infections. It is fat-soluble (can dissolve in fats and oils). Vitamin A is found in liver, egg yolks, and whole milk dairy products from animals and in fish oils. It can also be made in the body from a substance found in some fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupes, carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin A is being studied in the prevention and treatment of some types of cancer. Also called retinol.

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is required for a number of bodily functions. This vitamin is needed to maintain good vision and a healthy immune system, as well as being essential for growth and development.

Vitamin A History

Vitamin A Food Sources

Vitamin A Deficiency

Vitamin A Toxicity

Vitamin A Functions

Latest Vitamin A News and Research

Plant genetic engineering to sustainably address micronutrient malnutrition

More than two billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient malnutrition due to deficiencies in minerals and vitamins.

16 Oct 2020

WHO’s report may lead to greater awareness and deliver better eye health for all

Of the world's 7.8 billion people, 2.2 billion have impaired vision. Of this number, about half are treatable. In effect, they are one-eyed kings who are better off than the 39 million who are completely blind. Nevertheless, they are handicapped for normal living, as we gleaned from the first world report on vision by WHO.

9 Oct 2020

Genomic adaptations to rice‐based diets contribute to mitigation of metabolic risk

The traditional rice-based diet of some east-Asian population has brought to a number of genomic adaptations that may contribute to mitigating the spread of diabetes and obesity.

21 Sep 2020

Multivitamin, mineral supplements may bolster the immune system of older adults

Older adults who took a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement with zinc and high amounts of vitamin C in a 12-week study experienced sickness for shorter periods and with less severe symptoms than counterparts in a control group receiving a placebo.

18 Aug 2020

Treatment with vitamin A analog improves visual function in diabetic mice

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among the working-age population.

11 Jun 2020

Microperimetry can help determine the efficacy of novel treatments for macular diseases

Stargardt disease is an inherited eye disease. Its onset is typically in adolescence and it is among the leading causes of blindness in this age group. Symptoms range from severe loss of sharp vision to almost complete loss of sight.

2 Jun 2020

Study shows how our eyes recycle vitamin A

Many of us will remember been told as kids when we refused to eat our vegetables that 'carrots are good for your eyes'. Although our parents may not have fully understood it at the time, there is some truth to this. Carrots are a rich source of the vitamin A essential for healthy vision.

11 May 2020

Antioxidant-rich foods can lower risk of infection in children with leukemia

While encouraging children to eat their fruits and veggies is a common refrain for most parents, new research led by a pediatric oncology expert from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center underscores that diets high in antioxidant-rich foods can have particular benefits for young cancer patients.

2 May 2020

Research on sweet potato microbiome is a major step for enhancing yield

Grown around the world, sweet potatoes are an important source of nutrition particularly in sub-Saharan African and Asian diets. Sweet potatoes are especially significant to sub-Saharan Africa as a source of Vitamin A, a nutrient commonly deficient in the region.

23 Apr 2020

New molecular mechanism that regulates the sentinel cells of the immune system

A study suggests that it may be possible to regulate macrophages with drugs that modulate the nuclear receptor RXR.

3 Apr 2020

Roscovitine enhances nuclear enrichment of traditionally cytoplasmic signaling molecules

Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 12 reported that using the HL-60 human non-APL AML model where ATRA causes nuclear enrichment of c-Raf that drives differentiation/G0-arrest, the research team now observe that roscovitine enhanced nuclear enrichment of certain traditionally cytoplasmic signaling molecules and enhanced differentiation and cell cycle arrest.

26 Mar 2020

Eating an egg a day is OK

A new study and meta-analysis released by the Harvard T. H. Chan of Public Health shows that it is safe to eat up to 1 egg a day without worrying about whether it is harming the health of the heart and blood vessels. The study was published online on March 4, 2020, in the journal BMJ.

4 Mar 2020

Light-activated protein restores mitochondrion function in fruit fly model of Parkinson’s disease

A light-sensitive protein can restore mitochondria function in fruit flies bearing a gene mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease and relieve its symptoms, report researchers at Juntendo University in the journal Communications Biology.

13 Feb 2020

Study finds no clear path for Golden Rice to reach people at risk of vitamin A deficiency

Heralded as a genetically modified crop with the potential to save millions of lives, Golden Rice has just been approved as safe for human and animal consumption by regulators in the Philippines.

9 Feb 2020

Researchers identify liver fibrosis ‘off switch’ in mice

Chronic alcohol abuse and hepatitis can injure the liver, often leading to a buildup of collagen and scar tissue.

23 Jan 2020

Top NHS doctor warns of “exploitative” party drips claiming to cure hangovers

NHS England's medical director has warned people against drips being endorsed by celebrities as hangover cures.

2 Jan 2020

Gulf war illness – one or two diseases?

A study of veterans who have Gulf war syndrome shows that moderate exercise can bring about a spectrum of brain imaging abnormalities, which fall into one of two groups. This could mean that this is a more complicated illness than was first thought. The study was published on December 12, 2019, in the journal Brain Communications.

12 Dec 2019

Research shows link between clock genes and vitamin A pathway in the brain of Monarch butterflies

Biologists at Texas A&M University are making strides in understanding biological clock function in several model organisms and translating these studies into broader implications for human health.

6 Dec 2019

Preclinical data on new drug combination to treat neuroblastoma published

Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer outside of the brain in infants and young children and often fails to respond to therapy. Though it can appear in several areas of the body, it commonly develops as a solid tumor most frequently found in or adjacent to the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys.

10 Nov 2019

Skin cancer risk falls with higher dietary vitamin A intake

A new study from Brown University shows that the dietary intake of vitamin A from plant sources is associated with a lower risk of a common type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. This is the second most common carcinoma of the skin in fair-skinned people.

1 Aug 2019