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

Researchers provide experimental evidence for synaptic plasticity in the human brain

Neuroscientists agree that a person's brain is constantly changing, rewiring itself and adapting to environmental stimuli.

31 Mar 2021

Scientists obtain microalgae biomass with carotenoid pigments for food industry

In the framework of the Chlorella microalgae cultivation process, the researchers from Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University obtained microalgae biomass with a high content of carotenoid pigments, which is suitable for the food industry.

6 Feb 2021

Vegan diet has a broad effect on children's metabolism, study reveals

University of Helsinki researchers report a comprehensive pilot study on the metabolic effects of full vegan diet on young children.

21 Jan 2021

Treating post-infectious smell loss in COVID-19 patients

News-Medical catches up with Professor Carl Philpott about the latest findings regarding COVID-19 and smell loss.

18 Jan 2021

Study: TTR protein plays a protective role in Alzheimer's disease

A protein that wreaks havoc in the nerves and heart when it clumps together can prevent the formation of toxic protein clumps associated with Alzheimer's disease, a new study led by a UT Southwestern researcher shows.

8 Jan 2021

Active enzyme needed to unlock full benefits of vitamin A in carrots

Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin A. But to get the full health benefits of this superfood, you need an active enzyme to produce this vitamin.

11 Dec 2020

Multiple gene substitution in tomatoes helps improve yield, nutrient content

Cooked, fresh, sun-dried, or juiced, whichever way you prefer them, tomatoes are arguably one of the most versatile fruits on the planet--and yes, despite mainly being used in savory dishes, tomatoes really are a fruit.

2 Dec 2020

Healthy diet plays vital role in warding off COVID-19

A researcher at the School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, explored nutrition's role in boosting the immune system to combat COVID-19 infection.

29 Nov 2020

Measles outbreaks likely to occur as an unexpected consequence of COVID-19 pandemic

Major measles outbreaks will likely occur during 2021 as an unexpected consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new academic article.

16 Nov 2020

Researchers to develop new optogenetic tools for biology and medicine

The European Research Council (ERC) is providing 10 million euros in funding for an interdisciplinary, collaborative project in the structural and biophysical analysis of selected photoreceptors and their development into "OptoGPCRs", light-controlled molecular switches with a wide range of applications in biology and medicine.

8 Nov 2020

Cold-induced increase in vitamin A boosts fat burning

A recent study conducted by a research team led by Florian Kiefer from MedUni Vienna's Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that cold ambient temperatures increase vitamin A levels in humans and mice.

21 Oct 2020

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