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

Maternal anemia during pregnancy may increase risk of childhood anemia

Babies born to women with anemia during pregnancy have an increased risk of childhood anemia, according to a study carried out in rural India.

2 Dec 2021

Drug combination highly effective in children with standard- and high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia

A clinical trial has found that the combination of all-trans retinoic acid, which is a metabolite of vitamin A, and arsenic trioxide is highly effective in children with standard- and high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia, or APL.

11 Nov 2021

Yale researchers uncover how the brain takes shape during mid-pregnancy

About four or five months after conception, a burst of synaptic growth begins in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the human fetus.

29 Sep 2021

Could vitamin A help to regain your smell loss after COVID-19?

Could vitamin A help to regain your smell after COVID-19? New research is trying to find out, and we spoke exclusively to Professor Carl Philpott to find out more.

29 Sep 2021

UTSW researchers discover how vitamin A enters immune cells in the intestines

Immunologists and geneticists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered how vitamin A enters immune cells in the intestines – findings that could offer insight to treat digestive diseases and perhaps help improve the efficacy of some vaccines.

16 Sep 2021

COVID-19 lockdown negatively impacted Indian women's nutrition, study shows

The 2020 nationwide lockdown India imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions that negatively impacted women's nutrition, according to a new study from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition.

28 Jul 2021

The Role of FT-NIR Spectroscopy in Edible Oils and Fats

In this interview, Mickaël Watiez, Head of Research & Development at Lesieur, and Dagmar Behmer, Marketing Manager Applied Spectroscopy at Bruker Optics talk to News-Medical Life Sciences about the role FT-NIR Spectroscopy can play in testing edible oils and fats.

From Bruker Optics 28 Jul 2021

Which vitamins and minerals help with COVID?

A study published in the journal Inflammopharmacology reviewed recent data related to the role of vitamins and minerals in treating COVID-19 patients. The primary goal of the review is to highlight the possible therapeutic role of vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, and micronutrients as immunity boosters in COVID-19 patients.

18 Jun 2021

Study finds molecular pathway that can explain how chronic kidney disease induces heart failure

According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, close to nine percent of the global population lives with some form of chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Not only does the condition affect renal function, CKD has long been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

5 Jun 2021

Methylene Blue could replace current sunscreen components to protect human skin and the environment

New research using a sunscreen based on Methylene Blue has proven effective in protecting from UV irradiation as well as being safe for coral reefs.

28 May 2021

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