6 of the best vitamin A supplements

 If a person has a vitamin A deficiency, a doctor may recommend vitamin A supplements. They are available in different forms and may work well for some medical conditions and diets.

A quick look at the best vitamin A supplements

• Best vegan: Pure TheraPro Vegan A-D-K Full Spectrum Drops
• Best keto-friendly: Why Not Natural Vitamin A Drops
• Best gluten-free: Bluebonnet Nutrition Vitamin A
• Best eco-friendly: Nature’s Way Vitamin A
• Best liquid: Klaire Labs Micellized Vitamin A Liquid
• Best nonGMO: Bronson Vitamin A

Males and females often benefit from differing vitamin and mineral types, quantities, and combinations. With this in mind, some pharmaceutical companies develop specific formulas of supplements, vitamins, shakes, and health bars to benefit either male or female biology. A person should discuss their options with a doctor or healthcare professional who can help them decide, and choose the product they feel works best for them and their needs.

In this article, we look at vitamin A in more detail and supplements that a person can find online.

What is vitamin A? 

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps support vision, skin, and immune health.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), there are two typesTrusted Source of vitamin A:

Preformed vitamin A	present in animal products, such as red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy
Provitamin A	present in fruits, vegetables, and plant-based products (beta-carotene is a common type of provitamin A)

Vitamin A benefits

A 2017 meta-analysisTrusted Source notes that vitamin A intake may help reduce the chance of experiencing bone fractures.

It may also provide protection against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as an older 2015 studyTrusted Source found associations between higher intakes of specific carotenoids and the reduced risk of advanced AMD.

Furthermore, vitamin A may help various health conditionsTrusted Source, as it helps the body fight infections, improves eyesight, and prevents fertility conditions.

Foods high in vitamin A

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) provides a list of foods containing vitamin A. These include:

• cheese
• eggs
• oily fish
• milk
• yogurt
• liver

A person may also add foods containing beta-carotene to their diet, such as:

• spinach
• carrots
• sweet potato
• red peppers
• mango

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

Experts advise intake suggestions for vitamin A through Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)Trusted Source.

DRI values change per a person’s age and biological sex, and include:

• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): This is the average daily intake level, sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of almost every healthy person.
• Adequate Intake (AI): This intake level ensures adequate nutrition and is set when there is insufficient proof to develop an RDA.
• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): This is the average daily intake level that is estimated to satisfy the needs of 50% of healthy people.
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): This is the highest intake level a person can consume which would unlikely have a negative health effect.

RDAs for vitamin A are typically shown as Retinol Activity Equivalents.

This is because the body converts the different compounds in vitamin A into retinol.
Due to this:

1 microgram (mcg) RAE is equivalent to:

• 1 mcg retinol
• 2 mcg supplemental beta-carotene
• 12 mcg dietary beta-carotene

• or 24 mcg dietary alpha-carotene or beta-cryptoxanthin

The following table shows the RDA for vitamin ATrusted Source:

Age	RDA	UL
0–6 months	400 mcg RAE	600 mcg
7–12 months	500 mcg RAE	600 mcg
1–3 years	300 mcg RAE	600 mcg
4–8 years	400 mcg RAE	900 mcg
9–13 years	600 mcg RAE	1,700 mcg
14–18 years	900 mcg RAE (male) 700 mcg RAE (female)	2,800 mcg
19–50 years	900 mcg RAE (male) 700 mcg RAE (female)	3,000 mcg
51+ years	900 mcg RAE (male) 700 mcg RAE (female)	3,000 mcg

For those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the following RDAs apply:

Age	RDA in pregnancy	RDA if breastfeeding	UL in pregnancy	UL if breastfeeding
14–18 years	750 mcg RAE	1,200 mcg RAE	2,800 mcg	2,800 mcg
19–50 years	770 mcg RAE	1,300 mcg RAE	3,000 mcg	3,000 mcg

List of vitamin A supplements 

There are many vitamin A supplements available and here we look at some options for a person to consider.

It is important to note that most supplements will cause a person to exceed the UL.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Source - Medical News Today