• Vitamin A benefits include maintaining eye health, treating acne, and supporting the immune system.
  • Foods high in vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin.
  • Developed men should take 900 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A daily whereas adult women should take 700.
  • Visit Insider's Wellness Reference library for more than communication.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble, essential vitamin. Vitamin A  helps the eyes, immune system, and organs function properly. It is available through animal and plant-based foods.

Hither are five science-backed benefits of vitamin A and how much you should exist eating each day.

1. Preserves eyesight

Vitamin A is important for maintaining night and dim lite vision considering it forms pigments — molecules that help you lot come across colour — in your centre that are required for night vision.

Without vitamin A, your eyes stop producing these pigments, which can eventually pb to night incomprehension. This condition causes difficulty adjusting to dim light or a complete disability to see in the dark.

"Vitamin A also plays a function in protecting the cornea, the clear outer layer of the centre. This can reduce the risk of developing cataracts, which cause cloudy vision," says Julienna Hever, MS, RD, CPT, a registered dietitian specializing in institute-based diets based in Southern California.

Cataracts are a common centre condition that affects over one-half of the people in the United states of america over the age of fourscore.

According to the Historic period-Related Center Disease Report sponsored past the National Eye Institute,  vitamin A supplements — in improver to other vitamins that have antioxidants and zinc — may protect eye health in those with sure diseases.

The study included 4,757 participants aged 55 to 80 years old affected by cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, or both. Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that causes cardinal vision loss, significant details in objects direct in front of a person may appear blurry.

Participants were divided into four groups and given a daily oral supplement for v years. Each group received one of the following supplements:

  • Antioxidant formulation (which contained 15 mg of vitamin A), zinc, and copper
  • Zinc and copper
  • But the antioxidant formulation
  • A placebo

The antioxidant formulation with zinc and copper slowed the progression of age-related macular dysfunction from intermediate to advanced by 25%, compared to 21% in those taking the minerals, and 17% in those taking the antioxidants. It too reduced the take a chance of vision loss by xix%.

ii. Helps the allowed organization function

Vitamin A is needed past your immune organization for growing, maintaining, and strengthening epithelium and mucous tissues that line the majority of our organs. These tissues are the torso's first line of defense force against pathogens and are a key office of the trunk's innate immune response to infection.

Vitamin A also has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants prevent cells from becoming damaged in a process known as oxidative stress. Continual jail cell damage from oxidative stress can lead to chronic diseases such every bit cancer, centre illness, and vision loss.

However, supplementary or actress vitamin A has not proven to be beneficial unless you are scarce. That said, diets high in constitute-based vitamin A happen to exist what most nutrition experts agree are best for y'all.

iii. Supports organ function

Normal amounts of vitamin A aid the heart, lungs, and kidneys office by promoting the growth of healthy cells and tissues.

For example, a 2022 review published in Nutrients institute that vitamin A plays an integral office in the evolution and maturation of lung tissue, thereby promoting overall lung operation. The same review establish that deficiency in vitamin A is associated with an increased risk of developing lung problems such as asthma and respiratory infections like pneumonia and the flu.

iv. Reduces and treats acne

A type of vitamin A, bachelor by prescription or in pocket-sized doses in over-the-counter products, called retinol is considered one of the best topical treatments for acne. In fact, the guidelines for the care and handling of acne fix by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology propose applying topical retinoids or retinol products every bit the first line of treatment for mild to severe acne.

Acne usually occurs when pores in the peel become clogged with dead pare cells and oils. Retinol treats acne by interim as an farthermost exfoliator, removing these dead skin cells, and in turn promoting the growth of new cells — a process called cell turnover.

Topical retinol may be harsh on the skin equally mutual side effects are itching, redness, or dryness. Some means to reduce irritation include:

  • Applying ane sparse layer of retinol rather than thick layers or multiple applications
  • Apply the cream or gel every other day for the first two to four weeks
  • Using a gentle moisturizer

Be certain to utilise sunscreen whenever using retinol products on the skin, as they brand you more prone to sunburn and sun damage. Read more nigh finding the correct facial sunscreen for you based on your skin type.

5. Helps a good for you pregnancy

Getting enough, but not too much, vitamin A during pregnancy is important for fetal development.

A 2010 written report published in the New England Periodical of Medicine found that vitamin A supplementation in chronically undernourished women before, during, and after pregnancy improved lung function in offspring.

Researchers compared the lung capacity of i,371 children whose mothers received either a vitamin A supplement or a placebo. Once the children reached 9 to xiii years erstwhile, the researchers examined their lung function and plant that those whose mothers received vitamin A supplementation had stronger lungs than the children of the women who did non.

Withal, the World Health Organization recommends vitamin A supplementation only for pregnant women in areas where vitamin A deficiency is considered a severe public wellness problem. That'southward because likewise much vitamin A can cause birth defects.

Most pregnant women should aim to get their vitamin A intake from a healthy nutrition. However, Susan Dopart, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Los Angeles who specializes in pregnancy, says that if your healthcare provider recommends a supplement, a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin should provide sufficient amounts of vitamin A during pregnancy. Hash out any supplements you accept during pregnancy with your doctor, starting time.

How much vitamin A practise I demand?

How much vitamin A you need depends on a variety of factors including your age, sex activity, and whether or non you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

How to contain more vitamin A into your nutrition

Getting enough vitamin A shouldn't be an issue if you're eating a varied, good for you nutrition. Therefore, virtually people will not need to consider taking a vitamin A supplement.

"Unlike vitamin D or zinc, vitamin A is commonly found in foods, which is why deficiency rates for Vitamin A are pretty low," says Dopart.

There are two types of vitamin A that tin exist found in foods:

  1. Retinols are captivated and stored in fat once consumed. The trunk doesn't need to catechumen them into vitamin A.
  2. Beta-carotenes are converted into vitamin A through biochemical processes in the body. "Beta-carotene rich foods are unremarkably brightly colored fruits and vegetables," says Hever.

Foods rich in either type of vitamin A include:

Yuqing Liu/Insider

Insider's takeaway

Vitamin A is essential for the overall health of your organs and specially important for a healthy pregnancy. If y'all are eating a varied nutrition with meat, dairy, and vegetables, you should hands exist hitting your daily dose of vitamin A. If you are concerned virtually your vitamin A intake, talk to your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.

Ava English is a freelance wellness writer. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in science writing and editing. You tin follow her onTwitter.