Vision, immunity ... which are the best sources of vitamin A?
Vitamin A is key among those vitamins considered essential for health. Here are our recommendations for ensuring an adequate intake.
Quick recap of the vitamin’s benefits
Vitamin A is ubiquitous in human health.
It plays a role in:
- eye health (1) ;
- iron metabolism (2) ;
- skin health (3) ;
- immune system efficacy (4), etc.
It is present in several forms in the body - retinol, retinal, retinoic acid and retinyl phosphate.
Which foods are rich in vitamin A ?
Many animal-source foods
Directly-available vitamin A is actually found in animal-source products (5). These vitamin A-rich foods include:
- meat and offal - poultry, beef, lamb and veal;
- cod liver oil, mackerel, salmon and oily fish in general;
- butter, cheese (such as feta made from sheep’s milk, etc (6).
Vitamin A and plant foods
Plant-source foods primarily contain beta-carotene, a provitamin which the body easily converts into vitamin A.
So if you don’t eat animal products, there is an alternative source of vitamin A. It’s best to choose highly-coloured fruits and vegetable - in fact, beta-carotene is none other than a red-orange pigment (7).
Focus on:
- sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots;
- peppers, turnip greens, Swiss chard;
- cabbage, spinach, lettuce;
- mango, melon, papaya;
- grapefruit, nectarines, apricots, etc (8).
Which supplements can you take to prevent vitamin A deficiency?
Microalgae are rich in vitamins
Microalgae are important allies:
- chlorella is a single-celled algae that grows in fresh water. It is rich not only in vitamin A but in iron, proteins and other vitamins too, and so provides a significant boost to the immune system as well as support for the body’s detox mechanisms (Chlorella);
- spirulina is a tiny blue-green algae which is exceptionally rich in proteins, beta-carotene and other carotenoids. A perfect choice if you’re lacking in energy (Spirulina).
Carotenoid complexes
You could also try a carotenoid complex. The formulation Carottol™, for example, combines beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, astaxanthin and zeaxanthin. All these compounds are particularly helpful in protecting against problems with vision or the immune system.
Don’t forget multivitamins
Last but not least, taking a multivitamin complex (such as Daily 3) is always a good idea. If you need to, be sure to seek advice from a health professional to identify your particular requirements.
The consequences of a lack of vitamin A can be serious. A diet with plenty of brightly-coloured fruit and vegetables, along with some carefully-chosen supplements, will provide you with sufficient vitamin A to ensure you stay in the best of health!
References
- Wu J, Cho E, Willett WC, Sastry SM, Schaumberg DA. Intakes of Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Other Carotenoids and Age-Related Macular Degeneration During 2 Decades of Prospective Follow-up. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015 Dec;133(12):1415-24.
- https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1221
- https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1754
- Sommer A, Katz J, Tarwotjo I. Increased risk of respiratory disease and diarrhea in children with preexisting mild vitamin A deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Nov;40(5):1090-5.
- Clagett-Dame M, Knutson D. Vitamin A in reproduction and development. Nutrients. 2011;3(4):385–428.
- Gilbert C. What is vitamin A and why do we need it?. Community Eye Health. 2013;26(84):65.
- Khoo HE, Prasad KN, Kong KW, Jiang Y, Ismail A. Carotenoids and their isomers: color pigments in fruits and vegetables. Molecules. 2011;16(2):1710-1738. Published 2011 Feb 18. doi:10.3390/molecules16021710
- Gilbert C. What is vitamin A and why do we need it?. Community Eye Health. 2013;26(84):65.
Keywords
6 Days
Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patrick
8 Days
Magnesium and Zinc Orotate are top…
Magnesium and Zinc Orotate are top supplements. Highly recommend!
Kristjan
19 Days
Clean, simple, effective
Nothing to complain. Delivers everything fast, attentive to their regular customers. Best experience.
FABIO I.
22 Days
Possibility to enjoy a variety of high…
Possibility to enjoy a variety of high quality suppléments. Fast delivery Good packaging Clear information and website
Vov Oo
24 Days
Efficient ordering and delivery
Efficient ordering and delivery. Happy with products. I order fairly regularly. Reliable
Gill Lee
24 Days
Happy customer.
Supersmart sell the best products and are effecient when it come to handling and dispatching orders. Also, their return and refund policies is very simple and easy for the customer. The creme on top is the return customer discounts. Keep up the good work.
ABDULQADER Jehad
28 Days
Prompt and reliable.
Prompt and reliable.
MIFSUD Joseph
35 Days
great? / OK
I don't use the word great; everything was OK; it is maybe too early to expect an effect of the supplements
STAEHLI C
41 Days
Well,It was yesterday I started using…
Well,It was yesterday I started using it but I can tell the supplement is working perfect,will definitely still give best comments once I'm done using it ...
ANTHONY Oluwaseun Ugwu
42 Days
Great products
Great products, fast delivery.
Nujood ALHADDAD
51 Days
Easy and quick
Easy and quick
Derya Iren
52 Days
Quick delivery
Quick delivery, big choice of supplements. Good quality.
Val
54 Days
Great vitamins at a great price
Great vitamins at a great price! I buy Bacillus subtilis which I really can’t find anywhere else which is great for intestinal health. 5 stars to Supersmart Vitamins.
Loli Vaughan
56 Days
Easy way to order
Easy way to order. Fast delivery. Transporter FedEx was very polite and called me 1 hour before delivery.
TAJC Katja
58 Days
So far i have really liked the…
So far i have really liked the products. The service was fantastic. Delivery from Europe to Australia only took a few days. So good. Thank you.
BROWN Dianna