Effects, Deficiency and Excess of Vitamin A... Sources of Vitamin A
Anna Schmidt
2026-03-20
6 min. read
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Vitamin A plays a crucial role in the functioning of the body, it possesses antioxidative properties and is associated with a range of beneficial biological impacts... It's known as a growth vitamin... It influences the process of vision, reproductive abilities, proper skin functions, or immune system stimulation... But is it as beneficial as its natural food sources in the diet?
Vitamin A, also recognized as retinol
Vitamin A, also acknowledged as retinol, is one of the fat-soluble vitamins. Its biologically active forms include: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Retinol serves as a precursor to retinoids, which also originate from pro-vitamin α and β-carotene. The most active form of vitamin A is retinoic acid. Carotenoids, including β-carotene, impart food a color ranging from yellow to red and are the dominant carotenoids in plant-based foods such as carrots. The absorption of carotenoids depends on the amount of other nutrients, such as proteins and fats, and can range from 25% to 75%. Daily intake of fats (approximately 5 g/d) is necessary for appropriate absorption of carotenoids. The conversion to retinol relies on the homeostatic regulation and current requirement of the body for vitamin A. 2μg β-carotene possesses the same activity as 1μg retinol, signifying that half of the ingested carotene is absorbed and transformed into vitamin A. The content of vitamin A must be precisely determined, as both excess and deficiency have detrimental impacts on embryonic development and lead to congenital defects of organs and tissues.
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