Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin needed for vision in dim light, immune function, growth and reproduction, and it comes preformed from animal foods or as carotenoids from plants1.
Part of rhodopsin, the light-sensitive protein in the retina, and keeps the cornea healthy1.
Involved in immune function; deficiency is linked with more severe infections such as measles1.
Supports cell growth and differentiation, helping form the heart, lungs, eyes and other organs1.
Involved in growth, development and male and female reproduction1.
Helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth, mucous membranes and soft tissue2.
Both forms are absorbed in the small intestine, where the BCMO1 enzyme converts carotenoids into vitamin A, and most of the body's supply is stored in the liver1. After a meal it travels in chylomicrons; between meals retinol reaches tissues bound to retinol-binding protein 43.
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sweet potato, baked in skin, 1 whole | 1,403 µg RAE |
| Spinach, frozen, boiled, ½ cup | 573 µg RAE |
| Carrots, raw, ½ cup | 459 µg RAE |
| Milk, skim, fortified, 1 cup | 149 µg RAE |
| Cantaloupe, raw, ½ cup | 135 µg RAE |
| Red sweet pepper, raw, ½ cup | 117 µg RAE |
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beef liver, pan fried, 3 oz | 6,582 µg RAE |
| Herring, Atlantic, pickled, 3 oz | 219 µg RAE |
| Egg, hard boiled, 1 large | 75 µg RAE |
| Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 oz | 59 µg RAE |
The body absorbs most of the retinol in food but usually only 10–30% of beta-carotene, and cooking can make beta-carotene more available1. Amounts per serving from1.
The same reference table draws the reference lines on your charts in Ayuvo. Needs differ in pregnancy and breastfeeding, which are not covered here.
| Age | Women | Men | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 700 mcg | 900 mcg | 3,000 mcg |
| 31–50 | 700 mcg | 900 mcg | 3,000 mcg |
| 51–70 | 700 mcg | 900 mcg | 3,000 mcg |
| 71+ | 700 mcg | 900 mcg | 3,000 mcg |
RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is the daily amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy people. Per day, for adults1.
Upper limit (UL) is the most per day that is unlikely to cause harm. Applies to preformed vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) only; beta-carotene does not count toward it. Ayuvo tracks total vitamin A in mcg RAE, so the line is a guide.
The upper limit for vitamin A covers only part of your intake (for preformed vitamin A (retinol) only, not beta-carotene), so it is not drawn on this bar.
Signs like these have many possible causes. They are a reason to talk to a clinician, not to self-treat.
Deficiency is rare in the U.S. but common in many low-income countries, and night blindness is usually the first sign1.
Excess preformed vitamin A builds up in the liver; the upper limit on this page applies to preformed vitamin A, not beta-carotene1.
Blood retinol falls only when liver stores are nearly used up, and infections can lower it, but low values can document significant deficiency1.
| Serum retinol | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| ≤ 20 µg/dL (0.70 µmol/L) | Often moderate deficiency |
| ≤ 10 µg/dL (0.35 µmol/L) | Severe deficiency |
Labs use different units and ranges. Your clinician reads a result alongside your history and other tests.
Vitamin A comes in stand-alone supplements and most multivitamins, as retinyl esters, beta-carotene or both1.
Preformed vitamin A; supplement esters are about 70–90% absorbed1.
Preformed vitamin A ester that counts toward the upper limit for preformed vitamin A1.
Provitamin A; large supplemental doses were linked with higher lung cancer risk in smokers1.
Supplements can interact with medicines. Talk to a clinician or pharmacist before you start one, especially at high doses.
Retinol is preformed vitamin A found in animal foods such as liver, fish, eggs and dairy. Beta-carotene is a plant pigment the body converts into vitamin A in the intestine, and less of it is absorbed. Retinol activity equivalents (RAE) put both on the same scale.
Yes. Long-term high beta-carotene intake can cause carotenodermia, a harmless yellow-orange tint to the skin. It fades once intake goes back down.
Vitamin A is needed during pregnancy, but high intakes of preformed vitamin A from supplements or retinoid medicines can cause birth defects. Beta-carotene is not known to cause them. Anyone pregnant or planning pregnancy should check supplement use with their health care provider.
Ayuvo charts vitamin A by day, week, month and year, with the reference lines from this page, personalised by age and sex where they differ. Supplements you log in Medications count too. Free, with no account.
Or read the code: Ayuvo is open source
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. Intake numbers come from Ayuvo's shared reference table, which cites the sources marked for them.
General information, not medical advice. This guide is for healthy adults and does not cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical conditions. It cannot diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a clinician before starting high-dose supplements, or if you think you may have too little or too much of a nutrient. Spotted an error? Email us.