What Is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in your liver.
It helps to protect your eyesight (especially your night vision) and aids in healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also helps maintain several parts of your body, including your teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes and skin.
You’ll find vitamin A in two forms:
- Retinol: This is an active form of vitamin A that’s found in whole milk, animal liver and some fortified foods. It’s called “retinol” because it produces the pigments in the eye’s retina.
- Carotenoids: These pigments are found in plant foods and can transform into an active form of vitamin A. One common carotenoid is beta-carotene, but scientists have identified more than 500 carotenoids.
Two more terms to keep in mind: The vitamin A found in animal products like meat and dairy foods is called preformed vitamin A. The kind found in plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables is called provitamin A.
Several dietary supplements provide vitamin A in either form or in a combination of both.