How to Get More Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for health: we get carotenoids and beta carotene from plants, and retinol from meat. Because it's fat-soluble, it is important to not overdo the amount of vitamin A you ingest, as excess vitamin A stockpiles in the body and can interfere with vitamin D and bone health (especially the retinol form of vitamin A). Learning which foods contain vitamin A can help you ensure that you're getting the right amount of this crucial vitamin.

Learn about the role of vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a crucial role in numerous bodily functions and processes: it helps maintain healthy skin, ensures better night vision, promotes strong teeth and bone formation, keeps tissue and mucous membranes working properly (to prevent infections), and is also needed for digestive health, respiratory functions, reproduction and breastfeeding.

Recognize the symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency. The most common symptom of late-term vitamin A deficiency is night blindness, or xerophthalmia: difficulty or inability to see at night. Patients with vitamin A deficiencies may also experience ulcerations of the cornea and keratomalacia, the desiccation and "clouding" of the cornea.

·         Ulcerations of the cornea are open sores that form in the outer layer of the tissue at the front of your eye.

·         Clouding of the cornea is a loss of visibility through the front of the eye. This part of the eye is normally clear, and clouding can make objects in your sight of vision blurry or completely unobservable.

·         Night blindness first manifests itself through oval- or triangle-shaped patches in the temporal portion of the eyes - that is, the region closest to the outsides of the human face. It is usually present in both eyes and may be accompanied by Bitot's spots (a "foamy" buildup of keratin).

·         Night blindness may also manifest as "starburst" effects when you look at bright lights in a dark environment.

·         Other symptoms of mild/early-onset deficiency may include chronically dry or "un-wettable" eyes, with rough or "bubbled" surface features on the eye, though these symptoms alone are not enough to diagnose a vitamin deficiency.

·         Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat an infection, but it is important to see a doctor to help you change your diet and add supplements as needed.

Have your blood tested. If you're concerned about your vitamin A levels, you can ask your doctor to perform a simple retinol blood test to determine whether you have a vitamin A deficiency. The normal range of vitamin A in the blood for healthy individuals is between 50-200 micrograms per deciliter of blood.

·         You will likely need to refrain from eating or drinking anything up to 24 hours before the test. Check with your doctor for the requirements.

·         If you are found to be deficient, your doctor may advise you to take a vitamin A supplement (unless you are pregnant), or may refer you to a nutritionist who can help you make better dietary choices.

Have your child tested. Children are most likely to be affected by vitamin A deficiency, and may also show signs of slowed growth and increased susceptibility to infection.

·         Children may develop deficiencies from not getting enough vitamin A through milk, or from losing excessive amounts of vitamin A through chronic diarrhea.

Take precautions if you're pregnant. Vitamin A deficiencies can happen to expecting mothers during the third trimester, as this portion of the pregnancy puts the highest demand on nutrients and vitamins in both mother and fetus.

·         See warnings below––pregnant women should not take synthetic vitamin A supplements unless instructed by a doctor, as high doses of vitamin A can lead to fetal damage.