Overview

What is vitamin A?

What are vitamin A’s main benefits?

What are vitamin A’s main drawbacks?

How does vitamin A work?

Dosage information

Recommended intake is similar between males and females, except during lactation when vitamin A requirements are elevated. The recommended dietary allowances (RDA) are:^[1]^[2]

Ages	Recommended daily intake
Birth to 6 months	400 micrograms (mcg, or µg)
Infants 7–12 months	500 mcg
Children 1–3 years	300 mcg
Children 4–8 years	400 mcg
Children 9–13 years	600 mcg
Teen males 14–18 years	900 mcg
Teen females 14–18 years	700 mcg
Teen females, pregnant	750 mcg
Teen females, breastfeeding	1,200 mcg
Adult males	900 mcg
Adult females	700 mcg
Adult females, pregnant	770 mcg
Adult females, breastfeeding	1,300 mcg

Due to potential toxicity, the upper limit of total daily intake of preformed vitamin A (from food, beverages, and supplements combined) is as follows:^[1]^[2]

Ages	Upper limit of daily intake
Birth to 12 months	600 mcg
Children 1–3 years	600 mcg
Children 4–8 years	900 mcg
Children 9–13 years	1,700 mcg
Teens 14–18 years	2,800 mcg
Adults 19 years and older	3,000 mcg

Safety Information
New

Visit Safety Checker Page

Examine Database: Vitamin A

Show Conditions

Health Condition/Goal	Health Outcome	Evidence
Infant Health	4 outcomes	7 Studies
Skin Health	7 outcomes	5 Studies
Multiple Sclerosis	1 outcome	1 Study
Pneumonia	2 outcomes	5 Studies
Respiratory Health	2 outcomes	1 Study

Infant Health

4 outcomes

7 Studies

Skin Health

7 outcomes

5 Studies

Multiple Sclerosis

1 outcome

1 Study

Pneumonia

2 outcomes

5 Studies

Respiratory Health

2 outcomes

1 Study

Research FeedRead all studies

Vitamin A did not improve outcomes in children with sepsis

In this randomized controlled trial in 156 children who were hospitalized for sepsis, supplementing with vitamin A reduced the length of hospital stay and mortality rate, but only in the participants who had vitamin A deficiency.

Do vitamins help very preterm infants?

A multi-ingredient supplement for the treatment of non-cystic acne in young adult

Supplements for cognitive function in older adults

Vitamin A and the risk of infant respiratory diseases

Frequently asked questions

What are the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?

How common is vitamin A deficiency?

What is retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4)?

What are the drawbacks of tretinoin and isotretinoin?

What are the effects of supplementation with beta-carotene?

Update History

Drug-induced nutrient depletion information added
major

Research written by

Giulia Guerrini

Edited by

Molly Gregas

Reviewed by

Katie Jantz

Safety Information added
major

Research written by

Louie Neri

Edited by

Conni Covington

Reviewed by

Katie Jantz

Full page update
major

Research written by

Thomas Solomon

Edited by

Natalka Roshak

Reviewed by

Nick Milazzo

References

Examine Database References

Hyperpigmentation - Weinstein GD, Nigra TP, Pochi PE, Savin RC, Allan A, Benik K, Jeffes E, Lufrano L, Thorne EGTopical tretinoin for treatment of photodamaged skin. A multicenter studyArch Dermatol.(1991 May)
Hyperpigmentation - Griffiths CE, Goldfarb MT, Finkel LJ, Roulia V, Bonawitz M, Hamilton TA, Ellis CN, Voorhees JJTopical tretinoin (retinoic acid) treatment of hyperpigmented lesions associated with photoaging in Chinese and Japanese patients: a vehicle-controlled trialJ Am Acad Dermatol.(1994 Jan)
Hyperpigmentation - Griffiths CE, Kang S, Ellis CN, Kim KJ, Finkel LJ, Ortiz-Ferrer LC, White GM, Hamilton TA, Voorhees JJTwo concentrations of topical tretinoin (retinoic acid) cause similar improvement of photoaging but different degrees of irritation. A double-blind, vehicle-controlled comparison of 0.1% and 0.025% tretinoin creamsArch Dermatol.(1995 Sep)
Skin Thickness - Weiss JS, Ellis CN, Headington JT, Tincoff T, Hamilton TA, Voorhees JJTopical tretinoin improves photoaged skin. A double-blind vehicle-controlled studyJAMA.(1988 Jan 22-29)
Skin Quality - Kafi R, Kwak HS, Schumacher WE, Cho S, Hanft VN, Hamilton TA, King AL, Neal JD, Varani J, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ, Kang SImprovement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)Arch Dermatol.(2007 May)
Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms - Sama Bitarafan, Aliakbar Saboor-Yaraghi, Mohammad-Ali Sahraian, Danesh Soltani, Shahriar Nafissi, Mansoureh Togha, Nahid Beladi Moghadam, Tina Roostaei, Niyaz Mohammadzadeh Honarvar, Mohammad-Hossein HarirchianEffect of Vitamin A Supplementation on fatigue and depression in Multiple Sclerosis patients: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical TrialIran J Allergy Asthma Immunol.(2016 Feb)
Infant Death Risk - Darlow BA, Graham PJ, Rojas-Reyes MXVitamin A supplementation to prevent mortality and short- and long-term morbidity in very low birth weight infants.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2016-Aug-22)
Infant Death Risk - Mayo-Wilson E, Imdad A, Herzer K, Yakoob MY, Bhutta ZAVitamin A supplements for preventing mortality, illness, and blindness in children aged under 5: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ.(2011-Aug-25)
Infant Death Risk - Aamer Imdad, Zunirah Ahmed, Zulfiqar A BhuttaVitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of ageCochrane Database Syst Rev.(2016 Sep 28)
Infant Death Risk - Imdad A, Mayo-Wilson E, Haykal MR, Regan A, Sidhu J, Smith A, Bhutta ZAVitamin A supplementation for preventing morbidity and mortality in children from six months to five years of age.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2022-Mar-16)
Infant Death Risk - Haider BA, Sharma R, Bhutta ZANeonatal vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of mortality and morbidity in term neonates in low and middle income countries.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2017-Feb-24)
Infant Death Risk - Rakshasbhuvankar AA, Pillow JJ, Simmer KN, Patole SKVitamin A supplementation in very-preterm or very-low-birth-weight infants to prevent morbidity and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Am J Clin Nutr.(2021-Dec-01)
Lung Function - Phattraprayoon N, Ungtrakul T, Soonklang K, Susantitaphong POral vitamin A supplementation in preterm infants to improve health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One.(2022)
Pneumonia Symptoms - Li Y, Zhang R, Li Z, Zhai QThe Relationship of Vitamin A and Neonatal Respiratory Diseases: A Meta-Analysis.Clin Respir J.(2024 Sep 30)

Vitamin A

Overview

What is vitamin A?

What are vitamin A’s main benefits?

What are vitamin A’s main drawbacks?

How does vitamin A work?

Dosage informationMedical disclaimer

Safety InformationNew

Examine Database: Vitamin A

Research FeedRead all studies

Frequently asked questions

What are the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?

How common is vitamin A deficiency?

What is retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4)?

What are the drawbacks of tretinoin and isotretinoin?

What are the effects of supplementation with beta-carotene?

Update History

Drug-induced nutrient depletion information addedmajor

Safety Information addedmajor

Full page updatemajor

References

Examine Database References

Examine Database References

Examine Database: Vitamin A

Research FeedRead all studies

Safety InformationNew

Dosage information

Safety Information
New

Drug-induced nutrient depletion information added
major

Safety Information added
major

Full page update
major

Safety Information
New