When to take
Vitamin A

What is vitamin A good for?

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that can be found in many foods, including dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, and especially liver. There are also many vegetables that contain beta-carotene, such as leafy greens, sweet potatoes and carrots, which your body then converts into vitamin A.

Primary functions of vitamin A

Vitamin A is fundamental for the correct function of a variety of processes in the human body, including eye health, bone health, reproductive health and immune system function, as well as aiding in the healthy development of the fetus during pregnancy.

Consequently, a deficiency in vitamin A can result in a large amount of health problems, such as poor eyesight, poor bone health, decreased fertility, or a weakened immune system, which can in turn lead to further disease and illness.

People who follow a diet that is poor in nutrition are susceptible to vitamin A deficiency, and people that suffer from certain conditions such as pancreatic disease or a disease of the eyes could also require a higher amount of vitamin A than normal.

Role in eye health

As you have probably concluded by this point, vitamin A is essential for our eyesight, and this is because it is precisely vitamin A that helps to convert the light that hits our retinas into the electrical signal that is sent to the brain for visual interpretation.

In fact, one of the first symptoms of vitamin A deficiency is the inability to see properly in dark environments, a condition known as nyctalopia, or night blindness.

Role in bone health

Vitamin A is also important for bone health, as it helps towards the strength and density of bone, and a deficiency in vitamin A is associated with poor bone health and an increase in the risk of suffering a fracture.

Role in the immune system

Regarding its importance for our immune system, vitamin A is involved in the production and function of leukocytes, our white blood cells, which are tasked with protecting our body from harmful foreign bacteria and pathogens. It also contributes towards the protective mucous barriers that keep our eyes, lungs and gut safe from infection.

In developing countries, where infections to dangerous diseases such as malaria or measles are common, vitamin A supplementation in children has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the mortality rate from these diseases.

Role in reproductive health

Vitamin A is essential both in the healthy development of sperm cells as well as egg quality and the egg's ability to implant itself in the womb. A deficiency in vitamin A can affect fertility in both cases, and vitamin A is also vital for the healthy growth and development of the child throughout pregnancy.

Excessive intake of vitamin A

However, all this said, don't go reaching for that bottle of vitamin A capsules just yet. It is important to understand that an excess of vitamin A can be dangerous.

Being a fat-soluble vitamin, the body will attempt to store as much of it as possible, which means that excess consumption of vitamin A can lead to toxic levels of the vitamin accumulating in the body, a condition known as hypervitaminosis A.

Symptoms of this type of hypervitaminosis can result in nausea, dizziness, or even more serious conditions resulting in damage to vital organs. It is quite hard to achieve an excess of vitamin A through diet alone, unless you are eating liver very frequently, but it can be relatively easy if you are unnecessarily taking vitamin A supplements, so make sure you check with your doctor to see if you really need it first!

When should I take vitamin A?

Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin, which means that for optimal absorption, it should be taken with a meal that contains dietary fat, although there does not seem to be a particular time of day that is best suited for taking vitamin A.

What does vitamin A combine well with?

Vitamin A with vitamin E, for increased absorption of vitamin A

Intestinal absorption of vitamin A has been shown to improve significantly when taken in the presence of vitamin E, and you will often see vitamin A combined with vitamin E in some supplement formulations, so that is worth considering if you want to get the most from your vitamin A.

Vitamin A with selenium, for increased absorption of selenium

Absorption of selenium is in turn positively affected by the presence of several vitamins including vitamin A, so you may want to consider taking vitamin A if you are concerned with getting the most out of your selenium supplements.

What should I avoid taking vitamin A with?

Avoid with multivitamin

Avoid taking vitamin A supplements together with any other supplemental form of vitamin A, such as that which is most likely already included in a multivitamin supplement.

Avoid with blood-thinning medication

Vitamin A can have negative interactions with blood thinners, so make sure to take any blood-thinning medication at least three hours apart from any supplements containing vitamin A.

What are natural sources of vitamin A?

If you are interested in achieving your daily vitamin A intake through your diet, rich sources of vitamin A include:

• Beef liver
• Lamb liver
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Milk
• Cheese
• Yoghurt

Vitamin A data sources & further reading

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-time-to-take-vitamins
• https://www.yourheights.com/blogs/supplements/vitamin-a-benefits
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-a-benefits
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-a/art-20365945
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523335603
• https://exrx.net/Nutrition/Antioxidants/Selenium
• https://www.medicinenet.com/what_vitamins_should_not_be_taken_together/article.htm