Vitamin A Reference Table
Nutrition & Sports Nutrition Reference Tables
Vitamin A Reference Table
US/Canadian DRI reference for healthy adults age 19-50; the adult pair is male / female. Pregnancy and lactation values are for adults.
| Group or reference | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male / female | 900 / 700 µg RAE/day | RDA unless identified as AI |
| Pregnancy | 770 µg RAE/day | Life-stage reference |
| Lactation | 1300 µg RAE/day | Life-stage reference |
| Adult upper limit | 3000 µg/day | UL applies to preformed vitamin A, not food carotenoids |
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble family supporting vision, cell differentiation and defence, supplied through retinol and selected carotenoids.
Vitamin A includes preformed retinol and its esters plus provitamin carotenoids. Retinal supports vision and retinoic acid regulates gene expression, but these forms are not fully interchangeable in the body. A retinoid medicine is not simply an ordinary dietary supplement: structure, conversion pathways and intended use limit what can be inferred from their shared family name.
Liver and some animal or fortified foods provide preformed vitamin A; dark-green and orange vegetables can provide precursors. Contributions vary with food and portion. For athletes, varied sources are more useful than frequent liver consumption or stacking retinol products. Accompanying energy and fat also belong in the actual meal plan rather than being ignored because a vitamin is present.
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