Vitamin A
The Health Benefits of Vitamin A
Sitting at the top of the vitamin list, Vitamin A is vital for a healthy, functioning body. Find out more about this important ingredient.
How Vitamin A Helps your Eyes
Vitamin A’s primary function in the body is to keep your eyesight sharp. That old saying that carrots help you see at night is true! Vitamin A heads to the retina, where it helps make up rhodopsin, the chemical needed for you to see things when there is not much light. As you age, vitamin A can help slow the onset of eyesight decline (1).
How Vitamin A Keeps Your Skin Looking Beautiful
It also has a key role in keeping your skin beautiful. Vitamin A regulates the process of keratinization in your skin, so that it does not become clogged, and cause acne, or overly aggressive, creating patches of psoriasis (2).
How Vitamin A Boosts Your Energy
New research from R.Acin-Perez et al (3) shows that Vitamin A is very important when it comes to creating adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, in the mitochondria of our cells. ATP is the molecule responsible for carrying energy, so that we feel revved up and ready to go!
Understanding How Vitamin A Works
Vitamin A comes in two forms. Preformed Vitamin A, also known as retinol. This is found in meat and dairy products. Meanwhile, Provitamin A, or beta-carotene, is found in plant foods like leafy greens, bell peppers, and tomatoes. The difference comes down to how the body uses it. Preformed is ready for the body to use straight away, while Provitamin has to be converted in the small intestine.