Vitamin A is ubiquitous in human health.
It plays a role in:
It is present in several forms in the body - retinol, retinal, retinoic acid and retinyl phosphate.
Directly-available vitamin A is actually found in animal-source products (5). These vitamin A-rich foods include:
Plant-source foods primarily contain beta-carotene, a provitamin which the body easily converts into vitamin A.
So if you don’t eat animal products, there is an alternative source of vitamin A. It’s best to choose highly-coloured fruits and vegetable - in fact, beta-carotene is none other than a red-orange pigment (7).
Focus on:
Microalgae are important allies:
You could also try a carotenoid complex. The formulation Carottol™, for example, combines beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, astaxanthin and zeaxanthin. All these compounds are particularly helpful in protecting against problems with vision or the immune system.
Last but not least, taking a multivitamin complex (such as Daily 3) is always a good idea. If you need to, be sure to seek advice from a health professional to identify your particular requirements.
The consequences of a lack of vitamin A can be serious. A diet with plenty of brightly-coloured fruit and vegetables, along with some carefully-chosen supplements, will provide you with sufficient vitamin A to ensure you stay in the best of health!
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