Vitamin A

• What other names is Vitamin A known by?
• What is Vitamin A?
• How does Vitamin A work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Vitamin A.

What other names is Vitamin A known by?

3-Dehydroretinol, 3-Déhydrorétinol, Acétate de Rétinol, Antixerophthalmic Vitamin, Axerophtholum, Dehydroretinol, Déhydrorétinol, Fat-Soluble Vitamin, Oleovitamin A, Palmitate de Rétinol, Retinoids, Rétinoïdes, Retinol, Rétinol, Retinol Acetate, Retinol Palmitate, Retinyl Acetate, Rétinyl Acétate, Retinyl Palmitate, Rétinyl Palmitate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin A1, Vitamin A2, Vitamina A, Vitamine A, Vitamine A1, Vitamine A2, Vitamine Liposoluble, Vitaminum A.

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a vitamin. It can be found in many fruits, vegetables, eggs, whole milk, butter, fortified margarine, meat, and oily saltwater fish. It can also be made in a laboratory.

Effective for...

• Treatment and prevention of vitamin A deficiency.

Possibly Effective for...

• Reducing complications of diseases such as malaria, HIV, measles, and diarrhea in children with vitamin A deficiency.
• Reducing problems during pregnancy and after giving birth in underfed (malnourished) women.
• Breast cancer.
• Prevention of cataracts.
• Improving recovery from laser eye surgery when used in combination with vitamin E.

Possibly Ineffective for...

• Reducing fetal and early infant death in children born to women with nutrition problems.
• Anemia.
• Decreasing the risk of HIV transmission during pregnancy, delivery, and breast-feeding.
• Reducing side effects of chemotherapy in children.

Likely Ineffective for...

• Reducing the risk of tumors in the head and neck.
• Treating pneumonia in children living in poor countries.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Lung cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, promoting good vision, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, preventing and speeding recovery from infections, improving immune function, skin conditions other than acne, relieving hayfever symptoms, and other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).