Vitamin A, also known as Retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is vital to maintain healthy vision, skin, and hair growth. It plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of mucus membranes, and skeletal and soft tissue. In addition, this fat-soluble vitamin plays an important role in immune functions and reproduction.

Vitamin A is found in various animal sources such as meat, eggs, cream and cheese. Foods rich in beta-carotene include bright yellow and orange fruits like apricots and cantaloupe, vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins, and other green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli.

The RDA for vitamin A is about 400 mcg for children and 900 mcg for adults. People with too little vitamin A intake are more prone to infectious diseases and vision problems, while too much vitamin A can lead to birth defects.

Recommended intake levels for vitamin A are provided by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) system. In the below tables the intake levels are presented separately for men and women for different life stages.