Our pick · Vitamin A

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Vitamin A

An essential fat-soluble vitamin for vision, immune function, and skin integrity — most people get enough from food, but deficiency remains a global health concern.

By editorialUpdated 2026-05-251 min read

What it's actually good for

Vitamin A is essential for vision (particularly night vision), immune defense, and the maintenance of epithelial tissues throughout the body. Deficiency is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness globally and significantly increases susceptibility to infections. In well-nourished populations, most people get sufficient vitamin A from diet (liver, dairy, eggs, and beta-carotene from colorful vegetables). Supplementation is most justified for those with restricted diets, fat malabsorption conditions, or documented deficiency. The narrow therapeutic window of preformed vitamin A means more is not better — excess is genuinely toxic, making this a supplement where dosing precision matters.

Claim-by-claim

Each claim graded independently

The overall grade is the floor. Some claims are stronger or weaker than the headline.

B

Essential for immune function, particularly mucosal immunity and immune cell differentiation

Vitamin A deficiency clearly impairs immunity; supplementation in deficient populations reduces infection risk and child mortality (WHO data). In replete populations, supplementation shows minimal additional immune benefit.

B

Supports skin cell turnover and integrity

Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) are established in dermatology for skin health. Oral vitamin A supports epithelial integrity; however, most skin-specific evidence uses topical retinoids rather than oral supplementation.

Sources

1 cited
[01]GOVTVitamin A and Carotenoids — Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsNIH Office of Dietary Supplements. 2024

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Medical disclaimer. The information on this site is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It does not constitute a diagnosis, treatment plan, or recommendation for any specific health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement regimen, diet, or lifestyle — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.

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