If you’re looking for the best vitamin A supplements to buy this year, then you’ve come to the right place.
You can also get more info by jumping to our Vitamin A Supplements Guide.
Top 10 Vitamin A Supplements
| #1 |  |
Now Foods Vitamin A | More Info |
| #2 |  |
Nature’s Way Vitamin A | More Info |
| #3 |  |
Thorne Research Vitamin A | More Info |
| #4 |  |
Source Naturals Vitamin A | More Info |
| #5 |  |
Country Life Vitamin A | More Info |
| #6 |  |
Pure Encapsulations Vitamin A | More Info |
| #7 |  |
Freeda Vitamin A Palmitate | More Info |
| #8 |  |
Vital Nutrients Vitamin A | More Info |
| #9 |  |
BlueBonnet Vitamin A | More Info |
| #10 |  |
Superior Source Vitamin A | More Info |
Vitamin A Supplements Guide
What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be found in hundreds of different fruits and vegetables. This particular vitamin is vital to many bodily functions including the growth and development of certain cells. Contrary to popular belief, vitamin A and beta-carotene are actually different nutrients. There are two primary types of vitamin A, and one of those vitamins is known as a carotenoid.
Even though vitamin A is found in many different food sources, researchers believe that vitamin A deficiencies are the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Many children in developing countries have permanent eyesight issues due to a lack of vitamin A in their diet during the formative years.
Not only can vitamin A be found in many different types of food, but an individual’s body can produce vitamin A byproducts after eating various other carotenoids. Beef liver, in its purest form, has more vitamin A than any other natural food or ingredient that we know of.
Some of the other foods that have a relatively large amount of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, broccoli, and eggs. Unfortunately, even those who maintain a diverse diet can still struggle with a vitamin A deficiency if their body doesn’t have the ability to process certain nutrients.
For those individuals, taking a high-quality vitamin A supplement might be the only way to avoid a serious deficiency and the many side effects that will follow. When left untreated, a vitamin A deficiency can create many health complications including blindness and permanent organ failure.
Benefits of Vitamin A
Doctors currently believe that the primary function of vitamin A is to support healthy eyes. When an individual is trying to focus on an object and there is a limited amounted of light, they need a certain pigment in their eyes to pick up on the shapes and colors.
Having a healthy amount of vitamin A in the system allows the body to continue replacing those pigments as they are needed. Vitamin A also produces a protein known as rhodopsin, and this particular protein helps protect the pupils, eye membranes, and corneas. Most people who have a vitamin A deficiency find it extremely difficult to differentiate colors and see at night.
The benefits of vitamin A go well beyond one’s eyesight and eye health. Doctors have also come to realize that vitamin A is a key nutrient for the development of teeth and other bones. Those who are deficient in vitamin A have a much higher chance of developing bone deformities, tooth decay, and a myriad of other major health complications.
Recent studies have revealed that vitamin A might help the body fight off certain forms of cancer as well, but more research is needed on the subject before a conclusive answer can be given. Vitamin A is needed throughout one’s lifetime, but most doctors agree that it is extremely important during the formative years and past the age of 55. Those are the periods when most people develop problems with their bone structure and eyesight.
Are There Any Side Effects?
In order for this vitamin to produce unwanted side effects, an individual must have an incredible amount in their system. Only in very rare cases will a patient ever reach the toxicity levels of this vitamin. That being said, those who are taking vitamin A supplements as well as eating a diverse diet should be wary of any side effects that might indicate they have too much of this nutrient in their body.
The most common side effects of getting too much vitamin A closely resemble the side effects of the flu. Patients often complain that they are nauseous, achy, and fatigued. As long as the individual catches those issues early, they can simply alter their dose to avoid any additional side effects.
When vitamin A toxicity levels are reached, the vitamin will begin to impact organ function. In extreme cases, a dangerous dose of vitamin A will cause the liver to shut down. In addition to chronic abdominal pain, the individual might begin to notice unusual issues with their hair and skin.
They might also discover that their joints are swollen when they first get up and it is difficult to get out of bed. While those issues can be overwhelming, it is important to keep in mind that a toxic dose of vitamin A is well over 3,000 micrograms. A healthy adult generally needs no more than 700 to 900 micrograms of vitamin A per day. Those are just a few of the reasons why vitamin A deficiencies are much more common than vitamin A poisonings.
How to Take Vitamin A
Just as with all other key micronutrients, adults and children should try to get as much vitamin A as possible through their diet. A diverse diet that includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats should contain enough vitamin A for the average individual.
Unfortunately, there may be some cases in which a person can’t eat a diverse diet or they might not be absorbing enough nutrients from the foods they consume. Those who have been diagnosed with any gastrointestinal diseases that affect their body’s ability to absorb nutrients should consider taking a vitamin A supplement.
Supplements affect everyone in a slightly different manner, and that is why most people need to experiment with their doses and timing in order to limit gastrointestinal distress. Anyone who has a sensitive stomach should try to take their vitamin A supplements with a meal to speed up the absorption process.
A single larger dose can be taken in the morning, but that is often difficult for an individual to digest all at once. Others like to split their supplements up throughout the day to make them more manageable. Taking one supplement with every meal will give your body time to absorb and process each individual vitamin that you consume. Those who are breaking up their doses should make sure that they are not consuming too much of any single vitamin or mineral.
What to Look for in a Good Vitamin A Supplement
Choosing a high-quality supplement is not always an easy task. Not only do many companies claim that they have the best product, but some include additional ingredients that might not be needed. As a general rule, you only want to buy your supplements from a reputable company that has a history of providing high-quality products.
Even if other companies are more affordable, they might not have to follow the same regulations depending on where their products are made and packaged. The product that you finally decide on should be certified by a third-party oversight committee or another similar governing body.
You also want to check the ingredient list to make sure that there are little or no unusual additives. While some additives are used to keep these products fresh, many are used as unnecessary fillers.
Those who are interested in taking a vitamin A supplement will also need to decide if they want to take a pure pill or a multivitamin that contains a variety of other vitamins and minerals. The biggest benefits of choosing a multivitamin is the fact that an individual won’t need to take dozens of pills throughout the day.
Many of the key micronutrients that are needed to survive will be contained in a single pill. The biggest downside of a multivitamin is the potential for abdominal distress. The sheer amount of vitamins and minerals in the pill can be tough to digest.
Pure vitamin A supplements are often a better option for anyone who has a confirmed vitamin A deficiency. These products will give them more control over exactly how much vitamin A they are consuming throughout the day.
The post 10 Best Vitamin A Supplements – Ranked & Reviewed for 2017 appeared first on Supplement Hound - Supplement Reviews for 2016.
from Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2016 http://supplementhound.com/best-vitamin-a-supplements/
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