Vitamin A

Vitamin A is also known as retinol and has several important functions.

These include:

• helping your immune system to work as it should against infections
• helping vision in dim light
• keeping skin andthe linings of some parts of the body, such as the nose, healthy

Good sources of vitamin A

Good sources of vitamin A include:

• cheese
• eggs
• oily fish
• fortified low-fat spreads
• milk and yoghurt

Liver is a particularly rich source of vitamin A, although this means you may be at risk of having too much vitamin A if you eat liver more than once a week (see below).

You can also contribute to your vitamin A intake by including good sources of beta-carotene in your diet, as this can be converted into vitamin A by the body.The main food sources of beta-carotene are:

• yellow, redand green (leafy) vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoesand red peppers
• yellow fruit such as mango,papaya and apricots

How much vitamin A do I need?

The amount of vitamin A adults need is:

• 0.7mg a day for men
• 0.6mg a day for women

You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your daily diet.

Any vitamin A your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use. This means you don't need it every day.

What happens if I take too much vitamin A?

According to some research, having more than an average of 1.5mg a day of vitamin A over many years may affect your bones,making them more likely to fracture when you are older.

This is particularly important for older people, especially women, who are already at risk of Osteoporosis . This is where your bone density reduces andyou have a higherrisk of fractures.

If you eat liver or liver pt more than once a week, youmay be getting too muchvitamin A.

Many multivitamins contain vitamin A. Other supplements, such as fish liver oil, are also high in vitamin A. If you take supplements containing vitamin A, make sure your daily intake of vitamin A from food and supplements does not exceed1.5mg. If you eat liver every week, don't take supplements that contain vitamin A.

If you are pregnant

Having large amounts of vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby, do not eat liver or liver products, such as pt, because these are very high in vitamin A.

Also, do not take supplements that contain vitamin A. Ask your GP or midwife if you would like more information.

Whatdoes theDepartment of Health advise?

You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take a supplement that contains vitamin A, don't take too much, because this could be harmful.

Liver is a very rich source of vitamin A. Do not eat liver or liver products, such as pt, more than once a week. You should alsobe aware of how muchvitamin A thereisin any supplements you take.

If you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby:

• do not take supplements containing vitamin A, including fish liver oil, unlessadvised to by yourGP
• do noteat liver or liver products, such as pt, because these are very high in vitamin A

Women who have been through the menopause and older men, who are more at risk of osteoporosis, should avoid having more than 1.5mg of vitamin A a day from food and supplements. This means:

• not eating liver or liver products, such as pt, more than once a week, or having smaller portions of these
• taking no more than 1.5mg of vitamin A a day in supplements (including fish liver oil) if you donot eat liver or liver products
• not taking any supplements containing vitamin A (including fish liver oil) if you eat liver once a week

Having an average of1.5mg a day or less of vitamin Afrom diet and supplements combined is unlikely to cause any harm.