Vitamin A

What it is · too little · too much · daily reference values by country

For reference only. This is not a diagnosis or a prescription. If you have concerns, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

What it is

Vitamin A is mainly present in the body as retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid, and it is involved in vision, cell differentiation, and signaling within the body. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Vitamin A is important for the maintenance of healthy vision, and the growth and integrity of cells in body tissues. (European Food Safety Authority)
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.
The body is able to convert some carotenoids (pigments that give yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables their color) into vitamin A. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.

Getting too little

Typical signs of vitamin A deficiency include night blindness and dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. In extreme cases, the deficiency can lead to blindness. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Vitamin A deficiency can cause xerophthalmia, an eye condition that typically affects young children. (European Food Safety Authority)
The most common sign of vitamin A deficiency is an eye condition called xerophthalmia. Xerophthalmia is the inability to see in low light, and it can lead to blindness if it is left untreated. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.
A long-term deficiency of vitamin A can also lead to a higher risk of respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia) and infections (such as measles and diarrhea). It can also cause anemia. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.

Getting too much

Side effects have been reported after taking in too much vitamin A, including liver damage (including fatty liver), stillbirth and birth defects, damage to bones and cartilage, and headache. (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare · Korean Nutrition Society)
Getting too much preformed vitamin A (usually from supplements or certain medicines) can cause severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, muscle aches, and problems with coordination. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.
Getting too much preformed vitamin A while pregnant can cause birth defects in the baby. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.
High intakes of beta-carotene do not cause the same problems as preformed vitamin A. Consuming high amounts of beta-carotene can turn the skin yellow-orange, but this condition is harmless and goes away when you eat less of it. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.
However, several studies have shown that smokers, former smokers, and people exposed to asbestos who take high-dose beta-carotene supplements have a higher risk of lung cancer and death. (US National Institutes of Health)
Wording taken from the NIH ODS fact sheet by SuppleBoard, with some details left out.

Daily reference values by country

Korea · US · EU — tap to open

These tables are daily reference values for healthy people. Numbers in the text above are a different kind of value, and you cannot diagnose yourself from them. How to read RDA, AI and UL

Korea — 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (Ministry of Health and Welfare)

Group	EAR	RNI	AI	UL
0–5 months			350 μg	Checking
6–11 months			450 μg	Checking
1–2 years	190 μg	250 μg		Checking
3–5 years	230 μg	300 μg		Checking
Male · 6–8 years	310 μg	450 μg		Checking
Male · 9–11 years	410 μg	600 μg		Checking
Male · 12–14 years	540 μg	750 μg		Checking
Male · 15–18 years	620 μg	850 μg		Checking
Male · 19–29 years	570 μg	800 μg		Checking
Male · 30–49 years	560 μg	800 μg		Checking
Male · 50–64 years	530 μg	750 μg		Checking
Male · 65–74 years	520 μg	700 μg		Checking
Male · 75+ years	500 μg	700 μg		Checking
Female · 6–8 years	290 μg	400 μg		Checking
Female · 9–11 years	390 μg	550 μg		Checking
Female · 12–14 years	480 μg	650 μg		Checking
Female · 15–18 years	450 μg	650 μg		Checking
Female · 19–29 years	460 μg	650 μg		Checking
Female · 30–49 years	450 μg	650 μg		Checking
Female · 50–64 years	430 μg	600 μg		Checking
Female · 65–74 years	410 μg	600 μg		Checking
Female · 75+ years	410 μg	600 μg		Checking
Pregnancy	+50 μg	+70 μg		Checking
Lactation	+350 μg	+490 μg		Checking

US — NASEM (National Academies)

Group	EAR	RDA	AI	UL
1–3 years	210 μg	300 μg		600 μg
4–8 years	275 μg	400 μg		900 μg
Male · 9–13 years	445 μg	600 μg		1700 μg
Male · 14–18 years	630 μg	900 μg		2800 μg
Male · 19–30 years	625 μg	900 μg		3000 μg
Male · 31–50 years	625 μg	900 μg		3000 μg
Male · 51–70 years	625 μg	900 μg		3000 μg
Male · 71+ years	625 μg	900 μg		3000 μg
Female · 9–13 years	420 μg	600 μg		1700 μg
Female · 14–18 years	485 μg	700 μg		2800 μg
Female · 19–30 years	500 μg	700 μg		3000 μg
Female · 31–50 years	500 μg	700 μg		3000 μg
Female · 51–70 years	500 μg	700 μg		3000 μg
Female · 71+ years	500 μg	700 μg		3000 μg
Pregnancy · 14–18 years	530 μg	750 μg		2800 μg
Pregnancy · 19–30 years	550 μg	770 μg		3000 μg
Pregnancy · 31–50 years	550 μg	770 μg		3000 μg
Lactation · 14–18 years	885 μg	1200 μg		2800 μg
Lactation · 19–30 years	900 μg	1300 μg		3000 μg
Lactation · 31–50 years	900 μg	1300 μg		3000 μg
0–6 months			400 μg	600 μg
7–12 months			500 μg	600 μg

UL — applies to: As preformed vitamin A only.

EU — EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)

Group	AR	PRI	UL
7–11 months	190 μg	250 μg
1–3 years	205 μg	250 μg	800 μg
4–6 years	245 μg	300 μg	1100 μg
7–10 years	320 μg	400 μg	1500 μg
11–14 years	480 μg	600 μg	2000 μg
Male · 15–17 years	580 μg	750 μg
Female · 15–17 years	490 μg	650 μg
Male · 18+ years	570 μg	750 μg
Female · 18+ years	490 μg	650 μg
Pregnancy · 18–60 years	540 μg	700 μg
Lactation · 18–60 years	1020 μg	1300 μg
18+ years			3000 μg
Pregnancy · 18+ years			3000 μg
Lactation · 18+ years			3000 μg
15–17 years			2600 μg

UL — applies to: The UL applies to vitamin A as retinol or retinyl esters.

Sources

EFSA DRV Finder (Dietary Reference Values) · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA DRV Finder — nutrient descriptions · checked 2026-10-07
EFSA Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (v11, August 2025) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, Vol. 2: Vitamins (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans — summary tables (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare · The Korean Nutrition Society; in Korean) · checked 2026-10-07
NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables (Appendix J, 2019) · checked 2026-10-07
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Vitamin A Fact Sheet for Consumers · checked 2026-10-13

The sentences are plain-language summaries of official sources written by SuppleBoard. Each English sentence was checked against the source text by an AI reviewer before publishing. The agencies do not endorse this site. Published 2026-10-16.

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