When it comes to the best vitamin A supplements, there are several important factors to consider. The main concern is that while vitamin A is absolutely essential for multiple functions in the human body, it can be toxic at sustained higher doses. This is also referred to as hypervitaminosis A.
As you can imagine, it’s important to get a good balance of vitamin A through your diet and/or supplementation. Not too much and not too little.
It’s rarely the case with supplements, but when it comes to vitamin A, you could be putting your health at risk if you’re not careful.
With that being said, why take a vitamin A supplement?
Vitamin A Health Benefits
Vitamin A is required by the body for multiple physiological processes. Without it, your organs and immune system wouldn’t be able to function properly.
Not only that, it provides a number of health benefits.
Promotes Healthy Bones
Calcium isn’t the only mineral responsible for bone health.
A 2017 meta-analysis found that people with vitamin A deficiencies had a higher risk of experiencing bone fractures. They also found that those who had higher levels of vitamin A had a 6% lower chance of having one. (1)
Plays an Important Role in Eyesight
Vitamin A is essential for good vision and a lack of it can lead to blindness. That’s because vitamin A is necessary for converting the light that comes through your eyes into an electrical signal in your brain.
A more mild form of vitamin A deficiency is night blindness. This is because vitamin A makes up part of the pigment rhodopsin, which is very light sensitive and is not present when there’s a vitamin A deficiency.
Fights Against Acne
Some studies suggest that vitamin A deficiency can contribute to acne. The reason being is that it can result in an overproduction of the protein keratin, which may lead to blockages in hair follicles. (2) (3)
Is Important During Pregnancy
Vitamin A plays a role in both the mother’s and baby’s development during pregnancy.
It’s essential for a mother’s reproductive system.
It also is involved in the development of a baby’s nervous system, skeleton, and organs.
On the other hand, it can be harmful to babies to get too much of it as well, so it’s important to find a healthy balance.
Supports The Immune System
Vitamin A helps keep infections out of the body. It’s involved in the formation of white blood cells, so vitamin A helps fight against infection and also reducing the amount of time you’re sick if you do get an infection.
Could Lower Your Risk of Cancer
Research has found that getting adequate amounts of vitamin A could help avoid getting cancer, especially vitamin A from plant sources. (4)
What to Look For in a Vitamin A Supplement
As was mentioned earlier in the article, too much vitamin A can be toxic, so it’s important to not take too much and choose the right, safe type.
What that ultimately means is to buy vitamin A supplements that meet these requirements:
- It comes in beta-carotene form, which is a precursor to vitamin A. It’s not toxic because the body converts it to vitamin A, but only converts as much as it needs. It’s derived from plant sources rather than animal ones.
- Is less than 15,000 IU.
Now that you have a better idea of what makes a good vitamin A supplement, here are our picks for the best vitamin A supplements.
#1: Solgar Dry Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) 10,000 IU Tablets
Solgar’s Dry Beta Carotene 10,000 IU Tablets take the number one spot on our list of the best vitamin A supplements.
There are several things that Solgar has done with this beta-carotene/vitamin A supplement that makes it so good.
First of all, this vitamin A supplement comes in the form of beta-carotene, the safest form of vitamin A. At 10,000 IU, it’s under the highest level we’d recommend taking of 15,000 IU.
10,000 IU is 200% of the recommended daily value, but your body will just convert what it needs of the beta-carotene into vitamin A.
This product also contains a 114 mcg carotenoid mix of alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin, which is good for vision.
This supplement is vegetarian-friendly and is free of sugar, salt, and starch.
Pros:
- Uses beta-carotene
- Has a good dosage size
- Contains a carotenoid mix that’s also good for vision in addition to the vitamin A
- Vegetarian-friendly
Cons:
- Contains some ingredients we think are unnecessary
- Expensive
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- Multi-system Health Support; Beta-carotene is a potent antioxidant; Additionally, it is essential for healthy vision & skin, and maintenance of a healthy immune system
- Pro Vitamin A; Beta-carotene is referred to as Pro-Vitamin A because it is converted into Vitamin A as the body requires it
- Oil-Free Form; This formulation is offered in an oil-free (dry) form for those who may have difficulty digesting oil-based supplements
- Gluten, Wheat & Dairy Free; Solgar Dry Beta-Carotene is vegan, kosher, and free of: gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, yeast, sugar, sodium, artificial flavor, and preservatives
- The Gold Standard: For over 70 years, Solgar has been committed to quality, health, and well-being. Our mission is to create the finest nutritional supplements in small batches, through tireless research, using only the finest raw materials
#2: Jarrow Formulas CarotenALL Mixed Carotenoids Complex
Taking our number 2 spot is Jarrow Formulas’ CarotenAll Mixed Carotenoids Complex. This supplement goes a bit beyond your standard vitamin A supplement.
It does contain 1,200 mcg of vitamin A in beta-carotene form, which is 40% of the daily value. That may sound like a small amount of vitamin A, but in reality, the vast majority of people are going to get the other 60% of the daily value through regular diet.
In addition, it has lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, astaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and gamma tocopherol. These are carotenoids that have a variety of health benefits.
A bottle of this product contains 60 soft gels for a two-month supply.
Jarrow Fomulas formulated this product to address cardiovascular, vision, and heart health.
The ingredients were extracted from fruit and it’s vegetarian-friendly. Many consumers note how this product improved their vision.
Pros:
- Comes in beta-carotene form
- Has 1,200 mcg of vitamin A, which allows you to get the rest through your diet and not overdosing on the vitamin
- Has a mix of carotenoids that promote eye health and other types of health
Cons:
- Contains additional ingredients that you may not be interested in if you just want a vitamin A supplement
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- Mixed Carotenoids Complex: CarotenAll is a mixed carotenoids complex providing a total amount of the major carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene) in one softgel of five servings of fruits and vegetables
- Cardiovascular and Vision Support: CarotenAll, as part of a healthy diet, supports cardiovascular and vision health with carotenoids (extracted in palm fruit in ratios identical to carrots) and lycopene (found in non-GMO tomatoes)
- Other Included Carotenoids: The seven carotenoid formulation softgel also includes lutein and zeaxanthin (found in dark, leafy green vegetables), and astaxanthin (found in seafood and algae)
- Convenient Softgels: One softgel is equivalent to the carotenoids in five servings of fruits and vegetables; Take one softgel once or twice per day or as directed by your qualified healthcare professional
- Superior Nutrition and Formulation: The goal of Jarrow Formulas is to promote optimal health with high-quality, effective, affordable, and superior formulation of dietary supplements; Our customers can be assured of purity, value, and potency
#3: Swanson Beta-Carotene (Vitamin A)
If you’re looking for simple and affordable, this vitamin A supplement from Swanson fits the bill nicely.
This supplement is as straightforward as it gets: the active ingredient is simply 10,000 IU of vitamin A in beta-carotene form. Coupled with a reasonable price, this product is going to be a respectable choice if you’re looking for just vitamin A and don’t have any interest in additional active ingredients being included.
This product does, however, contain some non-active ingredients, which include: gelatin, soy lecithin, glycerin, yellow beeswax, and soybean oil. If you’re strictly vegetarian/vegan, this product won’t be suitable for you because of the animal-based gelatin soft gel. This product also might not be an option for you if you have a soy allergy.
We’d rather not see some of these additional ingredients, but they are not uncommon in the manufacturing process and are essentially harmless, although we’d prefer this product to be even more simplified and encapsulated in a vegetarian capsule.
Pros:
- Contains the beta-carotene form of vitamin A
- Nice, balanced dosage size
- Simple formulation
Cons:
- Not vegetarian or soy friendly
- Includes several ingredients that don’t add to the supplement’s value
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- HEALTHY SKIN, HAIR, & EYES: Swanson's High Potency Beta-Carotene softgels deliver potent Vitamin A promoting healthy skin, hair, eyes, and even immune system support using ingredients you can trust.
- POWERFULLY PURE: Our Beta-Carotene supplement delivers 10,000 IU (3000mcg) of Beta-Carotene in each easy-to-swallow softgel. Our natural formula is specially created for safe and effective wellness support.
- DOSAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Our wellness supplements are daily solutions for an enhanced mind and body. Take one softgel once per day with water. Consult your physician before using if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking other supplements.
- OUR QUALITY COMMITMENT: For nearly 50 years, Swanson has delivered science-backed health products worldwide. Each wellness supplement is made in our GMP certified facilities, and our purity and potency testing includes independent third-party labs.
- MONEY BACK GUARANTEE: At Swanson, we guarantee that every health product is made from the purest, freshest ingredients. If you aren't satisfied with any product(s) purchased within the last 30 days, return the unused portion to us for a full refund.
#4: Solaray Food Carotene All Natural 10,000 IU Softgels (Vitamin A)
Yet another very good vitamin A option, Solaray’s Food Carotene All Natural 10,000 IU Softgels provide a plant-based vitamin A supplement in the form of beta-carotene derived from Dunaliella salina, a type of algae. It also has a carotenoid complex made up of annatto oil, carrot concentrate, lemon grass, spirulina, and yam.
These carotenoid complexes have various health benefits. Some of the more notable and proven ones include: maintaining skin health and protecting it from damage (5), eye/vision health (6), immune support (7), and lowering inflammation, among others. (8)
This product provides a nice range of antioxidants.
Pros:
- Provides vitamin A through plant-based beta-carotene
- Has health benefits in addition to beta-carotene with its carotenoid blend
Cons:
- Comes in a soft gel, which may be hard on your stomach
- Contains soy and some unnecessary ingredients
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- Plant Source: Vitamin A as 100% natural Beta Carotene with carotenoid complex
- A+ Support: May help support healthy skin & eyes, antioxidant activity & immune system function
- See the Difference: 10,000 IU of plant-sourced Vitamin A may help support healthy vision
- Trusted Brand: Made in our own facility & lab verified for potency & purity
#5: Pure Encapsulations – Beta Carotene with Mixed Carotenoids – Hypoallergenic Antioxidant and Vitamin A Precursor Supplement – 180 Softgel Capsules
Last but not least on our list of best vitamin A supplements, we have Pure Encapsulations’ Beta Carotene with Mixed Carotenoids – Hypoallergenic Antioxidant and Vitamin A Precursor Supplement.
This product contains 7,500 mcg of vitamin A as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, and D. salina. There’s a lot of Pure Encapsulations products that we approve of, so we’ve definitely come to respect the company but unfortunately, with this supplement, they don’t do a very good job of labeling how much each type of vitamin A is included. They just lumped them all together to get to the 7,500 mcg number.
Other than that, this product is pretty straightforward. It comes in soft gels and one bottle contains 180.
Pros:
- Contains a nice mixture of carotenoids that are good for your eyes/vision and other health
Cons:
- Uses a gelatin capsule, so it’s not suitable for vegans
- Price (as of the publishing date) is far too high
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- Antioxidant Support: Beta carotene's antioxidant potential supports healthy tissues and DNA integrity.*
- Immune Defense: Beta Carotene supports immune health, enhances visual acuity, and quenches free radicals.*
- Vitamin A Precursor: The body naturally converts beta carotene to vitamin A as needed to offer optimal nutritional support.*
- Pure Quality: Our supplements are made with only premium ingredients sourced from trusted suppliers and guided by our nutritional experts, then carefully manufactured and tested to verify their potency and purity.
- Pure Difference: What makes us different isn't just our process or what goes into our supplements -- what we leave out matters, too. Pure Encapsulations products are FREE FROM wheat, eggs, tree nuts & peanuts, gluten, artificial colors, flavors & sweeteners, coatings and shellacs, GMOs, and unnecessary binders, fillers & preservatives.
Conclusion
The supplement industry is a crowded space, so there’s a lot of competition out there in regards to vitamin A supplements, so hats off to Solgar and their Dry Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) 10,000 IU supplement. We know they’re not the biggest brand in the industry, but sometimes that works in a brand’s and consumers’ favor, as they have to do what they can to stand out, and sometimes that means providing the best supplement for the money.
There are plenty of other great vitamin A products out there on the market, so if you do choose a product outside our list we just recommend choosing a) vitamin A supplements in the form of beta-carotene, and b) limiting your intake to under 15,000 IU.
That’ll wrap it up for our best vitamin A supplements list. We’d like to hear from you: do you have any experience with the products here? Let us know in the comments section.
Sources- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28891953
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15660900
- https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/role-of-diet-in-dermatological-conditions-2155-9600-1000400.php?aid=60091
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387950/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257702/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/4/1169/html
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/effects-of-carotenoids-on-human-immune-function/8C0275BFE29D8C343A2CA18B62062483
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531714001171