Vitamin A Supplements: Doses, Upper Limit and Cost Per Day
Educational overview — not medical advice. If you are pregnant, could become pregnant, or are breastfeeding, or have a health condition, ask your clinician before using any vitamin A supplement. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Preformed vitamin A has an adult upper limit of 3000 mcg RAE (10000 IU) a day, and most people in the US and Europe get vitamin A from food. The RDA is 900 mcg RAE for men and 700 mcg RAE for women (NIH ODS). Labels in IU and mcg RAE are easy to misread, so check the dose before you buy. Ask your clinician before using a vitamin A supplement.
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Start here
Vitamin A is two different substances wearing one name
Preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate; found in liver, fish liver oil, dairy, egg yolk, and most "Vitamin A" pills) is absorbed directly and stored in the liver. Provitamin-A carotenoids (beta-carotene and other plant carotenoids) are converted to retinol as the body needs it, and are a different substance with a different upper-limit rule. This page is about preformed vitamin A. Labels and generic "Vitamin A" marketing often blur the two, so check the Supplement Facts panel for the source.
Taking more than the upper limit
Chronic intake above the upper limit has been linked in the research to liver and bone effects, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists the upper limit for preformed vitamin A at 3000 mcg RAE for adults (NIH ODS). Food sources such as liver, dairy and eggs, and any multivitamin, also count toward the total. If you drink alcohol regularly, or are pregnant, could become pregnant or are breastfeeding, ask your clinician before using a vitamin A supplement.
The one-line takeaway Most adults get vitamin A from food. If you consider a supplement, check the dose against the 3000 mcg RAE (10000 IU) upper limit and ask your clinician. See the dosage guide for the numbers and best vitamin A for the ranking.
Compare Preformed Vitamin A Products by Cost Per Day
Here's how the preformed vitamin A products we track compare on cost per day, at the prices we checked. This is a cost ranking. Some products here are at or near the 10,000 IU upper limit, so check the dose before you buy, and see best vitamin A for the dose-category-first ranking. Ask your clinician before using a vitamin A supplement.
| Product | Dose/Serving | Servings | Price | Cost/Day | Certification (as labelled) | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solgar Dry Vitamin A 1,500mcg (5,000 IU), 100 Tablets | 5,000 IU | 100 | $7.33 | $0.07 | None stated | Buy on Amazon |
| Carlson Vitamin A Solubilized, 10,000 IU (3,000mcg RAE), 100 Softgels | 10,000 IU | 100 | $10.12 | $0.10 | None stated | Buy on Amazon |
| Country Life Vitamin A 10,000 IU — 50% Beta-Carotene & 50% Retinyl Palmitate, 100 Tablets | 10,000 IU | 100 | $13.99 | $0.14 | None stated | Buy on Amazon |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between preformed vitamin A and beta-carotene?
Preformed A (retinol/retinyl esters) has an upper limit of 3,000 mcg RAE (10,000 IU) for adults. Beta-carotene is converted by the body as needed and is covered separately.
Do I need to take a vitamin A supplement?
Most US and European adults get vitamin A from food. Ask your clinician before using a vitamin A supplement.
What is the upper limit for vitamin A?
For adults the upper limit for preformed vitamin A is 3,000 mcg RAE (10,000 IU) a day (NIH ODS). Ask your clinician before using a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, could become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Related guides
- Vitamin K2 and Vitamin E — other fat-soluble vitamins
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin A: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." ods.od.nih.gov
- Full product dataset: /vitamin-a/cost-by-brand.json (CC BY 4.0).