Vitamin A - Substances that Enhance

Introduction

This section identifies other nutrients and compounds that enhance the function of Vitamin A.

Carotenoids

 Alpha-Carotene can be converted within the body into Vitamin A (one molecule of Alpha-Carotene yields one molecule of Vitamin A (i.e. it is approximately 50% as effective as Beta-Carotene in terms of its conversion to Vitamin A).  ^[1]

 Beta-Carotene is converted to the Retinal form of Vitamin A within the body - primarily in the Intestinal Mucosa but also in the Liver:  ^[2]

 As the body requires Vitamin A, it splits Carotene molecules to produce Retinal.

 The proportion converted into Vitamin A is determined by the body's Vitamin A status.

 6 mcg of Beta-Carotene is required to produce 1 mcg of Vitamin A (15 mg of Beta-Carotene is equivalent to 25,000 IU of Vitamin A).

 Beta-Carotene converts to Vitamin A more efficiently than any other Carotenoid - its nearest competitor in Vitamin A conversion activity is Alpha-Carotene (which converts at about half the efficiency of Beta-Carotene).