Article: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies make suggestions based on research about how much vitamin A you need each day. Typically, adult men need 900 micrograms (3,000 international units, or IU) and adult women need 700 micrograms (2,300 IU) daily. Make sure you’re getting the amount you need.  Pregnant women require slightly more: 770 micrograms (2,600 IU) daily. When lactating and breast feeding, the RDA increases to 1,300 micrograms of vitamin A daily (4,300 IU). These requirements are for women age 19 or older. The RDAs for children have been set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization, and they vary depending on the child’s age. Ask your doctor if your child needs additional vitamin A, and how much they should receive. The current RDA numbers have been in place since 2002, but some supplement packaging might still list the old dosage of 5,000 IU. Good natural sources of this vitamin are meat products such as beef kidney and liver, eggs, and dairy. This form of vitamin A is called retinol and it is in a form that the body can use. Be sure to also get vitamin A from fresh produce like carrots and other yellow or dark vegetables, also known as carotenoids, which are precursors of Vitamin A. Great sources are broccoli, kale, spinach, sweet potato, squash, cantaloupe, dried apricots, mango and sweet red peppers. Multivitamins often contain 100% of the RDA for vitamin A, and taking one daily multivitamin is an easy way to get all the supplements you need.  Choose a vitamin that states on the label that its vitamin A is at least 20% beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A found in some foods and is safe even in large quantities. Multivitamins are available at your local drug store. You may want to ask your doctor, dietician, or pharmacist if they recommend a certain brand.  Choose a multivitamin that provides close to 100% of the daily need for all the vitamins and minerals it contains, rather than one that has a “megadose” of 500% of one and only, say, 15% of another.  Do not take an additional vitamin A supplement unless you are directed by a doctor to do so. Vitamin A toxicity can occur if you consume very high levels. The amount found in a daily multi-vitamin combined with a healthy diet is enough for most people.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A. Eat foods high in vitamin A. Take a daily multivitamin.