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Check vitamin A intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mcg RAE/day, % of RDA and food sources.
Check vitamin A intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mcg RAE/day, % of RDA and food sources.
Enter values above and click Calculate — results will appear here with the formula explained.
Vitamin A RDA is 900 mcg RAE daily for men and 700 mcg for women 19+ — covering vision (retinal), immune function, skin integrity and reproduction. RAE (retinol activity equivalents) unifies two worlds: preformed retinol (1 mcg = 1 RAE) and provitamin carotenoids (12 mcg beta-carotene = 1 RAE, 24 mcg other carotenoids). This calculator checks intake as percent of RDA.
Source split matters enormously: beef liver (~6,500 mcg per 3 oz, 7× RDA in one serving), dairy, eggs and fish deliver preformed retinol with near-complete absorption; carrots (~500 mcg RAE per half cup), sweet potatoes, spinach and mangoes supply beta-carotene at 12:1 conversion — generous eaters of orange vegetables clear RDA without any animal foods.
Toxicity is a retinol-only story: chronic intakes above the 3,000 mcg UL from supplements or frequent liver meals risk hepatotoxicity, bone loss and — critically — teratogenicity (birth defects), which is why pregnancy guidance caps preformed vitamin A while encouraging carotenoid sources. Beta-carotene from food has no UL; worst case is harmless carotenemia (orange palms).
Deficiency remains a global health emergency (night blindness, xerophthalmia, measles mortality in deficient children) but is rare in varied Western diets — at-risk groups are premature infants, cystic fibrosis and fat-malabsorption patients, strict low-fat dieters and alcohol-dependent individuals. Night-vision complaints plus dry eyes warrant workup, not carrot megadosing.
Conversion inefficiency is underappreciated: the 12:1 beta-carotene ratio assumes healthy fat intake and conversion enzymes — low-fat meals, hypothyroidism, diabetes and BCMO1 gene variants all lower yield. Eating carotenoid vegetables with olive oil or nuts measurably raises absorption; fat-free salads waste half their vitamin A.
Acne and 'skin' megadosing deserves caution: isotretinoin is prescription retinoic acid with strict pregnancy prevention for good reason, while over-the-counter retinol and retinyl esters carry the same class risks at high chronic doses. Cosmetic goals never justify exceeding the UL without dermatologic supervision.
Check vitamin A intake vs RDA by age and sex — see mcg RAE/day, % of RDA and food sources. Formula: RDA: M 900, F 700 mcg RAE (19+).
Vitamin A RDA is 900 mcg RAE daily for men and 700 mcg for women 19+ — covering vision (retinal), immune function, skin integrity and reproduction. RAE (retinol activity equivalents) unifies two worlds: preformed retinol (1 mcg = 1 RAE) and provitamin carotenoids (12 mcg beta-carotene = 1 RAE, 24 mcg other carotenoids). This calculator checks intake as percent of RDA.
Source split matters enormously: beef liver (~6,500 mcg per 3 oz, 7× RDA in one serving), dairy, eggs and fish deliver preformed retinol with near-complete absorption; carrots (~500 mcg RAE per half cup), sweet potatoes, spinach and mangoes supply beta-carotene at 12:1 conversion — generous eaters of orange vegetables clear RDA without any animal foods.
Toxicity is a retinol-only story: chronic intakes above the 3,000 mcg UL from supplements or frequent liver meals risk hepatotoxicity, bone loss and — critically — teratogenicity (birth defects), which is why pregnancy guidance caps preformed vitamin A while encouraging carotenoid sources. Beta-carotene from food has no UL; worst case is harmless carotenemia (orange palms).
Deficiency remains a global health emergency (night blindness, xerophthalmia, measles mortality in deficient children) but is rare in varied Western diets — at-risk groups are premature infants, cystic fibrosis and fat-malabsorption patients, strict low-fat dieters and alcohol-dependent individuals. Night-vision complaints plus dry eyes warrant workup, not carrot megadosing.
Conversion inefficiency is underappreciated: the 12:1 beta-carotene ratio assumes healthy fat intake and conversion enzymes — low-fat meals, hypothyroidism, diabetes and BCMO1 gene variants all lower yield. Eating carotenoid vegetables with olive oil or nuts measurably raises absorption; fat-free salads waste half their vitamin A.
Acne and 'skin' megadosing deserves caution: isotretinoin is prescription retinoic acid with strict pregnancy prevention for good reason, while over-the-counter retinol and retinyl esters carry the same class risks at high chronic doses. Cosmetic goals never justify exceeding the UL without dermatologic supervision.
At 30 male, 800 mcg intake: 89% of the 900 mcg RDA — add half a cup of carrots (~500 mcg RAE) to exceed 140%. One 3 oz liver serving (~6,500 mcg) would overshoot to 700%+ — fine occasionally, hazardous weekly in pregnancy.
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Report an error