ConsumerLab.com uses JavaScript to provide the best possible experience for our content, but your browser has it disabled. Learn how to enable it here.

About ConsumerLab.com


Vitamin A Supplements (Including Cod Liver Oil) Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Summary

  • How much vitamin A should I take?

    Unless you're deficient in vitamin A or have a condition that can cause deficiency, you probably don't need to take a vitamin A supplement. Americans are more likely to get too much vitamin A from their diets than too little. The daily requirement for vitamin A is 900 mcg (or 3,000 IU in the retinol form) for men, 700 mcg (2,333 IU) for women, and is lower for children.
  • Changing vitamin A labels:

    Be aware that supplement labels are in the process of being updated to show vitamin A in "mcg" (micrograms) of retinol activity equivalents - RAE. This is more scientifically correct than the older "IU" format. For reference, 900 mcg = 3,000 IU of vitamin A as retinol or 6,000 IU of beta-carotene, since retinol (and related retinyl forms) have greater biological activity than beta-carotene.
  • How much vitamin A is too much?

    Too much vitamin A (for adults, over 3,000 mcg RAE daily -- or 10,000 IU in the retinol form) can cause problems, and is of particular concern for women who are pregnant. Although safe when consumed from fruits and vegetables, there are some concerns with taking beta-carotene, which is converted, as needed, to vitamin A in the body.
  • Is cod liver oil better than synthetic vitamin A?

    The vitamin A in fish oil is the same as the synthetic vitamin A in most supplements -- retinyl palmitate, so it doesn't matter which you use. Cod liver oil tends to cost more but can provide significant amounts of vitamins D and E as well as omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA).
  • Best choice for vitamin A supplements?

    Among the supplements that passed testing, we selected those that provide the best quality and value as our Top Picks, including selections for an overall vitamin A supplement (including optional selections for very high dose vitamin A and fish-free vitamin A), as well as for vitamin A from beta-carotene and from cod liver oil.

Make sure you're choosing the best vitamin A supplements approved in our tests!

See the Full Review as a Member

Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/

Vitamin A supplements with beta-carotene / retinol, including cod liver oil, compared in this review

View Larger Image 6265_small_Bluebonnet_VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Bluebonnet Vitamin A

View Larger Image 6263_small_Bronson-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Bronson Vitamin A

View Larger Image 6269_small_Carlson-Kids-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Carlson Kid's Norwegian Cod Liver Oil

View Larger Image 6304_small_GNC_Beta-Carotene-Vitamin_A-Small-2018.jpg

GNC Beta-Carotene

View Larger Image 6270_small_NOW-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

NOW Vitamin A

View Larger Image 6262_small_Nutrilite-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Nutrilite Multi Carotene

View Larger Image 6266_small_PureEncapsulations-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Pure Encapsulations Vitamin A

View Larger Image 6261_small_PuritansPride-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Puritan's Pride Beta-Carotene

View Larger Image 6264_small_Solaray-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Solaray Vitamin Dry A

View Larger Image 6271_small_SpringValley-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Spring Valley Vitamin A

View Larger Image 6268_small_TheVitaminShoppe-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

The Vitamin Shoppe Cod Liver Oil

View Larger Image 6267_small_Vitacost-VitaminA-Small-2018.jpg

Vitacost Cold Water Arctic Cod Liver Oil

You must be a member to get the full test results and quality ratings for 12 vitamin A supplements (two of which failed to contain all the vitamin A they claimed), including products tested through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program. You'll learn:
  • Which vitamin A supplements passed or failed ConsumerLab.com's testing and review and which were selected as CL's Top Picks
  • Which vitamin A supplements and which products exceed tolerable intake limits and, therefore, pose a greater risk of causing adverse effects
  • Who should take a vitamin A supplement, and what it can and cannot do for your health
  • Which cod liver oils passed our tests for freshness and purity
  • Direct comparisons and quality ratings of vitamin A supplements, including cost comparisons
  • How vitamin A supplement labels are changing from IUs to micrograms RAE (retinol activity equivalents) and what you need to know when reading them
  • Recommended daily intake and dosages of vitamin A
  • Which foods are rich in vitamin A or beta-carotene
  • Cautions when using vitamin A, including potential drug interactions, interactions with other supplements, potential side-effects of vitamin A from retinol forms (such as retinyl palmitate) and beta-carotene

Join to unlock the full report and get full access to over 1,400 reviews

See the Full Review as a Member

Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/

Close
Additional Information
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.