The Best Form Of Vitamin A And Why You Need It

Most people when they think of vitamin A, naturally think of carrots and sweet potatoes. However, these tasty foods do not have the active form of vitamin A known as retinol. Retinol is what is the most active form, and generally found only in animal foods. This retinol is then further converted into retinoic acid, which is the master switch for muscle repair.

Meanwhile, your muscles have a mechanism for muscle growth, and maintenance and repair known as satellite cells. Unfortunately, they need a switch to be activated and this is the switch known as retinoic acid. Without this form, your muscles may be in a dormant phase which can become nearly permanent. Those that took a healthy form of retinol as they aged were much stronger in every muscle that was measured.

Meanwhile, we are often told that beta keratin is a vitamin A precursor. While this is true to a degree, it is not readily converted. Furthermore, that conversion rate goes down as people age. As an example, the conversion from a carrot that it is large may have 400 international units if you are lucky. Whereas a single ounce of beef liver has 8000 international units. No conversion necessary.

Meanwhile vitamin A also powers the mitochondria which are themselves the tiny engines that produce our energy source known as ATP. You generally do not hear much about the dangerous condition of muscle loss known as sarcopenia because there is no medicine to treat it. However, the organ meats such as liver along with butter and eggs and fatty fish are good sources. Furthermore, it is important to avoid synthetic high dose vitamin A. This is often sold as retinal palmitate and is toxic to the body.