Fats are an important dietary requirement that play a number of roles in the body. Fats transport fat-soluble vitamins in the body, such as . The body can’t synthesize and must obtain it through dietary intake.
Answers
What are fat-soluble vitamins?
Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R.D., L.D., ACSM EP-C — Written by Jenna Fletcher on January 17, 2020
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Takeaway
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. They are present in foods containing fats. The body absorbs these vitamins as it does dietary fats. They do not dissolve in water.
Vitamins help the body function effectively. There are two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins are vitamins B and C.
Most vitamins come from food, but sunshine contributes to vitamin D. Some people need or choose to take supplements that provide extra vitamins.
The body absorbs fat-soluble vitamins best when a person eats them with higher-fat foods.
This article looks at the types, functions, and sources of fat-soluble vitamins, and what can happen if a person has too much or too little.
Vitamin A
Carrots are a dietary source of vitamin A.
Vitamin A helps maintain healthy vision. Without vitamin A, a person could experience vision problems and possibly vision loss.
Types
Vitamin A is not a single vitamin but a collection of compounds known as retinoids. Retinoids occur naturally in the human body, and they are present in some dietary sources.
Some foods provide retinols, which the body can use directly as vitamin A. Others provide provitamin A, compounds that the body converts into vitamin A.
Function
Vitamin A supports several functions throughout the body, including:
vision
the immune system
Dietary sources
People can obtain vitamin A through dietary sources.
Animal sources provide preformed vitamin A, or retinols. This type is ready for the body to use.
Plant sources provide carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant. The body can convert these into vitamin A.
For this reason, lists of ingredients often show vitamin A content as “vitamin A RAE.” RAE means “retinol activity equivalents.”
Animal sources of vitamin A include:
- fish liver oil
- beef liver
- cheese, milk, and other dairy products
- Sources of beta carotene include:
- sweet potato
- kale, spinach, and other green, leafy vegetables
- carrots
- cantaloupe
- black-eyed peas
- fortified breakfast cereals.
Recommended intake
Nutritionists measure some vitamins in two ways:
micrograms (mcg) RAE
international units (IU)
Food packages usually show the amounts in IU. A diet that contains 900 mcg RAE of vitamin A, which is the recommended intake for males over 14 years of age, would provide around 3,000–36,000 IU of vitamin A, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS).
Anyone who has concerns about their vitamin A intake should seek advice from a health professional, who will help them understand these measures.
The recommended intake of vitamin A varies by age and sex.
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for AmericansTrusted Source recommend consuming the following amounts each day. Amounts are in mcg RAE.
- Age (years) || 1–3 4–8 9–13 14 and over
- Female || 300 400 600 700
- Male 300 || 400 600 900
Mark me as brainlist