Vitamin A & Your Brain

Vitamin A, a vital (yet often misconstrued nutrient), can be essential in many bodily functions, including in supporting cognitive health. But despite its importance, many of us may fall short in our intake.*

Results from a trifecta of factors:

All this clouding the apparently simple question—why are we not getting enough Vitamin A?

Simple: Because not all Vitamin A forms support cognitive health equally.*

Take Retinyl Acetate for example. It’s a specific form of Vitamin A. It shows significant stability for all three brains (head, heart, gut) as our bodies can readily use it, allowing it to be more efficiently absorbed and utilized.*

On the other hand, Beta Carotene, another popular form of Vitamin A, must first convert into Retinol—via a multi-step process—before it can be used. What's the big deal? It matters because this conversion can vary significantly among people and is not always efficient (meaning potential Beta Carotene benefits may not be fully realized).*

At HCF®, we understand the importance of efficient nutrient use. And that’s why we opted for Retinyl Acetate (the more bioavailable form of Vitamin A that can bypass the need for conversion) in many of our advanced nootropics.* 

Many may not know this but Vitamin A can do more for your well-being than just boosting vision, immunity, and skin health.*

In fact, at HCF®, we recognize how Retinyl Acetate’s increased bioavailability (when compared to the standard Beta Carotene) could significantly improve the effectiveness of our advanced nootropics.*

What we do at HCF® is true cognitive restoration (which means more than just feeding and supporting the Head [1st Brain]). Optimal brain health requires nourishing all three interconnected intelligence centers—the head, heart, and gut.*

More to Vitamin A than meets the eye.

As one meta-analysis finds, "evidence indicates the continued importance of Vitamin A as a nutrient for the brain not only during embryonic development but also during adulthood."*¹

So it starts early. Vitamin A also helps produce neurotransmitters, the body's little messengers that zip signals across nerve synapses. These guys are the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes, regulating your mood, sleep, appetite, and even cognitive functions like memory and learning.*^1,2

Who doesn’t want more of these little messengers? :-)

And the benefits keep rolling.

According to ongoing research, Vitamin A can play a role in neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS), harmful compounds that can cause damage to cells in the brain.*³

ROS are unstable molecules that contain oxygen. They react easily with other molecules in a cell, leading to oxidative stress and damaging all cell components, including proteins, lipids, and DNA.

Vitamin A is also needed for normal nervous system functioning, brain development, cognitive function, and the blood-brain barrier (which protects the brain from harmful substances in the bloodstream). All can benefit—one way or another—from high bioavailability Vitamin A.*^4,5

And lastly, Vitamin A (especially Retinol) can play a vital role in improving neuroplasticity.*⁶

Neuroplasticity what? It's the brain's extraordinary ability to reorganize by creating new neural links throughout life. It's our brain's unique power to compensate for injury and health challenges and adapt to new situations or environmental changes. 

But first things first: you gotta have enough Vitamin A.

And since our bodies can't make Vitamin A on their own, the best way is to incorporate the nutrient into our diet or we could risk developing a Vitamin A deficiency.*

Plus, certain categories are even more likely to develop a Vitamin A deficiency:*

• People exposed to excessive sunlight due to their work conditions
• Those following a vegetarian diet
• People adhering to a low-fat diet
• Women of childbearing age

And if left untreated (possibly)?*

• Poor eye health
• Dry, thick, or scaling skin
• Dry mucous membranes
• Weak fingernails
• Respiratory complaints
• Poor wound healing

No question about it: the best defense against deficiency is a better offense.

Foods high in Vitamin A are the weapons in this battle. Liver (especially beef liver) is one of the richest Vitamin A food sources.

Salmon, mackerel, and trout (all oily fish); shellfish and cod liver oil contain generous amounts of Vitamin A. Dairy products and egg yolks join the ranks too!

Orange vegetables have the highest level of Vitamin A. The most common ones include pumpkin, sweet potato, squash, and carrot. Others include green leafy vegetables like spinach, greens, and lettuce.

Like everything, a balanced diet is key. The fundamental distinction lies in how the diverse forms of this nutrient (such as preformed and provitamin A) are metabolized in our bodies.

But sometimes diet isn't enough and it might not be a bad idea to pay a bit extra attention to your daily Vitamin A intake and HCF® advanced nootropics could help. We use Retinyl Acetate, a bioavailable form of Vitamin A that has proven to be a valuable reinforcement when the body and brain need a little extra contribution.*