In plain words
A retinol activity equivalent, or RAE, is the unit used to measure vitamin A in food and in daily recommendations. It counts active vitamin A, such as retinol from animal foods. It also counts plant carotenoids, such as beta-carotene in orange vegetables. Plant forms count for less, since the body converts them only partly. Vitamin A supports the baby's development. Too much preformed vitamin A is a concern, especially early in pregnancy. Many prenatal vitamins and food labels use this unit. How much you need depends on your age, stage of pregnancy, and diet. Registered dietitians can trace where vitamin A comes from in a person's meals.
The deeper version
The retinol activity equivalent was introduced by the Institute of Medicine (2001) to express vitamin A intake on a common scale. The conversion counts retinol at full value, dietary beta-carotene at a fraction of that, and other provitamin A carotenoids at a smaller fraction still, reflecting variable conversion and absorption. Preformed vitamin A is absorbed efficiently, while carotenoid conversion depends on diet and host factors. Pregnancy recommendations balance fetal need for vitamin A against the risk of high preformed-retinol intake, particularly in the first trimester. The applies to preformed vitamin A only, and carotenoid intake does not carry the same concern. The controversy concerns how accurately the conversion factors reflect absorption across diets, and how labels communicate that risk to pregnant people.
Where it comes up
- Iron-rich foods and how to absorb themPregnancy: Eating
- Traditional pregnancy foods across culturesPregnancy: Eating
What mothers here say about retinol activity equivalent
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Sources
- Institute of Medicine — Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc (2001)