# Does Vitamin A Support Thyroid Health? Dr. Ray Peat's Research Explained By Dr. Benedicte Lerche · Thyroid Health · Published 2021-06-01 > According to Dr. Ray Peat, vitamin A is very important for your health — it has anti-aging, anti-acne, and anti-estrogenic properties. Learn about vitamin A supplementation, food sources, and how it supports thyroid and hormonal health. According to [Dr. Ray Peat](/blog/who-is-dr-ray-peat), vitamin A is very important for your health — it has anti-aging, anti-acne, and anti-estrogenic properties. For more on how to eat and supplement to support thyroid and hormonal health, see my book [How to Boost Metabolism with Food](/books/how-to-boost-metabolism-with-food) and my [Metabolic Food Mastery™](/courses/metabolic-food-mastery) course. Learn about vitamin A supplementation in this blog post. ## What does vitamin A do in the body? According to Dr. Ray Peat, vitamin A is essential for a healthy hormonal balance as well as good eye, teeth, skin, and immune function. Related course: [Bioenergetic Supplements™](/courses/bioenergetic-supplements). ## Vitamin A improves immunity Getting enough vitamin A is essential for good immune function, as vitamin A is necessary for the integrity of mucous membranes and thereby the protection of the body from its outside environment. Related course: [Bioenergetic Supplements™](/courses/bioenergetic-supplements). ## Vitamin A helps fight stress and inflammation Vitamin A is necessary for the body's ability to produce its protective anti-aging and anti-stress hormones pregnenolone and progesterone — the kind of Metabolic Living™ that keeps these hormones elevated is what I teach in my book [Healing Metabolism Book Series](/books). These hormones are produced in large amounts in youth and are thus called youth-associated hormones. The body uses **vitamin A**, cholesterol, [red light](/blog/red-light-hypothyroidism), and thyroid hormone to produce progesterone and pregnenolone. Progesterone and pregnenolone protect the body from the negative effects of stress and inflammation. You can learn more about supplementing these hormones in my [Hormone Restore™](/courses/hormone-restore) course. ## Anti-estrogenic effect of vitamin A Vitamin A has anti-estrogenic properties. As I explain in detail in my [Thyroid Optimization™](/courses/thyroid-optimization) course, estrogen is both inflammation- and aging-promoting. Vitamin A protects the body from the negative effects of estrogen excess. ## Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include: - Skin problems such as dry skin, acne, and dandruff. - Problems with night vision. - Hormonal issues including estrogen dominance and high prolactin. - Immune system failure, making you more prone to infections. ## What foods are rich in vitamin A? Several foods contain vitamin A. From highest to lowest content, here are some foods which are rich in vitamin A and also part of my [Metabolic Food Mastery™](/courses/metabolic-food-mastery) course. **Cod liver, turkey liver, beef, pork and fish liver, chicken liver, ghee, butter, cheese, eggs, and milk.** With a diet high in these foods, most people get enough vitamin A. However, a high thyroid function can increase your need for vitamin A. My thyroid-promoting diet is based on Dr. Ray Peat's nutritional research. The Ray Peat diet is explained in detail in my [Thyroid Optimization™](/courses/thyroid-optimization) course. ## How much vitamin A do I need? Your metabolic rate determines how much vitamin A you need. According to Dr. Ray Peat, the higher your thyroid function, the more vitamin A your body needs. On the contrary, if you have low thyroid function, using too much vitamin A can suppress your metabolism further. ### Vitamin A and low thyroid function If you have low thyroid function, you need to be careful not to overdose on vitamin A. Using the foods mentioned above, which are rich in vitamin A, will provide enough vitamin A without the risk of overdosing. ### Vitamin A and high thyroid function If you have high thyroid function — which is often the case if you are on thyroid replacement therapy — for a full guide to [thyroid medication](/blog/thyroid-medication) options, see my book [How to Use Thyroid Medication](/books/how-to-use-thyroid-medication) and my [Thyroid Optimization™](/courses/thyroid-optimization) course — — supplementing with vitamin A might be necessary in order to avoid the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency mentioned above. ## Types of vitamin A supplements If you need a vitamin A supplement, there are several things you need to be aware of. First of all, I recommend using a real vitamin A product, meaning retinol instead of the precursor to vitamin A called beta-carotene, which is often promoted as a vitamin A supplement. Related course: [Bioenergetic Supplements™](/courses/bioenergetic-supplements). ### Why beta-carotene is not recommended Beta-carotene supplements are often sold as vitamin A, but very little of the beta-carotene is actually converted to vitamin A. Secondly, beta-carotene has a similar structure to polyunsaturated fats, which inhibit thyroid function. You can learn more about which foods and substances inhibit thyroid function in my [Thyroid Optimization™](/courses/thyroid-optimization) course. ## The best vitamin A supplement In my [Bioenergetic Supplements™](/courses/bioenergetic-supplements) course, you can learn what vitamin A (retinol) supplements I recommend and get different dosage examples for different vitamin A deficiency symptoms. My [Bioenergetic Supplements™](/courses/bioenergetic-supplements) course contains a collection of high-quality vitamins, minerals, and herbs that are helpful for supporting good thyroid function and a healthy hormonal balance. * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why is vitamin A important for thyroid health? Vitamin A has anti-estrogenic properties. The body uses **vitamin A**, cholesterol, [red light](/blog/red-light-hypothyroidism), and [thyroid hormone](/courses/thyroid-optimization) to produce progesterone and pregnenolone. ### What are the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency? Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include: Skin problems such as dry skin, acne, and dandruff. ### Should I take a vitamin A supplement or get it from food? With a diet high in these foods, most people get enough vitamin A. However, a high [thyroid function](/books/test-your-thyroid-function) can increase your need for [Vitamin A](/supplement-dosage-guide). ### Is beta-carotene a good source of vitamin A? Beta-carotene supplements are often sold as vitamin A but very little of the beta-carotene is actually converted to vitamin A. ### Can you take too much vitamin A? On the contrary, if you have low thyroid function using too much vitamin A, can suppress your metabolism further. ## Related articles - [What Is Progest-E? Dr. Ray Peat's Natural Progesterone Oil Explained](/blog/ray-peat-progesterone) - [Who Is Dr. Ray Peat?](/blog/who-is-dr-ray-peat) - [How to Fight Chronic Inflammation: A Pro-Metabolic Perspective](/blog/inflammation-ray-peat) **Tags:** vitamin A, retinol, thyroid health, hormonal balance, estrogen dominance, pro-metabolic, progesterone, immunity, Ray Peat Source: https://biochemnordic.com/blog/ray-peat-vitamin-a