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What Is RAE in Vitamin A, and Why Does the Source Matter?
RAE means retinol activity equivalents, a unit that converts every form of vitamin A to the activity of retinol. The Reviralis Complete label prints vitamin A as 720 mcg RAE, from beta carotene. That is 80% of the Daily Value, and the 3,000 mcg upper limit applies to retinol, not to beta carotene.
Written by the Reviralis label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The unit01
What does RAE mean for vitamin A?
RAE means retinol activity equivalents. It is the unit labels use to state how much vitamin A activity the body can get, whatever form the vitamin comes in.
Q: Why not just count micrograms? A: Vitamin A comes as retinol, found in animal foods and some supplements, and as carotenoids such as beta carotene, made by plants. The body converts carotenoids to vitamin A less efficiently, so a microgram of each is not worth the same.
RAE fixes that. Each form is multiplied by its own conversion factor, and the results can be added into one number (NIH ODS, Vitamin A).
Conversions02
How is beta carotene counted in RAE?
In a supplement, 2 mcg of beta carotene counts as 1 mcg RAE. In food it takes 12 mcg of beta carotene for 1 mcg RAE (NIH ODS, Vitamin A). Retinol counts one to one.
| Form of vitamin A | Micrograms for 1 mcg RAE |
|---|---|
| Retinol | 1 |
| Beta carotene in a supplement | 2 |
| Beta carotene in food | 12 |
The label does not print the beta carotene weight. Using the supplement factor, 720 mcg RAE works out to about 1,440 mcg, or 1.44 mg, of beta carotene. That is our arithmetic, not a printed number.
On the label03
What does the Reviralis label print for vitamin A?
The label prints vitamin A as 720 mcg RAE, as beta carotene, at 80% of the Daily Value. The Daily Value is 900 mcg RAE, and 720 divided by 900 is 0.8.
The label does not say whether any retinol is also present, and it does not print the beta carotene weight. Those are open questions for the seller, whose contact is on the contact page.
Because the source named is beta carotene, the retinol limit below is the wrong yardstick for this line. That is the practical reason the source matters.
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See packsLimits04
Which upper limit applies to beta carotene vitamin A?
None is set for beta carotene itself. The 3,000 mcg RAE adult upper limit applies only to preformed vitamin A, which means retinol (NIH ODS, Vitamin A).
That does not make beta carotene a free-for-all. In trials of smokers, supplements of 20 to 30 mg a day of beta carotene went with a higher lung cancer risk (NIH ODS, Vitamin A). The Reviralis line, near 1.4 mg by our arithmetic, is well under that, but we cannot see the real figure and the trials do not cover every reader.
If you smoke, are pregnant or nursing, or take another vitamin A product, ask a clinician before adding this one. Retinol from other products adds to the retinol limit.
Reading the line05
How do I check a vitamin A line on any label?
Check three things: the unit, the source in brackets, and the percent Daily Value. All three are on the Reviralis line, and you can run the same check elsewhere.
Unit
mcg RAE is the modern unit. Older labels use IU, which is not the same number.
Source
Beta carotene, retinyl palmitate or a mix. Only retinol forms use the retinol limit.
Other products
Add the retinol from every product you take. See mcg versus mg for unit checks.
Vitamin A is a nutrient line, not an antiviral. Herpes has no cure, and prescription antivirals are the proven care (CDC, About Genital Herpes). No source shows Reviralis prevents or reduces outbreaks. Keep any prescribed medicine.
FAQ06
Reviralis questions people ask
Is RAE the same as IU for vitamin A?
No, they are different units and the conversion depends on the form. Newer labels use mcg RAE. Older ones used IU, which counts retinol and beta carotene at different ratios. Do not swap one for the other without the factor for the form.
Is 720 mcg RAE above the vitamin A limit?
No, because the 3,000 mcg RAE limit applies to retinol only, and the label names beta carotene as the source. The label does not rule out retinol, so ask the seller what else is in the line if it matters to you.
Why is vitamin A from beta carotene counted differently?
The body converts beta carotene to vitamin A only in part, and food forms convert less well than supplement forms. RAE uses 2 mcg for supplement beta carotene and 12 mcg for food beta carotene per 1 mcg RAE.
Does beta carotene carry a smoking warning?
Yes, in trials of smokers, 20 to 30 mg a day of beta carotene supplements went with a higher lung cancer risk (NIH ODS, Vitamin A). The Reviralis line is estimated far below that, but smokers should ask a clinician.
Who wrote this07
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the order page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, Mayo Clinic and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a USA Authorized Reviralis Retailer. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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