Vitamin A upper limit: how much is too much per day?

For adults 19 and older, the upper limit (UL) of vitamin A is 3,000 mcg RAE per day, counting preformed vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) only.

Ages 14 and older · Source: National Academies Dietary Reference Intakes · Data as of 2026-10-03

Every life stage

Group	Age	RDA or AI mcg RAE/day	UL mcg RAE/day
Male	14–18	900 RDA	2,800
Male	19–30	900 RDA	3,000
Male	31–50	900 RDA	3,000
Male	51–70	900 RDA	3,000
Male	71+	900 RDA	3,000
Female	14–18	700 RDA	2,800
Female	19–30	700 RDA	3,000
Female	31–50	700 RDA	3,000
Female	51–70	700 RDA	3,000
Female	71+	700 RDA	3,000
Pregnancy	14–18	750 RDA	2,800
Pregnancy	19–30	770 RDA	3,000
Pregnancy	31–50	770 RDA	3,000
Lactation	14–18	1,200 RDA	2,800
Lactation	19–30	1,300 RDA	3,000
Lactation	31–50	1,300 RDA	3,000

RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance; AI = Adequate Intake, used where there is not enough data for an RDA. UL = Tolerable Upper Intake Level. “Not set” means the tables give no value. Ages under 14 are in the National Academies tables and are not covered here.

What counts toward the limit

This UL covers preformed vitamin A only: retinol and retinyl esters. Beta-carotene does not count toward it. Amounts are in mcg RAE (retinol activity equivalents).

Table footnote, as recorded in Ceiling’s data: “UL applies to preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters) only; beta-carotene does not count.”

How Ceiling uses this

Ceiling adds up every supplement you scan and compares your daily total with this number, counting only the forms the UL covers. Ceiling is coming soon on iPhone. No account; everything stays on your iPhone.

What is the upper limit of vitamin A?