The relationship between vitamin A status and oxidative stress in animal production

ABSTRACT

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of harmful oxygen molecules and the body's ability to repair their detrimental implications, leading to reduced growth rates, increased disease susceptibility, and decreased reproductive performance in animals. Vitamin A, comprising retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid, is crucial for normal growth, reproduction, and vision. Vitamin A possesses antioxidant properties by directly scavenging reactive oxygen species, boosting antioxidant enzyme activity, and promoting antioxidant defence mechanisms. Numerous studies have shown that livestock with adequate levels of vitamin A in their diet experience reduced oxidative stress compared to those with vitamin A deficiency. Moreover, vitamin A supplementation can mitigate oxidative stress in animals exposed to stressful conditions like heat stress. Adequate vitamin A status in livestock through dietary interventions and improved animal management practices can significantly benefit animal health and well-being. However, further research is still needed to optimize dosing strategies and fully understand the relationship between vitamin A and oxidative stress in different animal species and production systems. Therefore, continued research efforts are essential to fully harness the potential of vitamin A as an effective tool for mitigating oxidative stress and improving animal welfare.

KEYWORDS:

• Vitamin A
• retinol
• oxidative stress
• supplementation
• animal

Acknowledgements

Ute Obermueller-Jevic, PhD is thanked for constructive comments on the draft of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. However, it is worth mentioning that all three authors are affiliated with BASF, a company that produces vitamins and carotenoids, including vitamin A.