Which statement about retinol is true?

• A. Retinol is a water-soluble vitamin
• B. Retinol is found in eggs, meat, and dairy as a primary source
• C. Retinol is only produced in the body and not obtained from diet
• D. Retinol toxicity is not a concern

Answer: (B)

Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin (vitamin A) that you store in the liver and fat tissues, and it is absorbed with dietary fat. Because of this fat-soluble nature, animal foods provide the primary sources of preformed retinol—egg yolk, meat, and dairy products are classic examples. Plant foods offer provitamin A carotenoids, which the body can convert to retinol, but they are not preformed retinol and are not the main dietary source. The statement that retinol is water-soluble is incorrect, since water-soluble vitamins are not stored to the same extent and are excreted more readily. The idea that retinol is only produced in the body and not obtained from diet is also false, as dietary retinol comes from animal foods; conversion of carotenoids can supplement but does not make dietary retinol unnecessary. Retinol toxicity can occur with excessive intake, so claiming it isn’t a concern isn’t accurate.