Vitamin A Conversion Efficiency
Beta-carotene to active retinol conversion can be 10–20× less efficient in some people. If you're a poor converter, no amount of carrots will give you adequate vitamin A—you need preformed sources like liver or cod liver oil for vision, immunity, and skin.
What this measures
How your DNA shapes vitamin A conversion efficiency.
BCMO1 codes for beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase — the intestinal enzyme that converts plant-based beta-carotene into retinal, the precursor of active vitamin A. Without efficient BCMO1, the orange and dark-green vegetables that should deliver vitamin A do so far less effectively.
Carriers of common BCMO1 reduced-activity variants (some studies estimate ~45% of people carry at least one) are associated with significantly lower conversion of dietary beta-carotene to active vitamin A — sometimes under half of typical efficiency. Carriers tend to show plant-based vitamin A insufficiency symptoms (night-vision changes, dry skin, slow immune recovery) despite eating plenty of carrots and sweet potatoes.
Preformed retinol from animal sources (liver, egg yolks, dairy fat, fatty fish) bypasses the conversion step entirely and is the most direct way to support tissue vitamin A in reduced-conversion carriers. Cooking and pairing carotene-rich foods with dietary fat improves whatever absorption does happen. Zinc, iron, and thyroid status all influence conversion.
"Get your vitamin A from sweet potatoes" works for typical-function carriers and falls short for reduced-function ones. Which BCMO1 variant you carry decides whether plant sources cover the need or whether dietary retinol is the more reliable input.
Vitamin A Conversion Efficiency is one specific finding in this system. Your Genomic Lifestyle Optimization Report shows where your variants place you on the micronutrients and strategic supplementation spectrum — and what you can do about it: it renders as a dark card with a color marker calibrated to your variants, opening with the gene mechanism and closing with a practical, mechanism-led recommendation.
Want to see what a real Mosaic dark card looks like? Walk through a sample report →
In context
Fat-Soluble Vitamins: the 7-insight cluster.
Vitamin A Conversion Efficiency is one finding in a tightly-related cluster. Mosaic sequences the other 6 alongside it so you see the whole biology — not an isolated data point.
Questions people ask
About Vitamin A Conversion Efficiency.
More from Micronutrients and Strategic Supplementation
Blood Pressure Sensitivity to Sodium Intake
About half of people see their blood pressure rise with salt; the other half are neutral. This decides whether low-sodium is medically mandatory or an unnecessary restriction that just makes food taste worse.
Read insight →Choline Intake Needs
Choline demand varies 2–3× between people. Higher-need individuals see noticeable improvements in focus, fat metabolism, and liver function from eggs or supplementation—while others coast fine without thinking about it.
Read insight →Copper Levels
Copper is a behind-the-scenes player—affecting iron absorption, collagen production, and antioxidant defense. The catch: both deficiency and excess cause problems, and they look surprisingly similar. Your regulation pattern tells you which direction to watch.
Read insight →FUT2 Status
"Non-secretor" status changes how you absorb B12 and shapes your gut microbiome. This explains why some vegetarians stay healthy for decades while others crash within years—same diet, very different biology.
Read insight →Folate Intake Needs
Folate requirements vary widely—especially during pregnancy, high stress, or rapid cell turnover. Knowing yours prevents the subtle deficiency that quietly affects mood, energy, and long-term health without obvious symptoms.
Read insight →Folic Acid Conversion Efficiency
Common variants reduce the conversion of synthetic folic acid (in supplements and fortified foods) into active methylfolate. If you're affected, standard prenatals and "enriched" bread aren't doing what you think. Methylfolate does.
Read insight →
One test. 108 personalized findings. All yours.
Order your Mosaic kit. Receive your raw genomic data and the full Genomic Lifestyle Optimization Report in 15–20 days.