Editing Retinol (section)

==Medical uses==
Retinol is used to treat [[vitamin A deficiency]].

Three approaches may be used when populations have low vitamin A levels:<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schultink W | title = Use of under-five mortality rate as an indicator for vitamin A deficiency in a population | journal = The Journal of Nutrition | volume = 132 | issue = 9 Suppl | pages = 2881S–2883S | date = September 2002 | pmid = 12221264 | doi = 10.1093/jn/132.9.2881S | doi-access = free }}</ref>

# Through dietary modification involving the adjustment of menu choices of affected persons from available food sources to optimize vitamin A content.
# Enriching commonly eaten and affordable foods with vitamin A, a process called fortification. It involves the addition of synthetic vitamin A to staple foods like [[margarine]], bread, flour, cereals, and infant formula during processing.
# By giving high doses of vitamin A to the targeted deficient population, a method known as supplementation. In regions where deficiency is common, a single large dose is recommended to those at high risk twice a year.<ref name=WHO2008/>

Retinol is also used to reduce the risk of complications in [[measles]] patients.<ref name=WHO2008>{{cite book | title = WHO Model Formulary 2008 | year = 2009 | isbn = 9789241547659 | vauthors = ((World Health Organization)) | veditors = Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR | hdl = 10665/44053 | author-link = World Health Organization | publisher = World Health Organization |page=500 }}</ref>