Vitamin+A

Other names: Pro-vitamin A, beta-carotene, fl-carotene

Found in te body in the form of retinol, retinal (in the retina), retinoic acid (in bones and mucous membranes), or retinyl palmitate (reserves stored in liver)

Functions
-Tissue Repair -Increased immune resistance -Improved night vision -Bone growth -Reproduction -Cell differentiation and growth in gene transcription

Daily Needs

 * AGE || RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE || TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVEL ||
 * 0-6 months || 400 || 600 ||
 * 7-12 months || 500 || 600 ||
 * 1-3 years || 300 || 600 ||
 * 4-8 years || 400 || 900 ||
 * 9-13 years || 600 || 1700 ||
 * 14-18 years || 900 (men), 700 (women) || 2800 ||
 * 19+ years || 900 (men), 700 (women) || 3000 ||
 * Pregnant Women || 750-770 || 2800 ||
 * Breastfeeding Women || 1200-1300 || 3000 ||

Pro-Compounds
B-Complex, C, D, E, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and essential fatty acids

Anti-Compounds
-Alcohol -Coffee -Cortisone -Excess Iron -Mineral Oil and a deficiency of vitamin D -Zinc Deficiency -Diet Rich in Polyunsaturated Fats

Deficiency
Symptoms: -Allergies -Loss of Appetite -Pale Face -Dry Hair -Loss of Sense of Smell -Fatigue -Weakened Night Vision -Sinus Problems -Weak Dental Enamel -Susceptibility to Infections

Excess
-Chronic Headaches -Abdominal, muscle and joint pain -Drying out the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes -Conjunctivitis -Hair Loss -Nausea -Diarrhea -Loss of Appetite -Leukocytosis -Osteoporosis

Food Sources
(¼ Cantaloupe || 233mg. RAE ||
 * FOOD || SERVING || VITAMIN A ||
 * Turkey Giblets, braised or stewed || 100g. (3oz.) || 10,737mg. RAE ||
 * Beef Liver, sautéed or braised || 100g. (3oz.) || 7,744-9,450mg. RAE ||
 * Chicken Giblets, braised or stewed || 100g. (3oz.) || 1,753-3,984mg. RAE ||
 * Sweet Potato (w/ skin), baked || 100g. (1 medium) || 1,096mg. RAE ||
 * Pumpkin, canned || 125ml. (½ cup) || 1,007mg. RAE ||
 * Carrot Juice || 125ml. (½ cup) || 966mg. RAE ||
 * Carrots, raw or cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 433-671mg. RAE ||
 * Spinach, boiled || 125ml. (½ cup) || 573mg. RAE ||
 * Collards, cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 489mg. RAE ||
 * Kale, cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 478mg. RAE ||
 * Rutabaga, cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 411mg. RAE ||
 * Winter Squash, cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 283mg. RAE ||
 * Beet Leaves, boiled || 125ml. (½ cup) || 276mg. RAE ||
 * Turnip Leaves, boiled || 125ml. (½ cup) || 275mg. RAE ||
 * Dandelion Leaves, boiled || 125ml. (½ cup) || 260mg. RAE ||
 * Atlantic Cod, marinated || 100g. (3oz.) || 258mg. RAE ||
 * Cantaloupe || 125ml. (½ cup)
 * Lettuce || 250ml. (1 cup) || 163-207mg. RAE ||
 * Red Pepper, raw or cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 124-198mg. RAE ||
 * Bok Choy, cooked || 125ml. (½ cup) || 180mg. RAE ||

Therapeutic Indications
-Anemia (from deficiency) -Infantile Dis-ases -Cystic Fibrosis (Mucoviscidosis) -Infection -Measles (from deficiency) -Night Blindness

Also: -Acne -Alcoholism -Allergies -Arthritis -Asthma -Athlete's Foot -Bronchitis -Colds -Cystitis -Diabetes -Eczema -Cardiac Dis-eases -Hepatitis -Migraines -Psoriasis -Sinusitis -Stress -Gum and Teeth Related Diseases

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=========================================================================== //Medical Nutrition://

• – Originally discovered in 1913 to cure rats with red, inflamed eyes and growth failure. It was found in rat intestines, butterfat and cod liver oil. In 1928, a yellow pigment was the precursor to VitA. “A” stands for alcohol, acid and aldehyde - all metabolically active forms. • Water soluble increases serum VitA • Fat soluble increases liver retinal storage • Carotenoids – alpha, gamma and beta are converted to VitA in the intestinal mucosal • Above 5000ius absorption goes down. • Beta-carotene is 1/6 as biologically active as VitA. (p167) • Beta carotene is 2 times as active as alpha and gamma • 1mg Bcarot = 1670iu • Carotenes need bile salts • for absorption • Lutein (20mg) carotenoid found in fruits and veggies, especially good for the macula, found in spinach, kale and other greens • Lycopene reduces prostate cancers • Zeaxanthin – Macular health, one of the “mixed carotenoids”. (Pure encapsulations 1-800-753-2277) • Astaxanthin –Hawaiian brown seaweed derived, has more oxygenated groups on its rings than beta carotene, so it can better scavenge free radicals-skin, macula, reduces retinal damage, joints, immunity, and cardiovascular function support. It goes across the blood brain barrier and is a stronger antioxidant than lutein and Bcarot

Function
• -vision is involved with rhodopsin  opsin • -Growth & development, arms, heart, eyes, ears, GH • -Ophthalmic developments and maintenance • -Immunity (TH1 lymphs) AMR 2000Dec p.598- Cervical cancer- HPV, TH3, • -Reproductive function • -Anticancer – induces differentiation, stimulate TH1

• RDA:-Stored in the liver -no more than1000RE pg women – 800RE women • -RE =Retinal equivalents –1/3 animal and 2/3 vegetable sources • ODI: 15,000iu retinol, (careful with pregnancy) 25,000iu Carotenoids • Sources: Polar bear liver (toxic levels), Danatiella Salina, carrot juice, beef liver, chicken liver, • Spirulina, Dandelion leaf –cooked…

• Deficiency: - caused by fat malabsorption, or liver conversion problems. • -Protein and zinc deficiency can induce a deficiency in conversion of Carotene to VitA release from the liver.

Signs/Symptoms
• night blindness, dry eyes, follicular keratinization, opacity and sloughing of epi cells of the cornea, Bitot’s spots and xeropthamia, respiratory infections, reduced immunity, diarrhea, loss of tooth enamel, loss of bone mass, and loss of taste and smell.

Treatment
• 1. Immune enhancement (100,000-150,000 for 5-7 days) • 2. Cancer – prevention and treatment of cancers Lycopene- 10-20mg for prostate • 3. Acne- equivalent to Tetracycline – inhibits sebaceous gland secretion – Permanently? VitE can enhance its effectiveness for acne • 4. Menorrhagia- stopped with 50,000 to 75,000iu • 5. Wound healing • 6. Cervical dysplasia 60,000-100,000IU VitA • 7. Lupus – with skin damage • 8. Psoriasis -inhibits endotoxin formation • Seborrheic keratosis- 100,000iu for 1-2 yr- watch for toxicity • Ichthyosis 100,000iu for a few months • Sunburn prevention 150,000iu carotenoids,100,000iu VitA two days before sun • Follicular keratosis –pimples on the back of the arms and/or tops of thighs (25,000-75,000iu qd for 4-6 weeks – can also be Zn deficiency, low EFAs, low thyroid, and folate.) • Photosensitivity- Porphyria • Night blindness • Dry eyes Sicca, Sjogren’s • Chalazion • Macular degeneration (xeaxanthins) • Iritis with Alpha Lipoic acid, Fish oil, Microhydrin, flavonoids, E/C check Lyme’s • Cataracts –Lutein improved vision, juice plus study too improved vision– (TLJan1997, p25, CurrTher Res 1996) Beta carot, alpha carot, Lutein, zeaxanthin, Lycopene, VitE • Osteoporosis – 25,000iu A normalized bone density, but drinking milk increased bone loss. (TLJune2003 p34) • Sinusitis • Case 51yo woman CIN 3 cervical cancer, Gut problem (Uristatin and noni), • PSK/ Carotenoids/ MCP/ Multi with enzymes and minerals, acupuncture, moducare (sterolins), April 03 to March 04 normal cervical biopsy • Lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit, – Prevents Prostate cancer • Lutein/ zeaxanthin – macular degeneration – Dark green veggies, egg yolk and corn • Beta carotene in large doses may increase other carotenoid deficiency

Toxicity
• -Only with VitA, not Carotenoids causing liver damage if taken too much, too long. Even with 20,000iu/d due to liver dysfunction, drugs, hepatitis, aging, and protein calorie malnutrition. Usual toxicity report is correlated with 200,000iu x6-8 months. Some people have tolerated doses as high as 500,000 –1,000,000iu for years, so there is some question about toxicity. • CAREFUL WITH PREGNANCY –May be teratogenic, but birth defects less in women who took 10,000iu in their multivit. • Beta-carotene does not seem to have toxicity, although they turn the skin yellow (but not the sclera). Lung cancer increases with taking B-carotene (unless VitE was with it). Maybe it knocks the other vitamins out of balance. • Beta carotene may inhibit apoptosis with toxins 9000 people – smokers – 28% inc. cancer • VitA can possibly compete with D for receptor sites for bones, reducing bone density – men more? • http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminA/