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Allergy Articles & Updates

Where is Vitamin a found?

5/22/2021

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Sources of Vitamin A
Concentration of Vitamin A in food
There are two primary sources of 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐀.⁣

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞, or 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘈:⁣
  • All mammals get two-thirds of carotenoids from beta carotenes.⁣
  • Yellow, red and green (leafy) vegetables (spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers)⁣
  • Yellow fruit (mango, papaya and apricots)⁣

𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞, or 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘵 𝘈:⁣
  • Cheese⁣
  • Fortified low-fat spreads⁣
  • Milk and yoghurt⁣
  • Eggs⁣
  • Oily fish⁣
  • Liver and liver products such as liver pâté (don’t eat more than once a week, and pregnant women should avoid them altogether)⁣

Examples of low concentration of Vit A (𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 % 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦).⁣

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬:⁣
  • Peppers, sweet, red, raw, ½ cup (117/13)⁣
  • Mangos, raw, 1 whole (112/12)⁣
  • Black-eyed peas, boiled, 1 cup (66/7)⁣
  • Apricots, dried, 10 halves (63/7)⁣
  • Broccoli, boiled, ½ cup (60/7)⁣
  • Pistachio nuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce (4/0)⁣

𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬:⁣
  • Egg, hard-boiled, 1 large (75/8)⁣
  • Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 ounces (59/7)⁣
  • Yoghurt, plain, low fat, 1 cup (32/4)⁣
  • Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids, 3 ounces (20/2)⁣
  • Chicken, breast meat and skin, roasted, ½ breast (5/1)⁣

















Though most get their Vit A from plant sources, in reality, its absorption is not great.⁣
  • When we eat beta carotenes, only 𝟺𝟶 𝘵𝘰 𝟼𝟶% 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘥.⁣
  • In contrast, between 𝟾𝟶 𝘵𝘰 𝟿𝟶% of retinol from animal proteins will be absorbed.⁣

To make the matter a bit more complicated, 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘤, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (conditions like abetalipoproteinemia) affect carotenoid absorption.⁣

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐬 are 𝘱𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴.⁣
  • They are the reason for the bright red, yellow and orange colours you see in plenty of fruits, vegetables, algae and bacteria.⁣
  • Their importance is related to their ability to help absorb light so that photosynthesis can be done.⁣
  • They are also antioxidants.⁣

You can take supplements, if you can't eat any of the above.

www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=169430051850881&id=100063516604410

Vitamin A Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)
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Vitamin A absorption

4/28/2021

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Vitamin A absorption
Vitamin A absorption
As we spoke before, 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐀 is 𝘧𝘢𝘵-𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦.⁣⁣

We don’t eat Vit A, even in supplements.⁣⁣

When we consume fruits, vegetables or supplements, in reality, we are taking something called “𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺𝘭 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴” (also known as preformed Vit A) or 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘈.⁣⁣

One way or another, they suffer alterations to become 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘴. This is simply because those are easier absorbed in the small bowel.⁣⁣
  • As they are absorbed, small molecules called “𝐜𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬” will transport them into the Liver.⁣⁣
  • If the Liver has reached its full capacity of Vitamin A, other small molecules called 𝐕𝐋𝐃𝐋 (𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘸-𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴) will transport it (often already changed into retinyl palmitate) to other tissues.⁣⁣

Those tissues are mainly:⁣⁣
  1. Adipose tissue (AKA fat)⁣⁣
  2. Lungs⁣⁣
  3. Kidneys⁣⁣

















Another group of molecules called 𝐋𝐃𝐋 (𝘓𝘰𝘸-𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴) might also do that transport.⁣⁣

𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰:⁣⁣
  • VLDL and LDL are what is called “bad cholesterol”⁣⁣
  • ️HDL is what is called “good cholesterol”⁣⁣

Bear in mind any disease affecting the bowels (and I am referring to the 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘭) will affect fat absorption capacity. In turn, this will affect Vitamin A absorption as well.

Remember we spoke about Vit A being fat soluble?⁣⁣

Conditions that affect Vit A absorption:⁣⁣
  1. Cystic Fibrosis⁣⁣
  2. Pancreatic problems⁣⁣
  3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease⁣⁣
  4. Cholestasis (conditions preventing bile passing to the bowel, from the Liver)⁣⁣
  5. Small bowel bypass surgery⁣⁣
  6. Significant parasitic infestation⁣⁣
  7. Kidney problems⁣⁣
  8. Alcoholism⁣⁣
  9. Low fat in the diet⁣⁣

People with any of these conditions should take 𝐕𝐢𝐭 𝐀 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.⁣⁣

When Vit A is not absorbed, it will be excreted in stools.⁣⁣
The one that becomes inactivated in the bloodstream will be excreted in the urine.⁣⁣

The big problem is that our body absorbs Vit A better than it destroys it.
This can lead to excessive accumulation and 𝐕𝐢𝐭 𝐀 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲.


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Vitamin A storage
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vitamin a

4/20/2021

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Vitamin A
Retinol or Retinoic Acid
Also known as Retinol or Retinoic Acid.
  • Those names derive from an area in the back of the eye.
















It was the first 𝘧𝘢𝘵-𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 but not the first Vitamin to be discovered.⁣⁣

It all started with the 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴, as they found that some types of 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 could be cured by 𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳.⁣⁣

This Vitamin plays a vital role in 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩, 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 and 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 (mainly 𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 and 𝘨𝘶𝘵), 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 and 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.⁣⁣
We cannot forget how important it is for foetal development.⁣⁣

But beware, pregnant women DO NOT need a Vitamin A dose higher than the daily recommended dose.⁣⁣

Due to this, many believe it is 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 in animal life (not just humans).⁣⁣

When there is a deficiency, it can lead to:⁣⁣
  1. ⁣Blindness⁣⁣
  2. Poor growth⁣⁣
  3. ⁣Low fertility⁣⁣
  4. ⁣Low immune response⁣⁣
  5. Dry skin and hair⁣⁣
  6. Broken fingernails⁣⁣

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:⁣⁣
  • If you use creams containing Vit A, do not go on long sun exposures, leading to skin cancer development!⁣⁣
  • On the other hand, sun exposure decreases skin Vit A.⁣⁣

𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨?⁣⁣
Use it after sun and/or at nighttime.⁣⁣

Is there a connection between Vitamin A and allergies?⁣⁣
  • The only relationship found so far is between lack of it and increased risk of allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis (hayfever).⁣⁣
  • There is a hypothesis saying that Vit A might help prevent an adverse reaction when eating different kinds of food.⁣⁣

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞.⁣
Too much Vitamin A can also lead to problems. Such as:⁣⁣
  1. Nausea⁣⁣
  2. Vomiting⁣⁣
  3. Vertigo⁣⁣
  4. Blurry vision⁣⁣
  5. Bone thinning⁣⁣
  6. Liver damage⁣⁣
  7. Headache⁣⁣
  8. Diarrhoea⁣⁣
  9. Nausea⁣⁣
  10. Skin irritation⁣⁣
  11. Pain in the joints and bone⁣⁣
  12. Birth defects

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Radars and carrots
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    Author

    Dr Costa is a Consultant Paediatrician and fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

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