Vitamin A Absorption
Vitamin A
20/04/2021
Where is Vitamin A found?
22/05/2021Vitamin A Absorption
As we spoke before, ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง ๐ is ๐ง๐ข๐ต-๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ.โฃโฃ
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We donโt eat Vit A, even in supplements.โฃโฃ
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When we consume fruits, vegetables or supplements, in reality, we are taking something called โ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ดโ (also known as preformed Vit A) or ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ ๐.โฃโฃ
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One way or another, they suffer alterations to become ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ด. This is simply because those are easier absorbed in the small bowel.โฃโฃ
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As they are absorbed, small molecules called โ๐๐ก๐ฒ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฌโ will transport them into the Liver.โฃโฃ
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If the Liver has reached its full capacity of Vitamin A, other small molecules called ๐๐๐๐ (๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ-๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ช๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐ด) will transport it (often already changed into retinyl palmitate) to other tissues.โฃโฃ
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Those tissues are mainly:โฃโฃ
- Adipose tissue (AKA fat)โฃโฃ
- Lungsโฃโฃ
- Kidneysโฃโฃ
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Another group of molecules called ๐๐๐ (๐๐ฐ๐ธ-๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ช๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐ด) might also do that transport.โฃโฃ
๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ:โฃโฃ
- VLDL and LDL are what is called โbad cholesterol.โโฃโฃ
- HDL is what is called โgood cholesterol.โโฃโฃ
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Bear in mind any disease affecting the bowels (and I am referring to the ๐ด๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ญ) will affect fat absorption capacity. In turn, this will affect Vitamin A absorption as well.โฃโฃ
Remember we spoke about Vit A being fat soluble?โฃโฃ
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Conditions that affect Vit A absorption:โฃโฃ
- Cystic Fibrosisโฃโฃ
- Pancreatic problemsโฃโฃ
- Inflammatory Bowel Diseaseโฃโฃ
Cholestasis (conditions preventing bile from passing to the bowel from the Liver)โฃโฃ - Small bowel bypass surgeryโฃโฃ
- Significant parasitic infestationโฃโฃ
- Kidney problemsโฃโฃ
- Alcoholismโฃโฃ
- Low fat in the dietโฃโฃ
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People with any of these conditions should take ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ.โฃโฃ
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When Vit A is not absorbed, it will be excreted in stools.โฃโฃ
The one that becomes inactivated in the bloodstream will be excreted in the urine.โฃโฃ
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The big problem is that our body absorbs Vit A better than it destroys it.โฃโฃ
This can lead to excessive accumulation and ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
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