Vitamin A: In Daily Lives & for Measles

[Guest guest]

There is something now called mycelized Vitamin A

which can deliver larger numbers of units in a smaller amount of fluid

from my online class in Childhood Diseases

Vitamin A: In Daily Lives & for Measles

REMEMBER 200,000 IU per day for 2 days ONLY is for during measles

OTHERWISE around 1500 IU per day depending on weight - see charts in this email

Dosage for children with measles 200,000 IU

(100,000 IU in infant) Vitamin A per day for 2 days

I am finding out October 2007 that the best

source for this is mycelized Vitamin C (Vitamin D

removed)..........still researching

Maintainance Dosage - best thru diet and/or Cod

liver oil - smaller amounts - around 1500 IU's

depending on their weight per Megsen,

MD http://www.megson.com/jan10/jan10.html

Info below on food sources in the NIH Gov't website

Best Source - Cod Liver Oil

Other Sources - Retinol - what is used in 3rd World Countries

Last choice Carotenes (not easily converted in all to Vitamin A)

Natural - http://www.megson.com/BiologicalBasis/BiologicalBasis.html

website relates to autism - but gives info on a good natural source

The fat oil form (cis) form of Vitamin A is found

in highest concentrations in cod liver oil

Synthetic - Retinol -

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/VitaminARetinolcs.html

Vitamin A supplements are available as either

retinol or retinyl palmitate. All forms of

vitamin A are readily absorbed by the body.

Tablets or capsules are available in 10,000 IU,

25,000 IU, and 50,000 IU doses.

************

http://www.megson.com/BiologicalBasis/AUTISMFAQ-packetfinal.html

Megsen works with Autism but the same issue

- Vitamin A deficiency in many of thse kids and

makes since if MMR is related autism and Children

with measles helped with Vitamin A.

Q. What are the most common forms of Vitamin A and how are they different?

A. The three most common forms of Vitamin A are the following:

§ Vitamin A Palmitate

§ Beta Carotene

§ Retinyl Palmitate

Generally, Vitamin A is found in natural sources

such as liver, milk fat, and cold water fish.

This form of Vitamin A is more absorbable in the

body. It is called the “cis” form of Vitamin A,

and is generally oil at room temperature.

The other forms of Vitamin A, generally found in

multi-vitamins, are in a solid state at room

temperature and are less absorbable by the body.

Many items on the market, such as skim milk and

baby formula, use Vitamin A in the form of A

Palmitate, which is water-soluble. These children

need the lipid-soluble form of Vitamin A found in

liver, kidney, milk fat and cod liver oil

Q How does cod liver oil work?

A. Dr. Megson has found that Vitamin A in the

natural form, such as cod liver oil, helps to

rebuild areas in the brain, called receptors,

that affect vision and speech. These areas are

dramatically affected in children with

developmental delays, such as autistic spectrum

disorders. This helps to explain some of the

commonly seen characteristics in children with

autism such as the “sideways” glance and decreased or no speech.

Q. How do we know whether it’s Vitamin A or DHA

or EPA in the cod liver oil that is having these effects?

A. DHA and EPA are essential fatty acids that

studies have shown to be critical for a variety

of health problems, including bi-polar disorder

and other forms of biologically based brain

disorders, including schizophrenia. While these

are fish oils, they do not contain the high

levels of Vitamin A that is found in the liver of

the cold-water fish. It is these concentrated

levels of Vitamin A that are critical for the

visual reconnection we are seeing in the

children. The “sideways” glance that is typical

in many children with autism disappears quickly on cod liver oil.

Q. What should I look for when I go to buy cod liver oil?

A. Good quality brands will have a lot number

and expiration date. Purchase from companies with

solid reputations for quality.

Q. How long will my child have to take cod liver oil?

A. Probably for a lifetime. The US RDA is

5000IU for an adult. However, Vitamin A in the

form the body really needs is found in milk fat,

liver, cold water fish liver—things that people

don’t eat in today’s diet. Therefore, to even get

the recommended daily allowances in the proper

form, people will need to eat more of these foods

or take cod liver oil. In autism, the Vitamin A

is helping to reconnect the areas in the brain,

affecting vision and language that have been weakened or disconnected.

**********

SOURCE - important to find a source of Cod Liver

Oil that is MERCURY FREE as well as free of other contaminants

http://www.kirkmanlabs.com/products/vitamins/codliver/Cod_Liver_Oil_C_150_Spec80\

2.html

excerpt

Cod Liver Oil is being used in children's health

based on the findings of Dr. Megson of

Richmond, Virginia, to help support Vitamin A

absorption. Cod Liver Oil contains 10% of the cis

form of Vitamin A, as well as " 14

hydroxyretroretinol " . Dr. Megson has found that

these natural forms of Vitamin A in Cod Liver Oil

stimulate retinoid receptors.

It is important when using Cod Liver Oil to be

extremely careful in selecting a source. Many Cod

Liver Oils available in traditional outlets are

standardized with synthetic Vitamin A palmitate.

Furthermore, much of the oil available can be

contaminated or contain elevated levels of heavy

metals, pesticides or PCB's. It is also critical

to insure that Cod Liver Oil is stable and does not turn rancid.

Kirkman Laboratories only uses Cod Liver Oil

which contains all natural vitamins A & D. No

synthetic standardization has occurred. In

addition, our oil has been vacuum dried and

deodorized plus it has gone through a filtration

and distillation process to remove heavy metals,

pesticides and PCB's. A complete analysis of the

oil has verified the absence of these compounds

to detectable limits. Results of these analyses are available on request.

Cod Liver Oil can become rancid over time from

exposure to air and heat by autoxidation. When

this occurs, peroxides develop in the oil.

Kirkman adds vitamin E to our Cod Liver Oil to

stop any potential oxidation process. In

addition, a peroxide test is performed on the oil

to insure a value which will assure freshness.

The European Pharmacopeia allows up to 10.0

millequivalents/kilogram of peroxides in Cod

Liver Oil to be considered fresh and non-rancid.

Kirkman's product has a typical peroxide value of only 2.9 mEq/kg.

***********

http://www.update-software.com/abstracts/AB001479.htm

Using Retinol (an animal form but synthetic - not

from Fish Oil)(but dose would be similar)

REMEMBER 200,000 IU per day for 2 days ONLY is for during measles

OTHERWISE around 1500 IU per day depending on weight - see charts in this email

excerpts

" Background: Measles is a leading cause of

childhood morbidity and mortality. Vitamin A

deficiency is a recognised risk factor for severe

measles. The World Health Organization (WHO)

recommends administration of an oral dose of

200,000 IU (or 100,000 IU in infants) of vitamin

A per day for two days to children with measles

in areas where vitamin A deficiency may be present. "

" Reviewers' conclusions: Although we did not find

evidence that a single dose of 200,000 IU of

vitamin A per day was associated with reduced

mortality among children with measles, there was

evidence that the same dose given for two days

was associated with a reduced risk of overall

mortality and pneumonia specific mortality. The

effect was greater in children under the age of

two years. There were no trials that compared a

single dose with two doses, although the

precision of the estimates of trials that used a

single dose were similar to the trials that used two doses. "

*********

Government Information

REMEMBER according to Weston Price Carotenoids

should NOT be used...............

But look at the other info here for a fuller picture

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/vita.html

Vitamin A and Carotenoids

Vitamin A: What is it?

Vitamin A is a family of fat-soluble vitamins.

Retinol is one of the most active, or usable,

forms of vitamin A, and is found in animal foods

such as liver and eggs and in some fortified food products.

Retinol is often called preformed vitamin A. It

can be converted to retinal and retinoic acid,

other active forms of the vitamin A family (1-4).

Some plant foods contain darkly colored pigments

called provitamin A carotenoids that can be

converted to vitamin A. In the U.S.,

approximately 26% and 34% of vitamin A consumed

by men and women is provided by provitamin A carotenoids (1).

Beta-carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid that

is more efficiently converted to retinol than other carotenoids (1-4).

For example, alpha-carotene and b-cryptoxanthin

are also converted to vitamin A, but only half as

efficiently as beta-carotene (1). Lycopene,

lutein, and zeaxanthin are other carotenoids

commonly found in food. They are not sources of

vitamin A but may have other health promoting

properties. The Institute of Medicine (IOM)

encourages consumption of carotenoid-rich fruits

and vegetables for their health-promoting benefits.

Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, bone

growth, reproduction, cell division and cell

differentiation, which is the process by which a

cell decides what it is going to become (1, 5-8).

It helps maintain the surface linings of the eyes

and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal

tracts (9). When those linings break down,

bacteria can enter the body and cause infection

(9). Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity

of skin and mucous membranes that function as a

barrier to bacteria and viruses (10-12).

Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system (2, 5,

13). The immune system helps prevent or fight off

infections by making white blood cells that

destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A

may help lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell

that fights infections, function more effectively.

Some carotenoids, in addition to serving as a

source of vitamin A, have been shown to function

as antioxidants in laboratory tests. However,

this role has not been consistently demonstrated

in humans (1). Antioxidants protect cells from

free radicals, which are potentially damaging

by-products of oxygen metabolism that may

contribute to the development of some chronic diseases (3, 14-16).

What foods provide vitamin A?

Preformed vitamin A is found in animal foods such

as whole eggs, whole milk and liver.

Most fat free milk and dried nonfat milk solids

sold in the US are fortified with vitamin A to

replace the vitamin A lost when the fat is

removed (17). Fortified foods such as fortified

breakfast cereals also provide vitamin A.

Provitamin A carotenoids are abundant in darkly

colored fruits and vegetables. Tables 4 and 5 at

the end of this document list animal sources of

vitamin A and a variety of plant sources of provitamin A carotenoids (18).

It is important for you to regularly eat foods

that provide vitamin A or beta-carotene even

though vitamin A is stored in the liver (2).

Stored vitamin A will help meet needs when intake

of provitamin A carotenoids or preformed vitamin A is low (19, 20).

What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance for

vitamin A for children and adults?

The latest recommendations for vitamin A are

given in the Dietary Reference Intakes developed by the Institute of Medicine.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) is the umbrella

term for a group of reference values used for

planning and assessing diets for healthy people.

One of those references values, the Recommended

Dietary Allowance (RDA), is the average daily

dietary intake level sufficient to meet the

nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%)

healthy individuals in each age and gender group (1).

RDAs for vitamin A are listed as Retinol Activity

Equivalents (RAE) to account for the different

activities of retinol and provitamin A

carotenoids. In the table below, RDAs are also

listed in International Units (IU) because food

and some supplement labels list vitamin A content

in International Units (1 RAE in micrograms (ug)

= 3.3 IU). The 2001 RDAs for adults and children (21) in ug RAE and IUs are:

Infants 0 to 6 mos 400 ug or 1330 IU

7 to 12 most 500 ug or 1665 IU

But hard to establish - depends on breastmilk

Children 1-3 300 ug or 1000 IU

4-8 400 ug or 1333 IU

9-13 600 ug or 2000 IU

Adults - see webpage

When can vitamin A deficiency occur?

Vitamin A deficiency rarely occurs in the United

States, but it is still a major public health problem in the developing world.

At least 3 million children develop xeropthalmia,

damage to the cornea of the eye, and 250,000 to

500,000 go blind each year from a deficiency of

vitamin A (1). Most of these children live in

developing countries. Night blindness is one of

the first signs of vitamin A deficiency. In

ancient Egypt it was known that night blindness

could be cured by eating liver, which was later

found to be a rich source of vitamin A (2).

Vitamin A deficiency contributes to blindness by

making the cornea very dry and promoting damage to the retina and cornea(23).

Vitamin A deficiency diminishes the ability to fight infections.

In countries where immunization programs are not

widespread and vitamin A deficiency is common,

millions of children die each year from

complications of infectious diseases such as

measles. (9). When there is not enough vitamin A,

cells lining the lung lose their ability to

remove disease-causing microorganisms. This may

contribute to the pneumonia associated with vitamin A deficiency (2,10,11).

There is increased interest in subclinical forms

of vitamin A deficiency, described as low storage

levels of vitamin A that do not cause overt

deficiency symptoms. This mild degree of vitamin

A deficiency may increase children’s risk of

developing respiratory and diarrheal infections,

decrease growth rate, slow bone development, and

decrease likelihood of survival from serious

illness (8, 23, 24, 25). Children living in the

United States who are considered to be at

increased risk for subclinical vitamin A deficiency include:

toddlers and preschool age children,

children living at or below the poverty level,

children with inadequate health care or immunizations,

children living in areas with known nutritional deficiencies,

recent immigrants or refugees from developing

countries with high incidence of vitamin A deficiency or measles, and

children with diseases of the pancreas, liver,

intestines, or with inadequate fat digestion/absorption (9)

Vitamin A deficiency can occur when vitamin A is

lost through chronic diarrhea, and through an

overall inadequate intake, as is often seen with protein-calorie malnutrition.

Low plasma retinol concentrations indicate

depleted levels of vitamin A. This occurs with

vitamin A deficiency but also can result from an

inadequate intake of protein, calories and zinc.

These nutrients are needed to make Retinol

Binding Protein (RBP), which is essential for

mobilizing vitamin A from your liver and

transporting vitamin A to your general circulation (1).

Iron deficiency can also limit the metabolism of

vitamin A, and iron supplements provided to iron

deficient individuals may improve vitamin A

nutriture as well as iron status (1).

Excess alcohol intake depletes vitamin A stores.

Also, diets high in alcohol usually do not

provide recommended amounts of vitamin A (1).

It is very important for anyone who consumes

excessive amounts of alcohol to include good

sources of vitamin A in his or her diet. However,

Vitamin A supplementation may not be recommended

for individuals who abuse alcohol because alcohol

may increase liver toxicity associated with

excess intakes of vitamin A (1,26 ). A medical

doctor would need to evaluate this situation and

determine the need for vitamin A supplementation.

Who may need extra vitamin A to prevent a deficiency?

Vitamin A deficiency rarely occurs in the United

States, but the World Health Organization (WHO)

and the United Nations International Children’s

Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have issued joint

statements about vitamin A and children’s health.

Both agencies recommend vitamin A administration

for all children diagnosed with measles in

communities where vitamin A deficiency is a

serious problem and where death from measles is

greater than 1%. In 1994, the American Academy of

Pediatrics recommended vitamin A supplementation

for two subgroups of children likely to be at

high risk for subclinical vitamin A deficiency.

These subgroups were children 6-24 months of age

who had been hospitalized with measles and

hospitalized children older than 6 months (27).

Fat malabsorption can promote diarrhea and

prevent normal absorption of vitamin A.

This is most often seen with cystic fibrosis,

sprue, pancreatic disorders, and after stomach

surgery. Healthy adults usually have a reserve of

vitamin A stored in their livers and should not

be at risk of deficiency during periods of

temporary or short term fat malabsorption.

Long-term problems absorbing fat, however, may

result in deficiency, and in these instances

physicians may advise vitamin A supplementation (9).

Vegetarians who do not consume eggs and dairy

foods need greater amounts of provitamin A

carotenoids to meet their need for vitamin A (1).

It is important for vegetarians to include a

minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables

daily and to regularly choose dark green leafy

vegetables and orange and yellow fruits to

consume recommended amounts of vitamin A.

What is the association between vitamin A, beta carotene and cancer?

Surveys suggest an association between diets rich

in beta-carotene and vitamin A and a lower risk

of some types of cancer (2, 28).

There is evidence that a higher intake of green

and yellow vegetables or other food sources of

beta-carotene and/or vitamin A may decrease the

risk of lung cancer (29). However, a number of

studies that tested the role of beta-carotene

supplements in cancer prevention did not find it

to be protective (30). In a study of 29,000 men,

incidence of lung cancer was greater in the group

of smokers who took a daily supplement of beta-carotene (31).

The Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial, a lung

cancer chemoprevention trial that provided

randomized subjects with supplements of

beta-carotene and vitamin A, was stopped after

researchers discovered that subjects receiving

beta-carotene had a 46% higher risk of dying from

lung cancer than those who did not receive

beta-carotene (32). The Institute of Medicine

(IOM) states that “beta-carotene supplements are

not advisable for the general population,”

although they also state that this advice “does

not pertain to the possible use of supplemental

beta-carotene as a provitamin A source for the

prevention of vitamin A deficiency in populations

with inadequate vitamin A nutriture” (1).

Can an excess intake of vitamin A promote osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, a disorder characterized by porous,

weak bones, is a serious public health problem

for more than 10 million Americans, 80% of whom are women.

Another 18 million Americans have decreased bone

density, which precedes the development of

osteoporosis. Researchers have identified many

factors that increase the risk for developing

osteoporosis, including being female, thin,

inactive, at advanced age, and having a family

history of osteoporosis. An inadequate dietary

intake of calcium, cigarette smoking and

excessive intake of alcohol also increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Researchers are now examining a potential new

risk factor for osteoporosis: an excess intake of vitamin A.

Animal, human, and laboratory research suggest an

association between greater vitamin A intake and

weaker bones (33, 34). Researchers have also

noticed that worldwide, the highest incidence of

osteoporosis occurs in northern Europe, a

population with a high intake of vitamin A (35).

However, decreased biosynthesis of vitamin D

associated with lower levels of sun exposure in

this population may also contribute to this finding.

One small study of nine healthy individuals in

Sweden found that the amount of vitamin A in one

serving of liver may impair the ability of

vitamin D to promote calcium absorption (36).

To further test the association between excess

dietary intake of vitamin A and increased risk

for hip fracture, researchers in Sweden compared

bone mineral density and retinol intake in

approximately 250 women with a first hip fracture

to 875 age-matched controls. They found that a

dietary retinol intake greater than 1,500 mcg/day

(more than twice the recommended daily intake for

women) was associated with reduced bone mineral

density and increased risk of hip fracture as

compared to women who consumed less than 500 mcg per day (37).

This issue was also examined by researchers with

the Nurses Health Study, who looked at the

association between vitamin A intake and hip

fractures in over 72,000 postmenopausal women.

In this study, women who consumed the most

vitamin A in foods and supplements (greater than

or equal to 3000 mcg per day as retinol

equivalents, which is over three times the

recommended intake for adult men and women) had a

significantly increased risk of experiencing a

hip fracture as compared to those consuming the

least amount. (less than 1250 mcg per day of

retinol equivalents). The effect was lessened by

use of estrogens but still raises questions about

the effects of a high intake of vitamin A. In

particular this raises questions about the effect

of preformed vitamin A or retinol because retinol

intake greater than 2000 mcg per day was

associated with an increased risk of hip fracture

as compared to a retinol intake less than 500 mcg (38).

A recent longitudinal study in more than 2,000

Swedish men was the first to measure blood levels

of retinol to assess the risk of fractures in men.

The investigators found that the risk of

fractures was greatest in men with the highest

serum retinol levels (greater than 75.62 mcg per

d/l). The risk of fracture was further increased

in men with the highest serum retinol levels. Men

with retinol in the 99th percentile (greater than

103.12 mcg per d/l) had an overall risk of

fracture that exceeded the risk among men with

lower levels of serum retinol by a factor of

seven. High vitamin A intake does not necessarily

equate to high serum retinol; serum retinol is

regulated by factors besides vitamin A intake,

including age, gender, hormones and genetics.

Serum beta carotene, however, was not associated

with the risk of fracture. The researchers’

findings, which are consistent with the results

of studies in animals, as well as in vitro

(laboratory studies) and epidemiologic dietary

studies, suggest that intakes above the Upper

Limit or approximately two times that of the RDA,

may pose subtle risks to bone health that require

further investigation. Vitamin D, which may

contribute to osteoporosis, was not measured.

Additional clinical studies evaluating vitamin D

and calcium as well as retinol for risk of fracture are warranted (39).

On the other hand, the Centers for Disease

Control reviewed data from the Third National

Health and Nutrition Examination survey (NHANES

III), 1988-94, to determine whether there was any

association between bone mineral density and

fasting blood levels of retinyl esters, a form of vitamin A (40).

Blood levels of retinyl esters in 5,800

participants were in the normal range and

researchers did not find any significant

associations between bone mineral density and

blood levels of retinyl esters. Additional

research is needed to clarify the association

between high levels of vitamin A intake and osteoporosis.

There is no evidence of an association between

beta-carotene intake, especially from fruits and

vegetables (many of which are naturally high in

beta-carotene), and increased risk of osteoporosis.

Current evidence points to a possible association

with vitamin A as retinol only.

If you have specific questions regarding your

intake of vitamin A and risk of osteoporosis, it

is recommended that you discuss this information

with your physician or other trained health care

practitioner to determine what’s best for your personal health.

What is the health risk of too much vitamin A?

Hypervitaminosis A refers to high storage levels

of vitamin A in the body that can lead to toxic

symptoms. There are three major adverse effects of hypervitaminosis A:

birth defects,

liver abnormalities,

reduced bone mineral density that may result in osteoporosis (1)

Toxic symptoms can also arise after consuming

very large amounts of preformed vitamin A over a short period of time.

Signs of acute toxicity include nausea and

vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision,

and muscular uncoordination (1, 7-9, 41, 42).

Although hypervitaminosis A can occur when very

large amounts of liver are regularly consumed,

most cases of vitamin A toxicity result from an

excess intake of vitamin A in supplements.

The Institute of Medicine has established Daily

Tolerable Upper Levels (UL) of intake for vitamin

A from supplements that apply to healthy

populations (1). The UL was established to help

prevent the risk of vitamin A toxicity. The risk

of adverse health effects increases at intakes

greater than the UL. The UL does not apply to

malnourished individuals receiving vitamin A

either periodically or through fortification

programs as a means of preventing deficiency. It

also does not apply to individuals being treated

with vitamin A by medical doctors for diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.

Table 3: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) for

preformed vitamin A in micrograms (ug) and International Units (IU)

for infants, children, and adults (1) - SEE WEBPAGE for adults

0-12 months 600 ug or 2000 IU

1-3 years 600 ug or 2000 IU

4-8 years 900 ug or 3000 IU x x x

9-13 years 1700 ug or 5665 IU

Retinoids are compounds that are chemically similar to vitamin A.

Over the past 15 years, synthetic retinoids have

been prescribed for acne, psoriasis, and other

skin disorders (43). Isotretinoin (Roaccutane® or

Accutane®) is considered an effective anti-acne therapy.

At very high doses, however, it can be toxic,

which is why this medication is usually saved for

the most severe forms of acne (44-46). The most

serious consequence of this medication is birth

defects. It is extremely important for sexually

active females who may become pregnant and who

take these medications to use an effective method

of birth control. Women of childbearing age who

take these medications are advised to undergo

monthly pregnancy tests to make sure they are not pregnant.

What is the health risk of too many carotenoids?

Nutrient toxicity traditionally refers to adverse

health effects from a high intake of a particular

vitamin or mineral. For example, large amounts of

active, or preformed, vitamin A (naturally found

in animal foods such as liver but also available

in dietary supplements) can cause birth defects.

Provitamin A carotenoids such as beta-carotene

are generally considered safe because they are

not traditionally associated with specific adverse health effects.

The conversion of provitamin A carotenoids to

vitamin A decreases when body stores are full,

which naturally limits further increases in

storage levels. A high intake of provitamin A

carotenoids can turn the skin yellow, but this is

not considered dangerous to health.

Recent clinical trials that associated

beta-carotene supplements with a greater

incidence of lung cancer and death in current

smokers raised concern about the effects of

beta-carotene supplements on long-term health.

However, conflicting studies make it difficult to interpret the health risk.

For example, the Physicians’ Health Study

compared the effects of taking 50 mg

beta-carotene every other day to a placebo (sugar

pill) in over 22,000 male physicians and found no

adverse health effects (47). Also, a trial that

tested the ability of four different nutrient

combinations to inhibit the development of

esophageal and gastric cancers in 30,000 men and

women in China suggested that after 5 years those

participants who took a combination of

beta-carotene, selenium and vitamin E had a 13%

reduction in cancer deaths (48).

One point to consider is that there may be a

relationship between alcohol and beta-carotene

because “only those men who consumed more than 11

g per day of alcohol (approximately one drink per

day) showed an adverse response to B-carotene

supplementation” in the lung cancer trial (1).

The Institute of Medicine did not set a Tolerable

Upper Intake Level (UL) for carotene or

carotenoids. Instead, they concluded that

beta-carotene supplements are not advisable for

the general population. As stated earlier,

however, they may be appropriate as a provitamin

A source or for the prevention of vitamin A

deficiency in specific populations (1).

Selected Food Sources of Vitamin A

As the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

state, “Different foods contain different

nutrients. No single food can supply all the

nutrients in the amounts you need” (49). The

following tables list a variety of dietary

sources of vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids.

As the tables show, liver, eggs and whole milk

are good animal sources of vitamin A. Many orange

fruits and green vegetables are good sources of

provitamin A carotenoids. Including these foods

in your daily diet will help you meet your daily need for vitamin A.

In addition, food manufacturers fortify a wide

range of products with vitamin A. Breakfast

cereals, pastries, breads, crackers, cereal grain

bars and other foods may be fortified with 10% to

15% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A. If you

want more information about building a healthful

diet, refer to the Dietary Guidelines for

Americans (49) and the Food Guide Pyramid (50).

Table 4: Selected Animal Sources of Vitamin A (18)

Animal sources of vitamin A provide the best aborbed form of this vitamin

Food

IU/

International

Units

%DV *

Liver, beef, cooked, 3 oz 30,325 610

Liver, chicken, cooked, 3 oz 13,920 280

Egg substitute, fortified, 1/4 cup 1355 25

Fat free milk, fortified with vitamin A, 1 cup 500 10

Cheese pizza, 1/8 of a 12 " diameter pie 380 8

Milk, whole, 3.25% fat, 1 cup 305 6

Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce 300 6

Whole egg, 1 medium 280 6

% DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers

based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

They were developed to help consumers determine

if a food contains a lot or a little of a

specific nutrient. The DV for vitamin A is 5,000

IU (1,500 micrograms retinol). Most food labels

do not list a food’s vitamin A content. The

percent DV (%DV) listed on the table above

indicates the percentage of the DV provided in

one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000

calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or

lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that

provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Table 5: Selected Plant Sources of Vitamin A (from beta-carotene) (18)

Plant sources of beta-carotene are not as well

absorbed as animal sources of vitamin A,

especially when they are consumed whole and raw.

However, they are still a valuable source of this vitamin.

Food IU/ International Units %DV *

Carrot, 1 raw (7 1/2 inches long) 20,250 410

Carrots, boiled, 1/2 cup slices

19,150

380

Carrot juice, canned, 1/2 cup

12,915

260

Sweet potatoes, canned , drained solids, 1/2 cup 7,015 140

Spinach, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup

7,395

150

Mango, raw, 1 cup sliced

6,425

130

Vegetable soup, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve, 1 cup 5,880 115

Cantaloupe, raw, 1 cup

5,160

100

Kale, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup

4,130

80

Spinach, raw, 1 cup

2,015

40

Apricot nectar, canned, 1/2 cup

1,650

35

Oatmeal, instant, fortified, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet

1,510

30

Tomato juice, canned, 6 ounces

1,010

20

Apricots, with skin, juice pack, 2 halves

610

10

Pepper, sweet, red, raw, 1 ring, 3 inches in diameter by 1/4-inch thick 570

10

Peas, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup

535

10

Peach, raw, 1 medium

525

10

Peaches, canned, water pack, 1/2 cup halves or slices

470

10

Papaya, raw, 1 cup cubes

400

8

*DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers

based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

They were developed to help consumers determine

if a food contains a lot or a little of a

specific nutrient. The DV for vitamin A is 5,000

IU (1,500 micrograms retinol). Most food labels

do not list a food’s vitamin A content. The

percent DV (%DV) listed on the table above

indicates the percentage of the DV provided in

one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000

calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or

lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that

provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers & Homeopathy Online/email courses - next classes Sept 08