Vitamin A: In Daily Lives & for Measles

[Guest guest]

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

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_Sp

ec802.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.