Vitamin A in Retinol Form Kills Bones

[Guest guest]

Hello Mike,

Warning: Cod liver oil (and all foods containing Vitamin A in its

retinol form, such as acetate or palmitate) are bone killers.

Vitamin A in retinol form is a demonstrated osteoclast stimulant

that which causes bone resorption. Of course, we are all seeking

osteoblastic bone formation, and NOT osteoclastic bone resorption!

Rae, Alan Pater, Warren , Saul Lubkin, and many others

at the CR Society (Search CR Society archives) have all posted on

this subject.

The Harvard Health Newsletter reported on this in detail at:

http://www.hmiworld.org/past_issues/May_June_2002/around_vitaminA_pf.html

Quote from this source:

.... Sweden has a very high hip fracture rate, and it isn't

just a problem for women. The rate among Swedish men is higher

than among women in Great Britain, the Netherlands, and

Switzerland. Experts have wondered whether vitamin A, and more

specifically retinol, might be to blame because there is so much

of it in the typical Swedish diet. Retinol-rich cod liver oil

is a traditional medicine, consumed plain in the belief that it

will ward off assorted illnesses. And Sweden is the only European

country that fortifies low-fat milk products with retinol.

In a study published in the Nov. 15, 1998, ls of Internal Medicine,

Swedish researchers showed that for every 1,000-microgram increase in

retinol consumption, the risk of hip fracture rose by 68%.

Women estimated to have eaten 1,500 micrograms of retinol per day

had double the hip fracture risk of women with intakes at or below

500 micrograms.

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

> ... Rae discussed overdosing on retinoids...

>

> Diets rich in vitamin A were associated with a

> higher risk of hip fracture. But the risk wasn't

> from beta-carotene, the source of vitamin A found

> in carrots, other vegetables, and a few fruits.

> It came primarily from the form of the vitamin

> called retinol. Retinol occurs naturally in a few

> foods like liver, fish-liver oils, eggs, and

> whole milk. ... But the single greatest

> source in these women's diets was multi-vitamin

> pills.

>

> Currently, the FDA recommendation is to get

> 1,500 micrograms daily... Consumers, particularly

> older women, may want to reconsider the vitamin

> pills that they're taking and choose a brand that

> contains no more than 5,000 IU, which is the

> equivalent of 1,500 micrograms...

> ... Swedish researchers showed that for every

> 1,000-microgram increase in retinol consumption,

> the risk of hip fracture rose by 68%. Women

> estimated to have eaten 1,500 micrograms of

> retinol per day had double the hip fracture risk

> of women with intakes at or below 500 micrograms.

>

>

> ... retinols require much less processing

> in the body to generate vitamin A, because

> they are chemically very similar to vitamin A.

> Retinols ... are sometimes called preformed

> vitamin A... Retinol usually comes in

> chemical combination with an acid,

> which is the reason you'll sometimes see

> vitamin A acetate, vitamin A palmitate, or

> even just palmitate listed on a vitamin label.

ALL:

Don't feed your already thin bones too much

of the BAD retinol form of vitamin A.

Check your multi-vitamin carefully.

Note: vitamin A acetate, vitamin A palmitate,

or even just palmitate are all the BAD,

WRONG form of vitamin A (retinol).

-- Warren

In a study published in the Nov. 15, 1998,

ls of Internal Medicine, Swedish researchers

showed that for every 1,000-microgram increase in

retinol consumption, the risk of hip fracture rose

by 68%.

Women estimated to have eaten 1,500 micrograms of

retinol per day had double the hip fracture risk of

women with intakes at or below 500 micrograms.

http://www.hmiworld.org/past_issues/May_June_2002/around_vitaminA_pf.html

> On 03 Feb 2003, Mike wrote:

>

> ... As for the general query about supplementation practices,

> I take E and C, nothing else, no multi-supplements, etc,

> although I'm currently contemplating a low-dose Mg supplement

> as part of my anti-osteoporosis regimen. I try to get everything

> necessary from food, absolutely none of which is fortified. I also

> enjoy some cod liver oil everyday, which is somewhere in-between a

> supplement and food.