Clinical pharmacology: vitamin A significance, food rich with vitamin A

1. Domina Petric, MD
Vitamin A: significance

2. Significance of vitamin A
• In 1994, nearly 14 million preschool children (three quarters
from south Asia) were estimated to have clinical eye disease
(xerophthalmia) due to vitamin A deficiency.
• Most recent estimates (2005) indicate that the prevalence of
the clinical problem (corneal lesions and Bitot’s spots) has
declined (0.5% per year) to affect at the present about 4.4
million children.
• At the same time the prevalence of subclinical deficiency
(serum retinol levels < 0.7 µmol/L) has increased.
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

3. Xerophthalmia and Bitot´s spot
Glutenfreeworks.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

4. Significance of vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency is now recognized as one of
the most devastating of health problems, causing
an estimated one million child deaths each year.
It is the single most important cause of childhood
blindness in developing countries, affecting
250,000 to 500,000 children each year.
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

5. Sources of vitamin A
II.
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

6. Vitamin A activities in foods
Vitamin A exists as:
•preformed retinoids, which are
stored in animal tissues
•provitamin A carotenoids, which
are synthesized as pigments by many
plants and are found in green,
orange, and yellow plant tissues
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

7. Vitamin A activities in foods
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

8. Vitamin A activities in foods
The carotenoids are
present in both plant
and animal food
products.
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

9. Food rich in vitamin A
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

10. Beef liver
Image source: Johnmullsmeats.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
10,503 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

11. Poultry meat
Zootecnicainternational.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
41 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

12. Mackerel
Greatbritishcheefs.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
130 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

13. Herring
iSTOCK photos
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
28 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

14. Eggs
Seriouseats.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
552 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

15. Swiss cheese
Bgr.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
253 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

16. Butter
Foodnetwork.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
754 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

17. Peas
Wikipedia.org
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
15 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

18. Beans
Healthline.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
171 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

19. Chickpeas
Medicalnewstoday.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
7 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

20. Lentils
Thehealthyhomeeconomist.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

21. Soybeans
Alibaba.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
2 IU/100 g
4/7/2018

22. Green peppers
Palmaworld.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
420 RE/100 g
4/7/2018

23. Red peppers
Pixabay.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
21,600 RE/100 g
4/7/2018

24. Carrots
Thespruce.com
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
11,000 RE/100 g
RE: retinol equivalents
4/7/2018

25. Peach
Wikipedia.org
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
1,330 RE/100 g
4/7/2018

26. Pumpkin
Wiktionary
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
1,600 RE/100 g
4/7/2018

27. IU vs. RE
1 retinol equivalent (RE) = 1 µg all-trans-retinol
= 2 µg all-trans-β-carotene
in dietary supplements
= 12 µg all-trans-β-carotene
in foods
= 24 µg other provitamin A
carotenoids in foods
• For pharmaceutical applications:
1 USPa unit (or IUb) = 0.3 µg all-trans-retinol
= 0.344 µg all-trans-retinyl acetate
= 0.55 µg all-trans-retinyl palmitate
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
4/7/2018

28. • Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects in
Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.
Literature
4/7/2018
Combs GF. The Vitamins. Fundamental Aspects
in Nutrition and Health. Elsevier Inc. 2008.