Beta Carotene and the Assimilation of Activated Vitamin A

Vitamin A is one of the fat-soluble vitamins, along with Vitamin D, E, and K.

Most people in the USA are deficient in Activated Vitamin A due to

an underlying Vitamin D deficiency.

Beta-carotene is a precursor to Activated Vitamin A.  Beta-carotene is also called Provitamin A. Some may think the best way to help a Vitamin A deficiency is to eat plant sources of beta-carotene.  However, eating copious amounts of plant-based beta-carotene cannot supply a sufficient amount of activated Vitamin A for optimum health and may even hinder the assimilation of activated Vitamin A.

Here's an article about it…

Vitamin A and Carotenoids

Fact Sheet for Health Professionals

The body might absorb up to 75% to 100% of Vitamin A RETINOL, or activated Vit A from animal fat.   

The body might absorb, in most cases, only 10% to 30% of beta-carotene from plant-based foods [13,14]. Cooking and heat treatment [is beneficial to beta-carotene absorption in that it] can INCREASE the bioavailability of beta-carotene from foods [15]. 

Read the full article here: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/

- - - - -

The conversion of beta-carotene to an optimal blood level of Activated Vitamin A is difficult for the human digestive system. It is almost impossible for:

-Babies

-Children under 6 years old

-Diabetics

-Individuals with poor thyroid function

-Individuals with poor liver function

-Individuals with poor intestinal absorption

-Individuals with a high intake of sodium nitrites and nitrates

-Individuals exposed to pesticides and other toxins

-Individuals who consume an overabundance of plant-sourced beta-carotene      

    (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855261/)

Interestingly, individuals who have a hard time making this conversion are the same individuals who most need Activated Vitamin A to help their stage in life (babies and children) or to help them maintain or treat their condition (diabetes, hypothyroidism, IBS, etc). If you are bothered by any of these conditions, a goal could be to increase blood levels of activated Vitamin A, along with Vitamin A's sister vitamins Vit D3 and Vit K2 to help manage the condition.

- - - - -

Beta carotene is a precursor to Activated Vit A. It is found in green grass, dandelions, alfalfa, and weeds. It is also found in deep green and deep orange vegetables such as spinach, carrots, kale, beets, sweet potatoes, cilantro, spirulina, etc. Foods that have beta-carotene are highly nutritious. Eating them wisely is good for the body.

However, the human GI tract runs into many barriers when trying to convert plant-sourced Beta carotene to Activated Vit A. Other animals are more efficient at the process. For example,

A chicken has a small brain and a very complex digestive system that includes a gizzard. Gizzards convert beta-carotene to activated Vitamin A very well.  A pasture-fed chicken eats fresh green growing grasses that contain beta carotene and wiggly bugs 🐛 that contain activated Vit A. The gizzard converts beta carotene to activated preformed Vit A and stores the preformed Vitamin A in the chicken's fat, ie, in the eggs, skin, dark meat, and organs such as the heart, liver, and brain. 

A cow has a small brain and a very complex digestive system that includes 4 stomachs. The 4 stomachs work all day every day to convert Beta carotene to preformed vitamin A. It is very efficient at this process. A pasture-fed cow eats green grass and hay and stores activated Vitamin A in its milk fat and fatty tissues, including its meat and organs.

The human body has a simple one-track digestive system with 1 stomach, instead of 4 stomachs, and no gizzard. It is not well equipped with the means to make the conversion.

There is one thing in our favor. The human brain is large, complex, and very intelligent. It is a powerful tool that can make up for our very simple stomachs. Cows and chickens have very small brains. Humans can use our powerful complex brain to seek learning by study and by faith to make good health decisions about what to eat, what not to eat, and when to eat in order to benefit our nutrient absorption and our health as a whole.

Items needed in the human body to convert BetaCarotene to Vitamin A:

-A copious amount of Healthy Fat in the diet

-Healthy levels of Thyroid Hormone

-Certain enzymes

-The fat-soluble vitamins Vit D & E.

One of the conditions for converting beta-carotene into activated Vitamin A is a copious amount of healthy fat. Add butter, cream, or coconut oil to the beta-carotene-rich food before consuming. Even if the above needs are met, only a small amount of BetaCarotene is converted to Activated Vit A

Unfortunately, even under optimal conditions, plant sources of beta carotene cannot supply a sufficient amount of Activated Vitamin A for optimum health. The solution to increasing your blood level of Vitamin A is to search out foods with activated Vitamin A from animal fat and make a plan for these foods to be in your everyday diet. 

Sources of Activated preformed Naturally-Occuring Vitamin A are:  

Grass-fed beef liver

grass-fed chicken liver 

wild-caught cod liver oil 

pasture-fed butter

pasture-fed tallow

pasture-fed high-fat dairy  

pasture-fed chicken eggs 

Other pasture-fed poultry eggs

The BEST sources of Activated preformed Naturally-occurring Vitamin A are: 

Grass-fed beef liver: Eat 3oz once a week

grass-fed chicken liver or chicken hearts: Eat 3oz once a week

wild-caught cod liver oil: 2 TBSP of CLO 1-2 times daily. 

Retest every 1-2 years to see the blood level gradually rise.

One can choose a daily dose or a very high weekly dose of naturally-occurring Vitamin A to fulfill the body's need for this vital vitamin. 

My favorite way to get Activated Vitamin A is a lemon-oil-flavored CLO called 'On Target Living Alaskan Cod Liver Oil Organic Lemon Flavor' 16.67 oz. I get it on Amazon for a good price and I've been taking it daily since Jan 2020. I have been very impressed with the results. Cod liver oil has numerous additional health benefits to the Activated Vitamin A, Omega 3s, DHA, EPA, and Vitamin D.  The lemon flavor in this product truly elevates the experience. The lemon oil not only masks the usual fishy taste but also adds a pleasant citrus note, making it much easier to swallow. I don't bother with a measuring spoon. I don't like the feeling of the oil on my lips as I remove the oily spoon from my mouth. I just open the bottle cap, tip my chin up, and drop the CLO as far back in my throat as possible.

I see many wonderful results as the blood levels of Activated Vitamin A continue to slowly rise.  The thing that I noticed years ago, when I first started taking it, was stronger more beautiful skin with much less acne. It helped me conceive a beautiful healthy baby boy in 2021.  I've seen many other general health benefits.

I don't have seasonal allergies, food allergies, autoimmune disease, thyroid issues, or chronic disease.  Increasing blood levels of Vitamin D3, Activated Vitamin A, and Vitamin K2 are large pieces to the puzzle in helping these conditions be more manageable.

For more info, see the blog article 'Vitamin A, D & K - my Journey with the Fat-soluble Vitamins'