Did you know…that vitamin A benefits has been shown to cure leukemia—without chemotherapy? In a study conducted at the prestigious University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, vitamin A benefits cured as many as 33% of patients suffering from a rare form of leukemia called acute promyelocytic leukemia. It accomplished this feat without subjecting patients to the harrowing side effects of chemotherapy. Vitamin A (also called retinol) is a yellow, fat-soluble vitamin found in egg yolks and the livers of many animals. This critical vitamin contributes to eye health, respiratory health, and helps build a strong immune system. Vitamin A benefits have also been proven to inhibit the spread of cancer cells and to restore normal, healthy cell growth patterns. Its effects are especially potent against leukemia and certain head and neck cancers. A Third of Patients Cancer-Free 5 Years Later Vitamin A Benefits A Natural Alternative to Chemotherapy The results of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center far exceeded the success rate of traditional chemotherapy treatment.
Of the 34 patients in the trial, 10 were entirely cancer-free after 5 years. The researchers used an innovative delivery method to enhance the vitamin’s bioavailability (make it easier for the body to absorb it). They “emulsified” the vitamin A, or encapsulated it in “bubbles of fat.” Despite the previously held belief that cancer has no cure, the M.D. Anderson researchers did use the term “cure” in relation to the effects they observed. That’s likely due to the truly outstanding results. Seeing a group of cancer patients remain cancer-free for 5 years on a treatment consisting of only of a single vitamin—and nothing else—is mind boggling, considering the low cure rate with traditional methods. Health experts and other researchers have suggested that if the patients had been given other proven anticancer super-foods, the cure rate might have been much higher—possibly as high as 75% or more. That’s because vitamin A benefits are known to need additional support to be most effective.
The theory of vitamin A working better in combination with other therapies was demonstrated powerfully in 1978. That’s the year that Harold Manner, Ph.D. and chairman of the biology department of Chicago’s Loyola University, conducted an intriguing study of emulsified vitamin A. Dr. Manner used a therapy that combined: Dr. Manner reported his results in his book titled Death of Cancer: “The tumors gradually underwent complete regression in 75 of the experimental animals. This represented 89% of the total group. The remaining 9 animals showed partial regression.” Manner repeated the experiment, trying various combinations of vitamins, enzymes, and Laetrile. Combinations of enzymes and or vitamin A with Laetrile were significantly more effective than just enzymes and/or vitamin A. Vitamin A benefits and beta carotene are closely related nutrients. The difference is that all vitamin A benefits are preformed—and comes from animal sources (meat, eggs, milk, cheese), while beta carotene is a precursor of vitamin A (also called Provitamin A), which means that it comes in a form that the body converts to retinol by normal metabolic processes.
Beta carotene comes from fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro, and fresh thyme. Beta carotene appears to be an extremely potent cancer-fighter. In a stunning 1990 experiment published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, 6 antioxidants were tested and compared for their cancer-fighting abilities on chemically induced liver tumors: Other impressive studies on beta carotene against cancer have been published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of Nutrition. Ultimately, both vitamin A benefits and beta carotene are powerful cancer-fighting nutrients. However, expert opinions on safe dosages vary widely. In addition, dosages for cancer treatment are much higher than amounts used for prevention and health maintenance. High doses of vitamin A can raise concerns about toxicity, because this fat-soluble vitamin A accumulates in the body and tax the liver.
For this reason, some practitioners prefer beta carotene, which does not accumulate in the body and is associated with fewer risks. However, those interested in using either vitamin A benefits or beta carotene for cancer treatment or prevention should consult with a health practitioner knowledgeable about these nutritional therapies for guidance with the best forms and dosages, as well as possible combination therapies to enhance effectiveness. ‘Ride the Tiger’ — a Documentary About the Bipolar Brain Do Men Sweat More Than Women? Life Expectancy Projected to Soar — Except in the US How CDC Uses False Fears to Promote Vaccine Uptake Vitamin C May Be a Potent Adjunct to Cancer Treatment A landmark paper from the Vitamin D Council asserts that a form of vitamin A, retinoic acid, can block the activity of vitamin D by weakly activating the vitamin D response element on genes. Since vitamin D levels are crucial for human health, that means it is essential to have the proper ratio of vitamin D to vitamin A in your body.
This means that vitamin A supplementation is potentially dangerous. Vitamin A production is tightly controlled in your body, the source (substrate) being carotenoids from vegetables in your intestine. Your body uses these carotenoid substrates to make exactly the right amount of retinol. But when you take vitamin A as retinol directly, such as in cod liver oil, you intervene in this closed system and bypass the controls. The goal is to provide all the vitamin A and vitamin D substrate your body would have obtained in a natural state, so your body can regulate both systems naturally. This is best done by eating colorful vegetables and by exposing your skin to sun every day.Remember how I told you, back in 2010, to go buy some cod liver oil for its skin—and in particular, acne—benefits? I've been taking a new supplement for the better part of this year, and it's time I gave you an update. Just like the cod liver oil, it's got the vitamin A that works so well to prevent blemishes and keep skin looking young, but none of the other questionable ingredients (which I'll tell you about in a second).
It's pure, liquid vitamin A—and nope, I haven't changed my tune at all on the benefits of that ingredient. To recap, here are some of the many things that vitamin A does...Vitamin A benefitsIt helps assimilate vitamins D and K. (Without vitamin A present, these essential nutrients don't work as well.)It's required for the normal functioning of the immune and reproductive systems.It keeps your eyes healthy and may reduce your chances of experiencing macular degeneration, night blindness and other visual disturbances.It's a critical nutrient for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, blood and our genetic material, ribonucleic acid (RNA).It may help restore a healthy libido.It opposes estrogen (the vast majority of us are highly estrogen dominant) and promotes progesterone synthesis.It aids protein synthesis and allows proteins to be assimilated more efficiently. (Protein deficiency is associated with aging and aging skin.)It helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucosal cells. (Read: it helps you stay looking young!)
It helps clear skin conditions such as acne, eczema, chapped lips and dandruff. Obviously, the last few bits are what we're most interested in, but the point is that it's all connected. If your skin troubles are the result of a vitamin A deficiency (and they often are), by correcting that you're also getting healthier on the inside, too.Dietary sources of vitamin A I know what you're thinking. "Why can't I just load up on food sources like these to cure my acne?" I'm not knocking fruits and veg, but you need to know that there are actually two forms of vitamin A:Provitamin A: This is a precursor of vitamin A and is found in colourful fruits and veggies like carrots, red and yellow peppers, apricots, squash and leafy greens. Provitamin A has to be converted into retinol, the form of vitamin A our bodies can use, in our intestinal tracts... but shockingly, a study found that almost 50 percent of women have trouble converting it. Plus, conditions such as hypothyroidism (which often goes undetected and ironically, can be triggered by too much carotene), impaired liver detox pathways, inflammation and GI issues can further compromise the conversion process.
Retinoid acid: This is the other form of vitamin A, which is ready to be used by our bodies. Food-wise, it's only found in liver, egg yolks, cream and butter. Liver is actually the highest and best source, at 22,175 IU per serving compared to 260 IU in one egg. Sorry for the visual. Many people actually clear their acne just from having a serving of liver once or twice a week—but I totally understand if the idea of that turns your stomach. That's why the Nutrisorb A is a great stand-in. The ingredients are water, glycerin and retinol in the form of retinol palmitate, which is derived from halibut liver oil.How to use Nutrisorb A Each tiny bottle (it's about the same size as a bottle of Ddrops, if you've tried those) is filled with clear liquid that dispenses by the drop. You can take it either orally or topically.Topical: This form of application is the safest. Our skin absorbs 20 percent of what we put on it, so you would need to use more than if you were to take it orally. You don't necessarily have to put it on your face or acne spots—you can apply it anywhere on the body and still get the benefits of the vitamin A absorbing in. [Update: The safest place to apply it is actually your ankles.]
Oral: You can put it in water or juice and drink it—it really doesn't have much of a taste at all, and especially not in the low quantities we're talking about using. This way is more economical, because you'll use less of it, but you need to be more careful about dosing as retinol in excessive quantities can block thyroid production. Actually, let's talk a bit more about dosing, shall we?Vitamin A dosage One drop of Nutrisorb A contains 2,500 IU of retinol and is also their recommended daily "serving" size. According to Dr. Ray Peat: "The average person is likely to be hypothyroid, and to need only 5,000 units per day." Most likely, you will need to play around with dosing until you find what works for you. Too little vitamin A and you won't correct your skin issues, but too much and it can suppress thyroid—so you have to find a balance. In general, the higher your metabolism (thyroid function), the higher your nutritional and therefore vitamin A requirements will be. Stress and exposure to light, either outdoors or bright indoor light, can also increase your need for vitamin A.Vitamin A toxicity Knew you'd be curious about this one, as people often freak out about the supposed toxicity of taking vitamin A.
Again, I defer to this quote from Dr. Ray Peat: "The toxic effects of extremely big doses, such as 500,000 to a million IU, seem to be from either oxidative processes (rancidity) that are prevented by adequate vitamin E, or by antithyroid effects. I found that when my need for vitamin A began to decrease I tended to accumulate carotene in my calluses; that happens when the thyroid function is lower, reducing the need for vitamin A... The calluses on your palms or soles should serve as an indicator of when your tissues are saturated with vitamin A. About 100 IU of vitamin E would help to keep the vitamin A from being wasted by oxidation, and possibly could reduce your requirement for it." Obviously this is not medical advice, but I believe the dangers of toxicity are quite low in the doses we're talking about (5,000 IU daily). As Dr. Peat says, if you're very concerned, take a vitamin E supplement as well and monitor the palms of your hands for signs of carotene accumulation (an orange colour).