Ainsley & Vitamin A Article

[Guest guest]

Listmates:

For those whose kids have osteoporosis, I thought the following article was

interesting.

I'm going to need to read up on which foods are high in vitamin A.

Ainsley update: She is still at a 3.3:1 ratio and we are tackling appropriate

calorie intake at the moment. In the past Ainsley has been extremely calorie

sensitive, even gaining weight with as little as 10 extra calories. Well,

there must be a lot going in her little pre-puberty body, because I have

added 80+ calories the past month and she's not gaining! I feel that at

times we are just one step ahead of those nasty seizures and at other times

she appears to be at the edge of the cliff ready to jump off, if you know

what I mean. She is still not on any drugs, and not enjoying the seizure

free status she once enjoyed for 5 years. I think her current (occassional)

seizure type is some type of partial. At this time, they are very

manageable and I will continue to opt to NOT drug her. We are taking one day

at a time.

Hope 2002 is a happy one for all! 2001 was miserable for us, so we are

looking forward to

the fresh start

Lori R.

(Ainsley's Mom and a keto-kid for 5-1/2 years!)

Study: Vitamin A Linked to Fractures

By TAMMY WEBBER

..c The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) - Too much vitamin A may increase the risk of hip fractures in

older women, according to a new study that researchers say suggests the need

to reevaluate the levels in supplements and fortified food.

Vitamin A is important for such things as healthy skin and hair and bone

growth. But in the study published in Wednesday's Journal of the American

Medical Association, researchers found that women with the highest total

intake - both from food and vitamin supplements - had double the risk of hip

fractures compared with women with the lowest intake.

One theory is that too much vitamin A inhibits the ability of Vitamin D to

help the body absorb calcium, said lead author, Diane Feskanich, an

epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She said previous

studies also suggest vitamin A affects cells that work in bone remodeling -

the breakdown and rebuilding of bone.

``There is a biologic reason to support what we're observing, but we don't

know what those reasons are,'' said Feskanich, adding that the research

confirms the findings of an earlier Swedish study.

The adverse effects appear to be caused only by too much retinol - the true

form of vitamin A, found in such things as liver, fish oils and supplements -

and not by foods rich in beta carotene, such as dark, leafy vegetables. Beta

carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A as needed.

Researchers analyzed dietary questionnaires from more than 70,000

postmenopausal woman - all nurses from 34 to 77 years old. From 1980 to 1998,

there were 603 hip fractures from such things as falling from the height of a

chair or tripping.

The risk was almost twice as high among women with retinol intake of about

2,000 micrograms or more per day, compared with those with intakes of less

than 500 micrograms daily. And women specifically taking a vitamin A

supplement had a 40 percent greater risk of hip fracture than women not

taking the supplement, Feskanich said.

The Institute of Medicine - a private science organization that sets the na

tion's recommended daily allowances for nutrients - recommends that women get

700 micrograms a day of the vitamin. But multivitamins typically contain

about 1,500 micrograms because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not

updated vitamin supplement labels, Feskanich said.

She said that between multivitamin supplements and fortified food, it is not

difficult for women to attain vitamin A levels high enough to cause problems.

Some increased risk was even seen at the old recommended levels.

``If you're taking a multivitamin and consuming fortified milk and cereal ...

after a while, there are just too many sources,'' she said.

She said the FDA should consider lowering labeling standards for vitamin A.

Also, some foods currently fortified with the vitamin might not need to be,

or could be fortified with beta carotene instead of retinol, she said.

Researchers cautioned that people should not stop taking multivitamins, which

help lower the risk of other diseases. Instead, consumers might consider a mul

tivitamin that supplies some of its vitamin A from beta carotene, said

co-author, Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the

Harvard School of Public Health.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade group for the dietary

supplement industry, played down the significance of the study, saying

another recent survey found no connection between high vitamin A intake and

bone density problems. The study of nurses was ``observational'' only, the

trade group said, and ``by its very nature, never provides proof'' but only

suggests further study.

But Dr. , a nutrition professor at the University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the study appears to show a strong link between

high vitamin A levels and hip fractures.

But, ``I think we kind of need to wait and see,'' said , who was not

involved in the study. ``There is enough suggested evidence from previous

studies and this one that it's very possible we're overfortifying and

oversupplementing in the U.S. But it's unclear what a safe upper limit is,

and the issue needs to be resolved more with clinical studies.''

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Margo A. Denke of the Center for Human

Nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center said the

findings support the need to set a safe upper limit to dietary retinol only.

She noted that the study participants were white U.S. women of high

socioeconomic status, and said further study is needed on populations with

diets less rich in vitamin A, ``to avoid confronting the other, even more

hazardous side of the sword - vitamin A deficiency.''

On the Net:

http://jama.ama-assn.org

AP-NY-01-01-02 1843EST

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news

report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed

without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active

hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

[Guest guest]

Rich sources of vitamin A come from:

liver

eggs

yellow fruits

yellow vegetables

whole milk

milk products

fish-liver oil

Australia

[Guest guest]

what kind of yellow fruits and vegetable shld I get? kuekids wrote: Rich sources of vitamin A come from:livereggsyellow fruitsyellow vegetableswhole milkmilk productsfish-liver oilAustralia "The Ketogenic Diet....a realistic treatment option, NOT just a last resort!" List is for parent to parent support only. It is important to get medical advice from a professional keto team! Subscribe: ketogenic-subscribe Unsubscribe: ketogenic-unsubscribe

[Guest guest]

loves yellow summer squash. It is very water dense (not many carbs)

and easy to work into a keto meal. Carrots are also good Vit A sources.

They have more carbs (so you get less of them) but some kids like the

crunch added to the meal.

Kathy - Mom to JOel

On Fri, 4 Jan 2002 08:31:01 -0800 (PST) SUSAN KIRBY

writes:

>

> what kind of yellow fruits and vegetable shld I get?

> kuekids wrote: Rich sources of vitamin A

> come from:

> liver

> eggs

> yellow fruits

> yellow vegetables

> whole milk

> milk products

> fish-liver oil

>

>

> Australia

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Fruits include apricots, peaches, jackfruit, mango, passionfruit,

pawpaw, persimmon, rockmelon & tamarillo. Caution is needed with

fructose levels.

Vegetables include chinese & mustard cabbage, red capsicum, carrots

(extremely high), chili, chives, parsley (very high), pumpkin (high),

spinach (high) & orange sweet potato (very high). Caution is required

with high levels of vit A, especially if supplements are being given.

Australia

[Guest guest]

On Fri, 4 Jan 2002 11:35:50 -0500 kathyirwin@... writes:

loves yellow summer squash. It is very water dense (not many carbs)and easy to work into a keto meal. Carrots are also good Vit A sources. They have more carbs (so you get less of them) but some kids like thecrunch added to the meal.Kathy - Mom to JOel

Cod liver oil is very high in A...we use kirkman labs cod liver oil....not bad tasting

at all. http://www.kirkmanlabs.com/links/default.htm In addition to the added A you

get the conversions of the w3 EFAs, DHA and EPA....the brain is bout 60% the

DHA fat!! studies have shown that supplementing with cod liver oil have helped

ADD, ADHD and autistic traits!!! plenty to read at the kirkman site

In Dr. Atkins in his Vita nutrient solution book pushes A as much as C for immune

system response to colds and flu. He even goes on to say that alot of childhood

illnesses would be better battled with adequate A (which most of our kids are

deficient) then with vaccines......gotta love that man!!

I would worry less about getting to much and look to make sure your getting ENOUGH!!!

Barb...s mom

[Guest guest]

On Sat, 05 Jan 2002 02:50:14 -0000 "kuekids" writes:

Caution is required with high levels of vit A, especially if supplements are being given.AustraliaNot if taken in the carotenoid supplement form especially beta-carotene. I would suggest it be

a natural form from beta-carontene or carotenoid complex found in the health food

store.

We use Cod liver oil and his supplement has A in the form of natural

betacarontene

Barb s mom

[Guest guest]

Lori,

Thanks for the vit A article. I thought it was going to

say the osteo went with low vit A, but was surprised!

Rohan has low vit A and I've tried giving CLO with

bad results - after about 2 days he starts 'drop sz'.

I tried carrots, and thoght they increased sz - can't be

absolutely sure about this!

Rohan too doesn't seem to be gaining weight on increased

calories. He lost weight suddenly over the last three months

so we've increased the cals. I'm waiting to see his dr next

week with all of these problems, but most probably the

answer will be - 'come off the diet'.

Wish you and Ainsley a very happy 2002.

Saro