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Vitamin A
Important for skin, brain and eyes
Found in Shark liver oil and some other fish oils. Also made in the body from trans-beta caroteen.
Essential nutrients such as Vitamin A can easily enter the cell. This effect is improved synergistically when phospholipids, like those naturally-occurring in OmegaMatrix®, are present. The phospholipids are oil as well as water-soluble. This explains in part why, Vitamin A naturally formed in exceptional lipids such as OmegaMatrix®, shows promise in recently published cancer studies. This is particularly the case with tumors of the mouth.
Vitamin A improves the quality of epithelial tissues such as the lining of the lungs. In addition, Vitamin A:
• helps alleviate dry skin
• has anti-aging properties
• strengthens bones and teeth
• may prevent the cracking of teeth
• is effective as a topical treatment for acne
• is a key nutrient that is critical to good vision.
Vitamin A is essential for the formation of visual purple, which is crucial for night vision. It also helps heal inflamed eye membranes. Two other components present in OmegaMatrix®, act to synergistically protect the Vitamin A as well as the oil itself. Squalene was once patented as an antioxidant for protecting Vitamin A. Selenium also acts as an important anti-oxidant that boosts the health benefits as well as effectiveness of Vitamin A in resisting cancer.
Serum levels of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and vitamin A in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Jiménez-Jiménez FJ, Molina JA, de Bustos F, Ortí-Pareja M, Benito-León J, Tallón-Barranco A, Gasalla T, Porta J, Arenas J. Eur J Neurol. 1999 Jul;6(4):495-7. Links
Department of Neurology of Hospital 'Principe de Asturias', University of Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
To elucidate the possible role of carotenoids and vitamin A as risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we compared serum levels of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, and vitamin A, measured by isocratic high performance liquid chromatography, of 38 AD patients and 42 controls. The serum levels of alpha-carotene did not differ significantly between AD patients and control groups. However, the serum levels of beta-carotene and vitamin A were significantly lower in the AD-patient group. These values did not correlate to age, age at onset or score on the MiniMental State Examination. Weight and body mass index were significantly lower in AD patients than in controls. These results suggest that low serum beta-carotene concentrations in AD patients could be related to a deficiency in dietary intake of this provitamin, although its possible relationship with risk for AD could not be excluded. Copyright 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Vitamin A antagonizes decreased cell growth and elevated collagen-degrading matrix metalloproteinases and stimulates collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.
Varani J, Warner RL, Gharaee-Kermani M, Phan SH, Kang S, Chung JH, Wang ZQ, Datta SC, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ. J Invest Dermatol. 2000 Mar;114(3):480-6.Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, The University of Michigan, Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. varani@umich.edu
Damage to human skin due to ultraviolet light from the sun (photoaging) and damage occurring as a consequence of the passage of time (chronologic or natural aging) are considered to be distinct entities. Photoaging is caused in part by damage to skin connective tissue by increased elaboration of collagen-degrading matrix metalloproteinases, and by reduced collagen synthesis. As matrix metalloproteinase levels are known to rise in fibroblasts as a function of age, and as oxidant stress is believed to underlie changes associated with both photoaging and natural aging, we determined whether natural skin aging, like photoaging, gives rise to increased matrix metalloproteinases and reduced collagen synthesis. In addition, we determined whether topical vitamin A (retinol) could stimulate new collagen deposition in sun-protected aged skin, as it does in photoaged skin.
Sun-protected skin samples were obtained from 72 individuals in four age groups: 18-29 y, 30-59 y, 60-79 y, and 80+ y. Histologic and cellular markers of connective tissue abnormalities were significantly elevated in the 60-79 y and 80+ y groups, compared with the two younger age groups. Increased matrix metalloproteinase levels and decreased collagen synthesis/expression were associated with this connective tissue damage. In a separate group of 53 individuals (80+ y of age), topical application of 1% vitamin A for 7 d increased fibroblast growth and collagen synthesis, and concomitantly reduced the levels of matrix-degrading matrix metalloproteinases. Our findings indicate that naturally aged, sun-protected skin and photoaged skin share important molecular features including connective tissue damage, elevated matrix metalloproteinase levels, and reduced collagen production. In addition, vitamin A treatment reduces matrix metalloproteinase expression and stimulates collagen synthesis in naturally aged, sun-protected skin, as it does in photoaged skin.
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