Whereas this polar bear may simply make a meal out of you, one bite of his liver might be enough to send you to the hospital. Liver has lengthy been a staple in lots of diets. Deep-fried chicken livers are a favourite in elements of the American South. In Japan, you can order a heaping helping of sashimi made with uncooked fish liver. As scrumptious (or disgusting) as some of these dishes could sound to you, not each fowl, fish or mammal necessarily offers the perfect components for a culinary masterpiece. Journey to Germany and you may feast on traditional liverwurst. The native peoples of the Arctic have by no means shied away from cooking up some polar bear stew, however they've long recognized to keep away from eating the livers of various arctic creatures. Actually, if you ever have the chance to attempt polar bear liver, assume twice -- it could be the final meal you ever eat. Western explorers, however, learned the onerous approach. Perhaps essentially the most horrific symptom they encountered was peeling skin. Even the thick skin on the bottoms of a affected person's feet may peel away, leaving the underlying flesh bloody and exposed. The worst instances ended in liver injury, hemorrhage, coma and loss of life. These explorers suffered from acute hypervitaminosis A, a situation resulting from the overconsumption of vitamin A during a short period of time. Whereas milder cases merely giant koala teddy concerned flaking around the mouth, some accounts reported cases of full-physique pores and skin loss. The polar bear's liver, very similar to these of arctic seals and huskies, comprises extraordinarily high levels of retinol (the type of vitamin A found in members of the animal kingdom). On the subsequent web page, we'll discover why polar bears carry round so much vitamin A of their livers and how essential their retinol tolerance is to their survival. Whereas some vitamins dissolve in water, vitamin A only dissolves in fat. As a substitute, it collects in the body's filtration organ, the liver, where it will probably reach toxic levels. Vitamin A is a crucial building block for a lot of animals. Which means, in contrast to other vitamins, excess vitamin A does not exit the body in urine. Humans solely require it in very small amounts, but it surely plays an important position in eyesight, reproduction, fetal growth, progress, immune response and the cellular formation of tissue. Vitamin A tolerability in people varies depending on age, gender and bodily situation. Without enough vitamin A in your system, you could possibly simply end up going through symptoms simply as dangerous as those related to hypervitaminosis A. Deficiencies can lead to dry pores and skin, diarrhea, blindness, growth retardation and even dying. We sometimes absorb it by the consumption of foods corresponding to spinach, broccoli, eggs, milk and varied meats. Actually, their physiology developed to tolerate so much vitamin A for just one motive: to eat seals. Like many animals, polar bears benefit from keeping a certain quantity of vitamin A of their system, however there's nothing to point they really require such massive portions. For those who ate a bearded seal's liver, you'd undergo from hypervitaminosis A, but the polar bear can tolerate and enjoy the feast. The seals retailer excessive levels of vitamin A as a way to swiftly develop and nourish their younger in a harsh, chilly atmosphere. Within the wild, polar bears feed almost completely on bearded seals and ringed seals, each of which store high levels of vitamin A in their livers and blubber. Remember, vitamin A plays a key role in growth and natal improvement. So if the blue plate special at your favourite diner is ever sautéed polar bear liver, you might simply want to persist with a salad. The seals rely on this vitamin to quickly advance them by way of their weak pup levels. Discover the links on the following web page to be taught extra about vitamin A and polar bear liver. One polar bear liver usually contains as much vitamin A as seventy nine to a hundred and fifteen rooster eggs. That award-profitable meal is available in at practically twice the tolerable upper limits of human vitamin A consumption. What does international warming have to do with the decline in the polar bear inhabitants? Brown, Dan. "Vitamin A Toxicity." Cornell College Department of Animal Science. AZA Bear Tag. "Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)." Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums Standardizes Animal Care Pointers. Eliasen, Mogens. "The Harmful(?) Vitamin A." K9joy Training. Higdon, Jane. "Vitamin A." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State College. Hicks, R. Marian. "The scientific foundation for concerning vitamin A and its analogues as anti-carcinogenic brokers." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Worldwide federation of Aggressive Consuming. Lintzenich, Barbara, et al. Brookfield Zoo Conservation Biology and Research Middle. Canadian Journal of Zoology. Penniston, Kristina L. and Sherry A. Tanumihardjo. Mos, Lizzy and Peter S. Ross. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The University of Cambridge Dunn Nutritional Laboratory and Medical Analysis Council. Rodahl, K. and T. Moore. Slaughter, Kip. E-mail interview.
