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  • Does anyone have a recommendation for "active" Vitamin A supplement?

    I have the BCM01 gene mutation and therefore I have diminished capacity to convert the vitamin A found in plant sources to its active form - retinal. Currently, I drink one cup of carrot juice a day and take no supplement but given my mutation, I'm wondering if I should go ahead and add a Vitamin A supplement. I want to find one that is "active" and good for this particular mutation but am not sure what to look for. Suggestions? Thanks!

    - 9 years, 10 months ago

    • SK4600  

      I take Beyond Tangy Tangerine 2.0, which has retinol in it. I have this mutation as well, which says my body absorbs A better from animal sources. Green Pastures has a great cod liver oil too. I naturally use a lot of butter and love animal fats.

      - 8 years, 11 months ago.  

    • Stephanie Rasband  

      I have the same thing and take Mycelized A which seems to help.

      - 9 years, 1 month ago.  

    • FO7041    2

      Yes, I have the same mutation and I have had great success with the Green Pastures fermented cod liver high vitamin butter oil blend.

      - 9 years, 2 months ago.  

    • YK1008  

      From a holistic and functional medicine perspective whole foods are your first choice and if you need more for a time you might check out what vit A supplements suzy cohen recommends at suzycohen.com. She has the same perspective with a pharmacist's education.

      - 9 years, 3 months ago.  

    • IE4804    1

      You need a retinol supplement or take cod liver oil. Also high in retinol are tuna, milk, cheese and liver. Red palm oil still beta has carotene.
      PS, I'm a nutritionist.

      - 9 years, 4 months ago.  

    • KW6213    1

      Look up pub med study on vitamin A treatment with red palm fruit oil. I cook with it. It is orange in color.

      - 9 years, 4 months ago.  

    • Jimmy Fox  

      Hi @NI1578, I agree with some of the others that have suggested that you have your levels checked before getting started. I also have the mutation as well, and I do supplement the retinal form of vitamin A and try to avoid beta carotene in supplement forms. When checking your levels I also suggest to have the vitamin D level checked as well. Both are fat soluble and both need to be in "optimal" range, not just in range.

      - 9 years, 5 months ago.  

    • IE4804  

      I agree with the food recommendations - also tuna and mackerel, eggs, cheese and milk. Plant sources are beta carotene, not Vitamin A. You can also get retinal (vitamin A) in the supplement section, or online.

      - 9 years, 5 months ago.  

    • BU7118  

      I would recommend getting your serum levels checked to start with.

      - 9 years, 6 months ago.  

    • RS2603  

      I am TT for rs12934922 (and CC for rs7501331) but I also follow a vegan diet for ethical reasons...does anyone have any suggestions for me? I currently take a high quality whole food plant based multivitamin(my kind organics).

      - 9 years, 6 months ago.  

    • NI1578    3

      Thank you @MJ1480 for sharing your story! I too have struggled with histamine intolerance (I've been high histamine most of my life but only last year did it become physically uncomfortable to the point of avoiding eating in public). I'm not sure if it's coincidence but my histamine problem has all but vanished after starting on Blue Ice Royal Fermented Cod Liver oil (active Vitamin A) blended with high vitamin butter oil (Vitamin K2). I started two pills a day last month and my histamine problem improved by 50 percent. This month, I upped the dosage to 5 pills a day and now my histamine response is negligible. Restaurant menus used to terrify me because there was so little I could eat without having a reaction. Now I'm back to eating almost anything even on the high histamine list (prosciutto, parmesan, balsamic!) and I do fine. I feel like I have my life back. The Vitamin A-histamine link is fascinating and there doesn't seem to be a lot of research about it but I think it's very important. Check out this 1996 study that concluded that Vitamin A deficiency increases inflammatory responses: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8972739

      - 9 years, 7 months ago.  

    • MJ1480    2

      I am double homozygous on BSMO1 SNPs. Since my birth, my entire medical history is full of findings related to inadequate quantities of vit A, but no doctor has ever figured it out or ordered any genetic screening. I am also double heterozygous on VDR SNPs. Despite all recommendations, and because of Pseudotumor Cerebri as one of my multiple conditions, I decided to go safe way and consume beta carotene rich nutrients, such as cantaloupe, carrots, apricots, and I also supplemented hemp seed oil, that is extremely rich in multiple carotenoids - one soup spoon a day for about a month. The result was that my immunity started working and my nasal nostril and sinus congestion has after so many years started unclogging. I did not achieve the full recovery, but it is working. Important to say, it worked only during cold days and without sun, for during those days, VDR was competing the absorption and production of vit A. Furthermore, I supplemented quarter folic - 5-MTHF and vit B5 in daily recommended doses to further stimulate my immune system. and that has worked out well. I am also MTHFR C677 heterozygous, but have a problem with folate receptors and absorption. I ... More

      - 9 years, 7 months ago.  

    • FF2777    1

      I have found Rosita's CLO very good. It's far from cheap but can be ordered through agents from it's Norwegian source maker. Earlier comments have suggestes Vit A need.
      My Vit A is upper range as of now [no pre-CLO level] and my best [other] indicator for health using it is my Ceruloplasmin result going up 20% on Vit A supp.
      This was done to produce a free Copper [toxicity] reduction which I need to effect- and, by calculation, using Serum Cu, has brought free Cu down 8% already in ~2 months.
      NB: This version CLO does not have Synthetic Vit D added- which is reported to be quite bad for health particlarly in reducing much needed Magnesium in the body which is needed to regulate many enzymes and other minerals. it does have natural D.
      Hope this helps. My indicator was on HTMA for mineral balsnce.
      I'm an Engineer, btw -so can't advise in detail & still learnibg a lot.

      - 9 years, 8 months ago.  

    • IL5078  

      my kid has rs12934922 AT and his skin is always yellow. so his yellow skin is due to this gene that has lower ability to convert Vitamin A? what is best way to handle this skin tone. every time people comments me to check his liver status. liver test done and its ok.

      - 9 years, 8 months ago.  

    • WI3427  

      Could these mutations cause your eyes to lighten in color?

      - 9 years, 9 months ago.  

    • Julie Patrick    1

      To your original question...I found this supplement http://www.vitacost.com/source-naturals-vitamin-a

      When I searched for "Retinol"...all I came up with was face creams. Evidently, retinyl palmitate is derived from retinol. So, palmitate seems to be the active form. Your inquiry helped me realize that I need this,,,I have 1 T allele in the rs7501331, making me have a 32% less able to convert beta-carotene. My son is compound heterozygous in both genes making him 69% less able. So thanks for asking the question. Despite my daughter in law being a researcher...it is hard to absorb everything she says on a few passes.


      - 9 years, 10 months ago.  

    • NI1578    1

      Also great to know from the Selfhacked.com link:

      "Bottom line:

      If you ve got one T in rs7501331 then you should try to get some real vitamin A.

      If you ve TT in rs7501331 then you really need to get real vitamin A.

      If you ve got a T in both genes, then you also need to really get real vitamin A.

      If you ve got one T in rs12934922, I wouldn t worry. If you ve got TT in rs12934922 then you should get real vitamin A, but it s not as significant as rs7501331."

      - 9 years, 10 months ago.  

    • NI1578    1

      Great link, Julie! Thank you. I appreciate that selfhacked.com points out that Vitamin A competes with Vitamin D and K2. Important to know when introducing a supplement. Much appreciated!

      - 9 years, 10 months ago.  

    • Mark Moeglein    2

       

      This discussion alerted me to the issue, so I looked it up and am compound heterozygous.

      I've become a huge fan of grassfed beef, as much for the protein and Omega 3/Omega 6 ratio, so it's good to hear about this beta carotene angle, as well. Thanks all. Oh, and I take fish oil, as well.

      - 9 years, 10 months ago.  

    • Julie Patrick    1

      Found this article...THE IMPORTANCE OF REAL VITAMIN A (RETINOL) http://selfhacked.com/2014/12/22/importance-real-vitamin-retinol/

      Also Promethease.com says that with this polymorphism you will have higher serum beta-carotene levels. I used to feed my children a lot of carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. I have the double mutation. Wonder if the higher serum carotene is what caused them to look orange.

      "rs12934922 (R267S) and rs7501331 (A379V) double mutant have a reduced catalytic activity of beta-carotene by 57%. Female volunteers carrying the T variant of rs7501331 (379V) had a 32% lower ability to convert Beta-carotene, and those carrying at least one T in both SNPs show a 69% lower ability to convert Beta-carotene into retinyl esters. rs7501331: the frequency of the wild-type C allele and variant T allele was 76 and 24%, respectively; 56% of the population was CC wild-type genotype, and 39% was heterozygote CT with the TT variant present in 5% of the population. rs12934922: the frequency of the wild-type A allele and variant T allele was 58 and 42%, respectively; 38% of the population was AA wild-type genotype, 40% was heterozygote AT, and 22% was TT homozygote"

      - 9 years, 10 months ago.