Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 30/08/2011 17:46:15

Title: What does vitamin A do to the brain?
Post by: thedoc on 30/08/2011 17:46:15
It’s known that a deficiency or an excess of vitamin A, otherwise known as retinol, and its derivative retinoic acid can affect the birth of new nerve cells, but is this true in adults too?  Chris Smith spoke to Peter McCaffery…
 Read a transcript of the interview by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/1782/)

or [chapter podcast=3571 track=11.08.28/Naked_Scientists_Show_11.08.28_8897.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) Listen to it now[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/11.08.28/Naked_Scientists_Show_11.08.28_8897.mp3)
Title: None
Post by: Rex H on 02/06/2012 13:55:13
For the last 10 years, I've become aware that eating foods with high levels of Vitamin A triggers a mild to moderate depression in me.  I probably first noticed a correlation in my 40s during Thanksgiving and Christmas when eating lots of pumpkin pie.  I discounted my observations, thinking that maybe it was holiday blues.  But then I began noticing the correlation during the rest of the year after eating large amounts of green leafy vegetables.  I again discounted my observations, rationalizing that maybe I ate foods with lots of Vitamin A when my body began going into depression.  It was only when I read research about the link between retinol acne medication and depression that I began to trust my observations.  Now I avoid foods with high concentrations of Vitamin A.  But every once in a while I will test, once again, the correlation...and then regret my lingering doubts.  

I would like very much to contribute to a research study on this.  How many people have spent needless days in misery because of diet.  Carrots may be good for your eyes and spinach make you strong, but it can also erode your sense of well-being, which is especially critical during your formative years.
Title: None
Post by: dm4242@gmail.com on 03/09/2013 16:24:00
You're not going to cause problems of vitamin A excess through carrots- the beta carotene won't be converted in excess. In fact, the beta carotene may suppress the action of retinoic acid (http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2012/03/14/jbc.M111.325142).  (Although afaik betacarotene doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, so hopefully won't have this effect on hypothalamus).