Whereas this polar bear may easily make a meal out of you, one chunk of his liver may very well be enough to ship you to the hospital. Liver has long been a staple in many diets. Deep-fried chicken livers are a favourite in parts of the American South. In Japan, you can order a heaping helping of sashimi made with raw fish liver. As delicious (or disgusting) as a few of these dishes may sound to you, not each hen, fish or mammal essentially presents the perfect ingredients for a culinary masterpiece. Journey to Germany and you may feast on traditional liverwurst. The native peoples of the Arctic have never shied away from cooking up some polar bear stew, but they've lengthy identified to keep away from consuming the livers of assorted arctic creatures. In actual fact, for those who ever have the prospect to attempt polar bear liver, suppose twice -- it often is the last meal you ever eat. Western explorers, however, learned the exhausting means. Perhaps probably the most horrific symptom they encountered was peeling skin. Even the thick skin on the bottoms of a patient's toes may peel away, leaving the underlying flesh bloody and exposed. The worst cases ended in liver harm, hemorrhage, coma and demise. These explorers suffered from acute hypervitaminosis A, a situation resulting from the overconsumption of vitamin A throughout a short time period. While milder instances merely concerned flaking across the mouth, some accounts reported cases of full-physique skin loss. The polar bear's liver, much like those of arctic seals and huskies, accommodates extremely high levels of retinol (the type of vitamin A found in members of the animal kingdom). On the next page, we'll discover why polar bears carry round a lot vitamin A of their livers and how essential their retinol tolerance is to their survival. Whereas some vitamins dissolve in water, vitamin A solely dissolves in fat. As an alternative, it collects in the physique's filtration organ, the liver, the place it might probably attain toxic ranges. Vitamin A is a vital constructing block for many animals. Which means, not like different vitamins, excess vitamin A does not exit the body in urine. Humans only require it in very small amounts, nevertheless it plays a vital role in eyesight, reproduction, fetal development, growth, immune response and the cellular formation of tissue. Vitamin A tolerability in humans varies relying on age, gender and physical condition. With out enough vitamin A in your system, you would simply end up going through signs just as bad as those related to hypervitaminosis A. Deficiencies can lead to dry pores and skin, diarrhea, blindness, progress retardation and even loss of life. We usually absorb it by means of the consumption of foods corresponding to spinach, broccoli, eggs, milk and varied meats. Actually, their physiology evolved to tolerate a lot vitamin A for just one purpose: to eat seals. Like many animals, polar bears profit from protecting a certain amount of vitamin A of their system, however there's nothing to point they actually require such large portions. For those who ate a bearded seal's liver, you'd undergo from hypervitaminosis A, however the polar bear can tolerate and benefit from the feast. The seals retailer excessive ranges of vitamin A to be able to swiftly develop and nourish their young in a harsh, chilly environment. In the wild, polar bears feed nearly completely on bearded seals and ringed seals, both of which store high levels of vitamin A in their livers and blubber. Remember, vitamin A performs a key position in growth and natal development. So if the blue plate particular at your favourite diner is ever sautéed polar bear liver, you would possibly just need to follow a salad. The seals depend on this vitamin to quickly advance them by their susceptible pup phases. Explore the links on the next page to be taught more about vitamin A and polar bear liver. One polar bear liver usually comprises as much vitamin A as seventy nine to a hundred and fifteen hen eggs. That award-profitable meal comes in at practically twice the tolerable upper pooh teddy bear online limits of human vitamin A consumption. What does global warming must do with the decline in the polar bear population? 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 Education. Higdon, Jane. "Vitamin A." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State College. Hicks, R. Marian. "The scientific foundation for regarding vitamin A and its analogues as anti-carcinogenic agents." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Worldwide federation of Aggressive Consuming. Lintzenich, Barbara, et al. Brookfield Zoo Conservation Biology and Analysis Center. 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 Research Council. Rodahl, K. and T. Moore. Slaughter, Kip. E-mail interview.
