While this polar bear could simply make a meal out of you, one bite of his liver may very well be enough to send you to the hospital. Liver has long been a staple in lots of diets. Deep-fried rooster livers are a favorite in components of the American South. In Japan, you possibly can order a heaping serving to of sashimi made with raw fish liver. As delicious (or disgusting) as a few of these dishes might sound to you, not every chook, fish or mammal necessarily gives the perfect substances for a culinary masterpiece. Travel to Germany and you'll feast on traditional liverwurst. The native peoples of the Arctic have never shied away from cooking up some polar bear stew, however they've long identified to keep away from eating the livers of various arctic creatures. In truth, if you ever have the prospect to try polar bear liver, think twice -- it stands out as the final meal you ever eat. Western explorers, however, realized the arduous approach. Maybe probably the most horrific symptom they encountered was peeling pores and skin. Even the thick skin on the bottoms of a patient's ft may peel away, leaving the underlying flesh bloody and uncovered. The worst instances ended in liver harm, hemorrhage, coma and death. These explorers suffered from acute hypervitaminosis A, a condition ensuing from the overconsumption of vitamin A throughout a brief time period. Whereas milder circumstances merely involved flaking around the mouth, some accounts reported circumstances of full-physique skin loss. The polar bear's liver, very similar to those of arctic seals and huskies, accommodates extraordinarily excessive ranges of retinol (the type of vitamin A found in members of the animal kingdom). On the subsequent page, we'll discover why polar bears carry around a lot vitamin A in their livers and how crucial their retinol tolerance is to their survival. Whereas some vitamins dissolve in water, vitamin A solely dissolves in fats. As a substitute, it collects within the physique's filtration organ, the liver, the place it will probably reach toxic levels. Vitamin A is an important constructing block for many animals. Because of this, unlike different vitamins, excess vitamin A would not exit the physique in urine. People only require it in very small quantities, nevertheless it performs a vital role in eyesight, reproduction, fetal growth, growth, immune response and the cellular formation of tissue. Vitamin A tolerability in humans varies depending on age, gender and bodily situation. With out sufficient vitamin A in your system, you can easily find yourself dealing with symptoms simply as bad as these associated with hypervitaminosis A. Deficiencies can result in dry skin, diarrhea, blindness, progress retardation and even dying. We sometimes absorb it by the consumption of foods comparable to spinach, broccoli, eggs, milk and numerous meats. In actual fact, their physiology evolved to tolerate so much vitamin A for only one motive: to eat seals. Like many animals, polar bears profit from keeping a certain quantity of vitamin A in their system, but there's nothing to indicate they actually require such giant portions. If you happen to ate a bearded seal's liver, you'd suffer from hypervitaminosis A, but the polar bear can tolerate and enjoy the feast. The seals retailer excessive ranges of vitamin A so as to swiftly develop and nourish their younger in a harsh, chilly setting. In the wild, polar bears feed nearly completely on bearded seals and ringed seals, both of which retailer excessive levels of vitamin A of their livers and blubber. Remember, vitamin A performs a key role in development and natal development. So if the blue plate particular at your favourite diner is ever sautéed polar bear liver, you big teddy bear online may just wish to stick with a salad. The seals depend on this vitamin to shortly advance them through their weak pup stages. Explore the hyperlinks on the following page to learn more about vitamin A and polar bear liver. One polar bear liver usually incorporates as much vitamin A as seventy nine to a hundred and fifteen chicken eggs. That award-profitable meal is available in at nearly twice the tolerable higher limits of human vitamin A consumption. What does international warming must do with the decline within the polar bear inhabitants? Brown, Dan. "Vitamin A Toxicity." Cornell University Division of Animal Science. AZA Bear Tag. "Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)." Association of Zoos and Aquariums Standardizes Animal Care Pointers. Eliasen, Mogens. "The Harmful(?) Vitamin A." K9joy Schooling. 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. International federation of Competitive Consuming. Lintzenich, Barbara, et al. Brookfield Zoo Conservation Biology and Research Heart. Canadian Journal of Zoology. Penniston, Kristina L. and Sherry A. Tanumihardjo. Mos, Lizzy and Peter S. Ross. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The College of Cambridge Dunn Nutritional Laboratory and Medical Research Council. Rodahl, Ok. and T. Moore. Slaughter, Kip. E-mail interview.
