While this polar bear might easily make a meal out of you, one bite of his liver could possibly be sufficient to ship you to the hospital. Liver has long been a staple in lots of diets. Deep-fried rooster livers are a favourite in elements of the American South. In Japan, you possibly can order a heaping helping of sashimi made with uncooked fish liver. As scrumptious (or disgusting) as some of these dishes might sound to you, not each chicken, fish or mammal necessarily provides the best components for a culinary masterpiece. Journey to Germany and you'll feast on conventional liverwurst. The native peoples of the Arctic have never shied away from cooking up some polar bear stew, however they've long known to keep away from consuming the livers of various arctic creatures. In reality, if you happen to ever have the prospect to attempt polar bear liver, suppose twice -- it would be the last meal you ever eat. Western explorers, nonetheless, discovered the exhausting method. Perhaps probably the most horrific symptom they encountered was peeling skin. Even the thick skin on the bottoms of a affected person's ft could peel away, leaving the underlying flesh bloody and uncovered. The worst cases ended in liver injury, hemorrhage, coma and demise. These explorers suffered from acute hypervitaminosis A, a situation ensuing from the overconsumption of vitamin A during a short period of time. While milder circumstances merely concerned flaking across the mouth, some accounts reported cases of full-body pores and skin loss. The polar bear's liver, very similar to those of arctic seals and huskies, contains extraordinarily high ranges of retinol (the type of vitamin A present in members of the animal kingdom). On the following web page, we'll uncover why polar bears carry round so much 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 in the body's filtration organ, the liver, the place it could actually reach toxic ranges. Vitamin A is an important constructing block for many animals. Which means that, in contrast to different vitamins, excess vitamin A would not exit the body in urine. People solely require it in very small quantities, 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 depending on age, gender and physical condition. With out enough vitamin A in your system, you could possibly simply find yourself dealing with signs just as dangerous as these related to hypervitaminosis A. Deficiencies can lead to dry skin, diarrhea, blindness, progress retardation and even death. bts with teddy bear We sometimes absorb it by means of the consumption of foods similar to spinach, broccoli, eggs, milk and varied meats. In truth, their physiology developed to tolerate a lot vitamin A for only one motive: to eat seals. Like many animals, polar bears profit from protecting a specific amount of vitamin A in their system, but there's nothing to indicate they really require such large portions. If you happen to ate a bearded seal's liver, you'd suffer from hypervitaminosis A, however the polar bear can tolerate and benefit from the feast. The seals retailer excessive levels of vitamin A as a way to swiftly grow and nourish their young in a harsh, chilly environment. Within the wild, polar bears feed almost completely on bearded seals and ringed seals, both of which retailer excessive levels of vitamin A in their livers and blubber. Remember, vitamin A plays a key function in growth and natal improvement. So if the blue plate particular at your favourite diner is ever sautéed polar bear liver, you might just need to follow a salad. The seals depend on this vitamin to rapidly advance them through their weak pup levels. Explore the hyperlinks on the following web page to study more about vitamin A and polar bear liver. One polar bear liver sometimes comprises as a lot vitamin A as seventy nine to 115 chicken eggs. That award-profitable meal comes in at practically twice the tolerable higher limits of human vitamin A consumption. What does international warming need to do with the decline within the polar bear inhabitants? Brown, Dan. "Vitamin A Toxicity." Cornell University Department of Animal Science. AZA Bear Tag. "Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)." Association of Zoos and Aquariums Standardizes Animal Care Tips. Eliasen, Mogens. "The Dangerous(?) Vitamin A." K9joy Schooling. Higdon, Jane. "Vitamin A." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Hicks, R. Marian. "The scientific foundation for relating to vitamin A and its analogues as anti-carcinogenic agents." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Worldwide federation of Competitive Consuming. Lintzenich, Barbara, et al. Brookfield Zoo Conservation Biology and Analysis 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 University of Cambridge Dunn Nutritional Laboratory and Medical Research Council. Rodahl, K. and T. Moore. Slaughter, Kip. E-mail interview.