Whereas this polar bear might simply make a meal out of you, one chew of his liver might be enough to send you to the hospital. Liver has long been a staple in many diets. Deep-fried hen livers are a favourite in components 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 a few of these dishes may sound to you, not each bird, fish or mammal essentially gives the perfect ingredients 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, but they've long recognized to keep away from eating the livers of various arctic creatures. giant panda teddy Actually, should you ever have the possibility to try polar bear liver, assume twice -- it stands out as the last meal you ever eat. Western explorers, however, learned the arduous method. Perhaps the most horrific symptom they encountered was peeling pores and skin. Even the thick skin on the bottoms of a patient's toes might peel away, leaving the underlying flesh bloody and uncovered. The worst cases ended in liver damage, hemorrhage, coma and death. These explorers suffered from acute hypervitaminosis A, a condition ensuing from the overconsumption of vitamin A throughout a short time frame. While milder cases merely concerned flaking across the mouth, some accounts reported circumstances of full-body skin loss. The polar bear's liver, very similar to these of arctic seals and huskies, accommodates extremely excessive levels of retinol (the form of vitamin A found in members of the animal kingdom). On the following web page, we'll discover why polar bears carry round so much vitamin A in their livers and how crucial their retinol tolerance is to their survival. While some vitamins dissolve in water, vitamin A solely dissolves in fats. Instead, it collects in the body's filtration organ, the liver, the place it could attain toxic levels. Vitamin A is a crucial constructing block for many animals. This means that, in contrast to other vitamins, excess vitamin A would not exit the physique in urine. People only require it in very small quantities, but it surely plays an important role in eyesight, reproduction, fetal improvement, development, immune response and the cellular formation of tissue. Vitamin A tolerability in people varies depending on age, gender and bodily situation. Without sufficient vitamin A in your system, you would easily end up going through symptoms just as unhealthy as those associated with hypervitaminosis A. Deficiencies can result in dry skin, diarrhea, blindness, progress retardation and even death. We typically absorb it by means of the consumption of foods similar to spinach, broccoli, eggs, milk and various meats. In fact, their physiology developed to tolerate so much vitamin A for only one motive: to eat seals. Like many animals, polar bears benefit from preserving a certain amount of vitamin A of their system, but there's nothing to point they actually require such massive portions. In the event you ate a bearded seal's liver, you'd endure from hypervitaminosis A, but the polar bear can tolerate and enjoy the feast. The seals retailer excessive levels of vitamin A so as to swiftly grow and nourish their young in a harsh, chilly environment. In the wild, polar bears feed nearly solely on bearded seals and ringed seals, each of which retailer excessive levels of vitamin A of their livers and blubber. Remember, vitamin A performs a key position in progress and natal development. So if the blue plate particular at your favorite diner is ever sautéed polar bear liver, you might just wish to follow a salad. The seals depend on this vitamin to quickly advance them through their vulnerable pup stages. Discover the links on the subsequent web page to study more about vitamin A and polar bear liver. One polar bear liver usually comprises as much vitamin A as seventy nine to 115 chicken eggs. That award-successful meal is available in at nearly twice the tolerable upper limits of human vitamin A consumption. What does world warming need to do with the decline in the polar bear population? 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 Tips. Eliasen, Mogens. "The Harmful(?) Vitamin A." K9joy Schooling. Higdon, Jane. "Vitamin A." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. 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 Aggressive Eating. Lintzenich, Barbara, et al. Brookfield Zoo Conservation Biology and Research Middle. 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 Analysis Council. Rodahl, Okay. and T. Moore. Slaughter, Kip. E-mail interview.
