Relative Gastro-Intestinal Stability of Carotene and Vitamin A and Protective Effect of Xanthophyll.

SummaryVitamin A-deficient rats receiving a daily supplement of 1 g of vitamin A alcohol with fresh lard in the absence of added N-tocopherol lost weight rapidly and 100% of the animals died. Carotene fed under the same conditions at a level of 2 /xg/rat/day produced fair growth and a mortality rate of only 14.3%. Intermediate results were obtained with vitamin A acetate. The addition of xanthophyll apparently decreased the gastro-intestinal destruction of carotene, vitamin A alcohol, and vitamin A acetate and, thus, enhanced the response to the 3 vitamin A sources at the levels fed.