Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Obese individuals receiving 25000IU of vitamin A experienced a 31% and a 17.4% decrease in a marker of diabetes and cardiovascular risk, respectively. 

By the year 2018, obesity is expected to cost our healthcare system $344 billion per year, with 1 in 5 healthcare dollars expected to be spent on treating the health complications of obesity. An obese person will have an average of 42% higher medical bills per year compared to someone who’s not obese ($8,315 vs. $5,855 (1). Obesity precipitates a number of health problems that include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancers (2, 3).

In addition, obesity produces a constant presence of low levels of inflammation that contribute to the onset of the aforementioned health problems (4). As a result, ways to help mitigate this low-grade inflammation may be an effective way to help control the health problems that come with obesity. Now a new study (5) suggests vitamin A supplementation may be one such option.

In the study, 50 obese women (having a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 39.9 kg/m2) and 25 non-obese women (body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2) received either 25,000 International Units per day of vitamin A (as retinyl palmitate = 27 obese and 25 non-obese women) or placebo (23 obese, no non-obese women) per day for four months. Blood samples were taken before and after the study to measure for inflammation levels.

After four months, the researchers noted that vitamin A “significantly reduced” levels of 2 inflammatory proteins:

–  IL-1Beta: A 31% decrease in the obese-vitamin A group (3.58 to 2.45 ± 0.23 picograms/milliliter, p < 0.006) compared to no significant changes in the obese-placebo group (p = 0.19) and the non-obese group (p = 0.31).  Increased levels of IL-1Beta in obesity are a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes (6, 7).

IL-4: A 17.4% decrease in the obese-vitamin A group (2.3 to 1.9 pg/mL, p = 0.01) compared to a 7.2% decrease in the obese-placebo group (2.1 to 1.95 mg/mL, p = 0.059) and a 16.2% decrease in the non-obese group (2.35 to 1.97 pg/mL, p = 0.008).  Elevated levels of IL-4 have been shown to decrease nitric oxide levels, making blood vessels less elastic and setting the stage for cardiovascular complications (8).

In addition, IL-1Beta and IL-4 are associated with immune system function; so helping to lower these levels may also help with a situation when the body’s immune system starts to target healthy tissue and can produce what’s called an “autoimmune disease.” Examples of autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

For the researchers, “Vitamin A is capable of regulating the immune system and possibly reducing the risk of autoimmune disease in [obese women]” but that “Further studies are needed to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.”

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

Source: Farhangi, Mahdieh Abbasalizad, et al. “Vitamin A supplementation and serum Th1-and Th2-associated cytokine response in women.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 32.4 (2013): 280-285.

Posted May 23, 2014.

References:

  1. “Rising obesity will cost U.S. health care $344 billion per year” posted on the USA Today website 11/17/2009
  2. Samartin S, Chandra R: Obesity, overnutrition and the immune system. Nut Res 21:243–262, 2001.
  3. Caterson I, Hubbard V, Bray G, Grunstein R, Hansen B, Hong Y, Labarthe D, Seidell J, Smith S: Prevention conference VII: obesity, a worldwide epidemic related to heart disease and stroke: group III: worldwide comorbidities of obesity. Circulation 110:476–483, 2004.
  4. Ha E, Yang S, Yoo K, Ha E, Yang S, Yoo K, Chung I, Lee M, Bae J, Seo J, Chung J, Shin D: Interleukin 4 receptor is associated with an increase in body mass index in Koreans. Life Sci 82:1040–1043, 2008
  5. Farhangi MA.  Vitamin A supplementation and serum Th1- and Th2-associated cytokine response in womenJ Am Coll Nutr 2013;32(4):280-5. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2013.816616
  6. German A, Ryan V, German A, Wood I, Trayhurn P: Obesity, its associated disorders and the role of inflammatory adipokines in companion animals. Vet J 185:4–9, 2010
  7. Moschen A,Molnar C, Enrich B, Geiger S, Ebenbichler CF, Tilg H: Adipose and liver expression of interleukin (IL)-1 family members in morbid obesity and effects of weight loss. Mol Med 17:840–845, 2011
  8. Walch L, Massade L, Dufilho M, Brunet A, Rendu F: Proatherogenic effect of interleukin-4 in endothelial cells: modulation of oxidative stress, nitric oxide and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression. Atherosclerosis 187:285–291, 2006.