Let's start with the easy reading.
The Environmental Working Group, a consumer watchdog organization that specializes in warning people about toxins in their environment (including things like cosmetics and sunscreens), has two pages devoted to the issues with Poison/"Vitamin A". This first article was put out in 2011:
What Scientists Say About Vitamin A in Sunscreen
"But the rules issued June 14, to take effect in the summer of 2012, address what’s on the outside of the bottle, not what’s in it. Nearly 33 years after it began considering regulation of sunscreen products, the FDA has yet to review or certify the safety of chemicals formulated into sunscreen products.
A particularly troublesome regulatory gap involves a vitamin A derivative called retinyl palmitate, often found in sunscreens and other products used on the skin. For some years, government and independent scientists have been investigating this chemical as a possible photocarcinogen – meaning that it may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions on sun-exposed skin.
The most recent government scientific study, made public last January by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency group housed within the National Institutes of Health, has demonstrated that retinyl palmitate speeds photo-carcinogenic effects on test animals. The study, entitled Photococarcinogenesis Study Of Retinoic Acid And Retinyl Palmitate and conducted at a federal research center co-hosted by the FDA and NTP, found that mice treated with small doses of retinyl palmitate and ultraviolet light developed skin tumors faster than untreated, light-exposed mice or those treated only with a control cream. There were more numerous tumors on every animal treated with retinyl palmitate."
The second article from the EWG seven years later, this is just an excerpt, the entire thing is worth reading:
The Problem With Vitamin A
"Consumers at risk
EWG remains concerned about the contribution of retinoids in skin lotions, lip products and sunscreens to the risk of excessive vitamin A exposure. Americans have high levels of pre-formed vitamin A in their diets from liver, fish oils, and the intentional fortification of cereals and milk. The ingredients added to fortified foods are widely used in cosmetics. Retinyl palmitate is added to nearly 80 sunscreens, 36 SPF-rated moisturizers and six lip products. Retinyl acetate and retinyl linoleate are in more than 220 personal care products in EWG’s Skin Deep® database, including lotions and lip products.
EWG urges U.S. regulators to assess exposures to vitamin A, and consider restrictions on food fortification and body care products for populations at risk of overexposure.
Seven years after EWG sounded the alarm about retinyl palmitate, the FDA still hasn’t completed follow-up studies that will allow the agency to take a position on the safety of vitamin A and related chemicals in cosmetics and sunscreens. Most cosmetics companies have not removed these ingredients from sunscreens and other skin and lip products.
EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens and other skin and lip products containing vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate and retinoic acid.
If you are undergoing skin treatments for medical purposes with any form of vitamin A, you should do so in consultation with a dermatologist, apply treatments at night if possible, and always practice strict sun avoidance when using these powerful ingredients on your skin."
This would fit in with the pattern of authorities purposely ignoring or suppressing any need to further investigate Poison/"Vitamin A" toxicity sources, wouldn't it?
After all that, let’s establish that oral retinol supplementation raises all types of Poison/”Vitamin A” in the blood and skin.
Micronutrient concentrations in paired skin and plasma of patients with actinic keratoses: effect of prolonged retinol supplementation.
”The subjects were randomly assigned and received placebo or retinol (25,000 IU/day) intervention for 48 to 65 months as part of a skin cancer chemoprevention trial.”
Chemoprevention is the use of chemical agents, aka chemotherapy, to prevent or slow the development of cancer. It is another word for “preventative chemotherapy”. Is retinol chemotherapy, or an essential vitamin? It simply can’t be both, folks!
Shortly before the end of the trial, three fasting plasma samples and one skin biopsy were obtained from each subject. The concentrations of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cis-beta-carotene, retinol, retinyl palmitate, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in the plasma and skin were simultaneously measured using HPLC. The profiles of the eleven micronutrients in the plasma and skin were similar. Lycopene, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were the predominant micronutrients in both plasma and skin, but the ratio of retinyl palmitate to retinol was much greater in the skin than plasma.
The skin converts carotenoids into retinyl palmitate, I have another post about this. Excesses of retinyl palmitate (and other retinyl esters) relative to retinol is a independent marker of Poison/”Vitamin A” toxicity.
The three fasting plasma concentrations from the same subject during a one-month period were very consistent; however, the between-person variations were very large. The retinol supplementation caused a significant increase in the plasma concentrations of retinol, retinyl palmitate, lutein and alpha-tocopherol, especially retinyl palmitate as well as the skin concentrations of retinol and retinyl palmitate.”
The plasma retinyl palmitate rising more than the retinol shows that the liver is accumulating toxicity. There is another post about this.
Serological precursors of cancer: malignant melanoma, basal and squamous cell skin cancer, and prediagnostic levels of retinol, beta- carotene, lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, and selenium.
The above study found that serum retinol levels were higher among patients with BCC [basal cell carcinoma] compared with controls.
Antioxidant Supplementation Increases the Risk of Skin Cancers in Women but Not in Men
”French adults (7876 women and 5141 men) were randomized to take an oral daily capsule of antioxidants (120 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg β-carotene [this amount of beta-carotene converts to 10,000 IU retinol], 100 μg selenium, and 20 mg zinc) or a matching placebo.
[…]
In women, the incidence of SC [skin cancer] was higher in the antioxidant group [adjusted hazard ratio (adjusted HR) = 1.68; P = 0.03]. Conversely, in men, incidence did not differ between the 2 treatment groups (adjusted HR = 0.69; P = 0.11). Despite the small number of events, the incidence of melanoma was also higher in the antioxidant group for women (adjusted HR = 4.31; P = 0.02). The incidence of nonmelanoma SC did not differ between the antioxidant and placebo groups (adjusted HR = 1.37; P = 0.22 for women and adjusted HR = 0.72; P = 0.19 for men). Our findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation affects the incidence of SC differentially in men and women.”
As I will show in another post, the research suggests that Poison/”Vitamin A” problems tend to show up earlier in women than men.
There are fewer retinoid receptors in melanoma tissue (see below). How does one decrease or downregulate receptors? Too much stimulation (ie. too much Poison/”Vitamin A” running around):
Decreased Expression of Retinoid Receptors in Melanoma: Entailment in Tumorigenesis and Prognosis
”Conclusions: Aberrant expression of retinoid receptors seems to be a frequent event in melanoma and suggests an impairment of the retinoid pathway in this cancer. Our data indicate the loss of retinoid receptor expression with melanoma progression and suggest a possible prognostic significance of the analysis of retinoid receptors in melanoma.”
Translation: The fewer the retinoid receptors, the worse the prognosis (that’s a bad thing). Fastest way to get the body to decrease receptors is to flood them with too many ligands (stimulation).
Zinc, carotene, and retinol in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.
[will add the above study once I get info on it]
I'd say this is enough for now. The short-term benefits of Poison/"Vitamin A" that some people notice on their skin, combined with the obvious connections to long-term skin cancer, is a great example of the Duration Paradox Rule (see other post) in action.
Let's start with the easy reading.
The Environmental Working Group, a consumer watchdog organization that specializes in warning people about toxins in their environment (including things like cosmetics and sunscreens), has two pages devoted to the issues with Poison/"Vitamin A". This first article was put out in 2011:
What Scientists Say About Vitamin A in Sunscreen
"But the rules issued June 14, to take effect in the summer of 2012, address what’s on the outside of the bottle, not what’s in it. Nearly 33 years after it began considering regulation of sunscreen products, the FDA has yet to review or certify the safety of chemicals formulated into sunscreen products.
A particularly troublesome regulatory gap involves a vitamin A derivative called retinyl palmitate, often found in sunscreens and other products used on the skin. For some years, government and independent scientists have been investigating this chemical as a possible photocarcinogen – meaning that it may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions on sun-exposed skin.
The most recent government scientific study, made public last January by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency group housed within the National Institutes of Health, has demonstrated that retinyl palmitate speeds photo-carcinogenic effects on test animals. The study, entitled Photococarcinogenesis Study Of Retinoic Acid And Retinyl Palmitate and conducted at a federal research center co-hosted by the FDA and NTP, found that mice treated with small doses of retinyl palmitate and ultraviolet light developed skin tumors faster than untreated, light-exposed mice or those treated only with a control cream. There were more numerous tumors on every animal treated with retinyl palmitate."
The second article from the EWG seven years later, this is just an excerpt, the entire thing is worth reading:
The Problem With Vitamin A
"Consumers at risk
EWG remains concerned about the contribution of retinoids in skin lotions, lip products and sunscreens to the risk of excessive vitamin A exposure. Americans have high levels of pre-formed vitamin A in their diets from liver, fish oils, and the intentional fortification of cereals and milk. The ingredients added to fortified foods are widely used in cosmetics. Retinyl palmitate is added to nearly 80 sunscreens, 36 SPF-rated moisturizers and six lip products. Retinyl acetate and retinyl linoleate are in more than 220 personal care products in EWG’s Skin Deep® database, including lotions and lip products.
EWG urges U.S. regulators to assess exposures to vitamin A, and consider restrictions on food fortification and body care products for populations at risk of overexposure.
Seven years after EWG sounded the alarm about retinyl palmitate, the FDA still hasn’t completed follow-up studies that will allow the agency to take a position on the safety of vitamin A and related chemicals in cosmetics and sunscreens. Most cosmetics companies have not removed these ingredients from sunscreens and other skin and lip products.
EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens and other skin and lip products containing vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate and retinoic acid.
If you are undergoing skin treatments for medical purposes with any form of vitamin A, you should do so in consultation with a dermatologist, apply treatments at night if possible, and always practice strict sun avoidance when using these powerful ingredients on your skin."
This would fit in with the pattern of authorities purposely ignoring or suppressing any need to further investigate Poison/"Vitamin A" toxicity sources, wouldn't it?
After all that, let’s establish that oral retinol supplementation raises all types of Poison/”Vitamin A” in the blood and skin.
Micronutrient concentrations in paired skin and plasma of patients with actinic keratoses: effect of prolonged retinol supplementation.
”The subjects were randomly assigned and received placebo or retinol (25,000 IU/day) intervention for 48 to 65 months as part of a skin cancer chemoprevention trial.”
Chemoprevention is the use of chemical agents, aka chemotherapy, to prevent or slow the development of cancer. It is another word for “preventative chemotherapy”. Is retinol chemotherapy, or an essential vitamin? It simply can’t be both, folks!
Shortly before the end of the trial, three fasting plasma samples and one skin biopsy were obtained from each subject. The concentrations of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cis-beta-carotene, retinol, retinyl palmitate, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in the plasma and skin were simultaneously measured using HPLC. The profiles of the eleven micronutrients in the plasma and skin were similar. Lycopene, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were the predominant micronutrients in both plasma and skin, but the ratio of retinyl palmitate to retinol was much greater in the skin than plasma.
The skin converts carotenoids into retinyl palmitate, I have another post about this. Excesses of retinyl palmitate (and other retinyl esters) relative to retinol is a independent marker of Poison/”Vitamin A” toxicity.
The three fasting plasma concentrations from the same subject during a one-month period were very consistent; however, the between-person variations were very large. The retinol supplementation caused a significant increase in the plasma concentrations of retinol, retinyl palmitate, lutein and alpha-tocopherol, especially retinyl palmitate as well as the skin concentrations of retinol and retinyl palmitate.”
The plasma retinyl palmitate rising more than the retinol shows that the liver is accumulating toxicity. There is another post about this.
Serological precursors of cancer: malignant melanoma, basal and squamous cell skin cancer, and prediagnostic levels of retinol, beta- carotene, lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, and selenium.
The above study found that serum retinol levels were higher among patients with BCC [basal cell carcinoma] compared with controls.
Antioxidant Supplementation Increases the Risk of Skin Cancers in Women but Not in Men
”French adults (7876 women and 5141 men) were randomized to take an oral daily capsule of antioxidants (120 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg β-carotene [this amount of beta-carotene converts to 10,000 IU retinol], 100 μg selenium, and 20 mg zinc) or a matching placebo.
[…]
In women, the incidence of SC [skin cancer] was higher in the antioxidant group [adjusted hazard ratio (adjusted HR) = 1.68; P = 0.03]. Conversely, in men, incidence did not differ between the 2 treatment groups (adjusted HR = 0.69; P = 0.11). Despite the small number of events, the incidence of melanoma was also higher in the antioxidant group for women (adjusted HR = 4.31; P = 0.02). The incidence of nonmelanoma SC did not differ between the antioxidant and placebo groups (adjusted HR = 1.37; P = 0.22 for women and adjusted HR = 0.72; P = 0.19 for men). Our findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation affects the incidence of SC differentially in men and women.”
As I will show in another post, the research suggests that Poison/”Vitamin A” problems tend to show up earlier in women than men.
There are fewer retinoid receptors in melanoma tissue (see below). How does one decrease or downregulate receptors? Too much stimulation (ie. too much Poison/”Vitamin A” running around):
Decreased Expression of Retinoid Receptors in Melanoma: Entailment in Tumorigenesis and Prognosis
”Conclusions: Aberrant expression of retinoid receptors seems to be a frequent event in melanoma and suggests an impairment of the retinoid pathway in this cancer. Our data indicate the loss of retinoid receptor expression with melanoma progression and suggest a possible prognostic significance of the analysis of retinoid receptors in melanoma.”
Translation: The fewer the retinoid receptors, the worse the prognosis (that’s a bad thing). Fastest way to get the body to decrease receptors is to flood them with too many ligands (stimulation).
Zinc, carotene, and retinol in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.
[will add the above study once I get info on it]
I'd say this is enough for now. The short-term benefits of Poison/"Vitamin A" that some people notice on their skin, combined with the obvious connections to long-term skin cancer, is a great example of the Duration Paradox Rule (see other post) in action.
