Quote from Dr. Garrett Smith on December 28, 2018, 5:35 pm

There are very important things to be learned from this paper.  I will highlight the important things here and re-quote them with my commentary below.

Reversal of chronic bovine hypervitaminosis A (1968)

DISCUSSION
The results of the present study with the young growing calf were essentially the same as those of clinical reports in which relatively rapid alleviation of most of the hypervitaminotic A signs and blood and tissue changes occurred upon withdrawal of the vitamin from the diet. On the other hand, enlarged adrenal glands, greater metacarpus size and exostoses on the metacarpal tuberosities were present in the calves even after 13 weeks of withdrawal of a mild hypervitaminotic A intake. Therefore, some permanent damage may exist in growing animals previously fed excessive amounts of vitamin A. The exostoses observed in the present experiment agree with the report of Pease, who found hyperostoses of long bones in children previously fed toxic intakes of the vitamin. Considerably longer periods of withdrawal of toxic intakes of the vitamin will probably have to be employed in experimental animals before the question of permanent bone damage can be definitively ascertained. In support of longer withdrawal periods, Pratt and McCance in studies on porcine undernutrition, reported that complete rehabilitation required in the case of certain animals took as many as 40 weeks. This is at least three times greater than the 13-week period employed in the present experiment with calves. While the statistics of the present experiment agree with previous studies at this Station, the general applicability of the statistics needs to be considered with caution. This is because species, age of the animal, carrier and mode of administration of the vitamin, level of feed intake (restricted in the present study in order to preclude nutritive intake as an uncontrolled experimental variable) and others as outlined by Nieman and Obbink, can affect the results. The differences in the clinical reports on bone damage illustrate well the apparent effect of age on the response to toxic intakes of the vitamin. For example, Persson et al.found no permanent damage in children whose range in age during vitamin A overdosing was 3 to 5 months. Pease reported permanent damage due to toxic intakes of the vitamin in children more than a year of age. Silverman et al. could not detect significant differences in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and strontium kinetics between a period of feeding high doses of the vitamin to adult humans and a following period of withdrawal of the vitamin. Thus, the very young child and the adult apparently may suffer no permanent damage from toxic intakes, whereas the rapidly growing child of more than a year of age may well suffer permanent damage.

SUMMARY
Three-month-old Holstein male calves were fed for a 12-week period either a control intake of the vitamin (4 calves), a mild chronic hypervitaminotic A intake (8 calves) or a severe chronic hypervitaminotic A intake (8 calves). In a subsequent 13-week period, the 4 control calves continued on the same intake, whereas the vitamin was completely withdrawn from the ration of 4 of the 8 calves in each of the two hypervitaminotic A groups. Upon withdrawal of the mild hypervitaminotic A intake, relatively rapid alleviation of clinical signs characteristic of the hypervitaminosis A syndrome occurred. Plasma vitamin A concentrations decreased within one week to values essentially equal to those of the calves fed the control vitamin A intake and remained at these levels throughout the remainder of the vitamin withdrawal period. During or by the 13th week of the withdrawal period, physiological measurements, such as heart rate, rectal temperature and cisternal cerebrospinal fluid pressure; biochemical criteria, such as serum and cerebrospinal fluid protein distribution and albumin and total globulin concentrations; and serum transaminase and phosphatase activities, had all returned to values comparable to those of the controls. At the completion of the vitamin A withdrawal period, the total weight of the adrenal glands, heart and kidneys were heavier than the same organs from control calves. Total weight and various linear measurements of the metacarpus were greater than the controls. Exostoses on the metacarpal tuberosities occurred in 3 out of 4 calves, but not in the control calves. In the case of the 4 calves which continued receiving the mild chronic hypervitaminotic A intake throughout the experiment, clinical signs became worse. In most of the physiological and biochemical criteria, the differences between this group of calves and the controls increased in magnitude during the last 13 weeks of the experiment. Only 1 of 4 calves fed the severe chronic hypervitaminotic A intake for the initial 12 weeks survived the entire experimental period.

Here we go into my discussion of the above info.

First, the incorrect statements:

The results of the present study with the young growing calf were essentially the same as those of clinical reports in which relatively rapid alleviation of most of the hypervitaminotic A signs and blood and tissue changes occurred upon withdrawal of the vitamin from the diet.

I simply don't agree with the above statement of "most" of the signs and tissue changes were alleviated (fixed) upon getting the calves off of their poison routine for 13 weeks.

Let me point out something first...and that is that TOO MUCH Poison/"Vitamin A" over too long a period can KILL:

Only 1 of 4 calves fed the severe chronic hypervitaminotic A intake for the initial 12 weeks survived the entire experimental period.

That seems pretty important!!!  I would say that in the dead calves, none of their symptoms resolved later. (sarcasm)

Now, what are "signs" (versus symptoms) in medicine?

A symptom is a phenomenon that is experienced by the individual affected by the disease (examples include anxiety, pain, fatigue).  Questionnaires would fall under the symptom category.

A sign is a phenomenon that can be detected by someone other than the individual affected by the disease. Examples from this paper include abnormal bone growth (exostoses) and enlarged organs, generally including things that can be seen, felt, weighed, and measured.  Labwork would also fall under the sign category.

First, what was actually alleviated after beginning the depletion/detoxification of the Poison/"Vitamin A"?

Plasma vitamin A concentrations decreased within one week to values essentially equal to those of the calves fed the control vitamin A intake and remained at these levels throughout the remainder of the vitamin withdrawal period. During or by the 13th week of the withdrawal period, physiological measurements, such as heart rate, rectal temperature and cisternal cerebrospinal fluid pressure; biochemical criteria, such as serum and cerebrospinal fluid protein distribution and albumin and total globulin concentrations; and serum transaminase and phosphatase activities, had all returned to values comparable to those of the controls.

So, the bloodwork "signs", including the plasma Vitamin A, all returned to normal within the 13-week withdrawal period.  What does this really mean though? Do you hear about people going to their conventional physician with obvious health issues, only to be told that their "labs are all normal" and that their problems are "all in their head" or that they are "just a part of aging, you're getting older"?  The "normal" labs that conventional doctors run can ABSOLUTELY be within their sometimes-nearly-worthless "normal" ranges while people still feel AWFUL.  If you had to choose, would you like to have perfect labs and feel awful, or would you  like to feel great and have some of your labs be "off"?  How you FEEL as a reflection of your HEALTH is always more important than your LABS!!!  If the researchers in this paper went strictly by the blood tests, they might say that this "problem" had been resolved in a mere 13 weeks.  The next part shows that it was NOT gone at all though!

At the completion of the vitamin A withdrawal period, the total weight of the adrenal glands, heart and kidneys were heavier than the same organs from control calves. Total weight and various linear measurements of the metacarpus were greater than the controls.
Exostoses on the metacarpal tuberosities occurred in 3 out of 4 calves, but not in the control calves.
[...]
On the other hand, enlarged adrenal glands, greater metacarpus size and exostoses on the metacarpal tuberosities were present in the calves even after 13 weeks of withdrawal of a mild hypervitaminotic A intake.

Glands, organs, bones, and bony growths were still bigger after the 13 week withdrawal period, than in the calves that were not poisoned.  They were far from done, as this implies a damage/disease process was still going on.  This was true even in the "mild" overdose group.

Therefore, some permanent damage may exist in growing animals previously fed excessive amounts of vitamin A.  Considerably longer periods of withdrawal of toxic intakes of the vitamin will probably have to be employed in experimental animals before the question of permanent bone damage can be definitively ascertained.

With the feedback that both Grant Genereux and I have received, the list of "permanent" damage issues from Poison/"Vitamin A" toxicity seems to be consistently shrinking.  The body is amazing, and when we remove the poison(s) and give it what it needs, people are amazed at what it can fix all by itself.  Bony issues seem to be one that does respond quite well.

The exostoses observed in the present experiment agree with the report of Pease, who found hyperostoses of long bones in children previously fed toxic intakes of the vitamin.

We have also seen bony growths on the long bones of adults from Poison/"Vitamin A", particularly on the elbows.  We have an anecdote of a bony growth on the elbow resolving (in part, it was still in process at the time of writing).

In support of longer withdrawal periods, Pratt and McCance in studies on porcine undernutrition, reported that complete rehabilitation required in the case of certain animals took as many as 40 weeks.

On a well-executed Poison/"Vitamin A" Detox Program like I have spelled out and made available, I believe that nearly all of the issues with Poison/"Vitamin A" toxicity can be resolved in 6 months.  That said, if there are deeper-set issues from much greater toxicity, that could take longer.  The 40 week number above is equal to ~9 months.  That would be for the worst of cases, in my opinion.

There are many factors in people, as well as animals, that affect how Poison/"Vitamin A" ruins their health, as well as how much it takes for an individual:

This is because species, age of the animal, carrier and mode of administration of the vitamin, level of feed intake (restricted in the present study in order to preclude nutritive intake as an uncontrolled experimental variable) and others as outlined by Nieman and Obbink, can affect the results. The differences in the clinical reports on bone damage illustrate well the apparent effect of age on the response to toxic intakes of the vitamin.

Differences in "tolerance" to Poison/"Vitamin A" has even been shown between members of the same family, fed the same sources/types of Poison/"Vitamin A".  Your poisoning is unlike anyone else's.

There is a lot to learn from animal studies, it would be foolish to throw it away.