Hypercarotenæmia in Ghanaians

Dagadu, Maud; Gillman, Joseph

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(63)91326-6

Cited by 28 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Our results show that many individuals had appreciably elevated serum levels of vitamin A, but that this elevation was not similar in degree to that of the serum total carotenoids, nor could any correlation with carotenoid level be demonstrated. The observations are in agreement with those of Dagadu & Gillman (1963) who also found elevation of vitamin A levels in the serum of some of their subjects, and lack of correlation between vitamin A and carotene levels. However, our findings are at variance with those of Edozien (1960), who found at Ibadan levels of vitamin A ranging from I I to 40 pg/Ioo ml (i.e.…”

Section: Dietsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…These findings suggest that storage sites in the body, probably mainly the liver, need to be filled by excess vitamin A before significant changes in level occur in the blood. I n this connexion it may be noted that Dagadu & Gillman (1963) have found increased vitamin A stores in human livers obtained at necropsy in Accra. Our results show that many individuals had appreciably elevated serum levels of vitamin A, but that this elevation was not similar in degree to that of the serum total carotenoids, nor could any correlation with carotenoid level be demonstrated.…”

Section: Dietmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Edozien suggested an association with the dietary intake of palm oil and peppers. More recently Dagadu & Gillman (1963) have reported values above 500 pglroo ml in 80% of individuals in a study in Accra, Ghana.…”

Section: (Received 31 January 1963-revised 16 May 1963)mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Hence it seems probable that the palm oil is the most important factor in the observed high carotenoid levels in these subjects. It is also noteworthy that there should have been five individuals with total serum carotenoid levels above 500 pg/roo ml, as these levels in white-skinned people would undoubtedly cause visible pigmentation with the characteristic distribution of carotinaemia (Cohen, 1958 ;McConaghey, 1952 those of Dagadu & Gillman (1963) are typical, there must be many hundreds of thousands of cases. Our findings also serve to explain another feature of medical study in these areas, which is the unusual brown colour of adult human fat when seen at operation and necropsy.…”

Section: Dietmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Studies on the serum total carotenoids, vitamin A and serum colour in Nigerian soldiers

Carter

Cook

1963

Br J Nutr

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In Western Nigeria samples of serum or plasma are often bright yellow and yet have normal levels of bilirubin. In a pilot experiment in 1959 we found that unusually high levels of total carotenoids were present in several samples of yellow serums. Edozien I n the investigation here reported the observations of the pilot experiment were expanded by a study of the relation between the total carotenoid levels of the serums and their yellowness as measured by the icteric index. The values for serum total carotenoids in healthy Nigerian soldiers obtained during this study form a useful addition to Edozien's (1960) figures, as they refer to a different city (Lagos) and have been obtained for a group of soldiers living on a diet rather better than the regional average. At the same time the vitamin A levels were studied, and in a few individuals it was also possible to measure a-tocopherol levels, for which no data are as yet available from this city. A survey of the diet was made to discover what sources of carotenoids were present and to assess its adequacy. The carotene content of a local sample of palm oil was also measured.Our findings confirmed that the total carotenoid levels in serum were above European levels, often by a considerable amount, and correlated well with the yellowness of the serums, provided that the bilirubin was not abnormally elevated. Vitamin A levels were found to be towards the upper limits of the accepted range of normal values, and a-tocopherol was within or slightly below the normal range.

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Section: Dietsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Dietmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: (Received 31 January 1963-revised 16 May 1963)mentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Dietmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Studies on the serum total carotenoids, vitamin A and serum colour in Nigerian soldiers

Carter

Cook

1963

Br J Nutr

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show abstract

“…There are a number of reports (Almond & Logan, 1942;Abrahamson & Abrahamson, 1962) of 'normal' subjects who developed hypercarotenaemia as a result of excessive consumption of carotene-containing foods. In particular Dagadu & Gillman (1963) reported a high incidence of hypercarotenaemia in Ghanians and related this to dietary factors, and Ross & Parker (1962) have commented that serum carotene levels in the general population fluctuate with the seasonal variations of availability of carotene-containing foods.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%