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Article: Cats absorb (Beta)-carotene, but it is not converted to vitamin A
- Article from:
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Article date:
- June 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright American Institute of Nutrition Jun 2002. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Cats Absorb Beta-Carotene, but It Is Not Converted to Vitamin A 1,2
EXPANDED ABSTRACT
KEY WORDS: * cat * beta-carotene * vitamin A * carotene cleavage * plasma
In many mammals Beta-carotene can be converted to retinol in the intestinal mucosa as well as in tissues such as the liver (1). Early investigations, however, indicated that the domestic cat lacks the ability to convert Beta-carotene to vitamin A (2,3). Because neither dietary nor parenterally administered Beta-carotene can prevent the development of vitamin A deficiency, it had been concluded that the cat is strictly dependent on preformed vitamin A in the diet. Renewed interest in carotenoids in pet nutrition has emerged because ...