Vitamin a retinol in grass-fed butter

#1

Please don’t mention liver or eggs or salmon. I know they have vitamin A retinol.

Assuming butter was all you had for retinol, would 1 - 2 tblspns of grass fed butter keep you from getting retinol deficiency? I don’t convert leafy greens and vegetables to retinol well and right now butter is mostly what I’m having. Mackerel doesn’t seem to have much.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

Are you noticing symptoms of a retinol insufficiency? That would be the best indicator of whether you are getting enough or not.

#4

My bloodwork shows a retinol level of 16. There is varying info on the internet for what is normal range. Some say 20 for the minimum. The lab I had it done says 38 for the minimum.

I have really dry, scaley skin. I don’t know if it’s from my vitamin a level though.

(Bob M) #5

Might also be thyroid. Though I know nothing about retinol and possibly less about thyroid. :wink:

Do a search for thyroid symptoms and see if you have any of those.

#6

I started eating kerrygold butter again. I have yet to find an organic 100 percent grass fed butter. I’m not sure why this doesn’t exist since it does for cheese. Kerrygold is supposedly not completely grass-fed. Yet it appears to be the darkest yellow. But haven’t chickens been fed colored vegetables to turn their yolks darker orange? I know I shouldn’t be too picky and mistrusting but I just am. Also, do you think the diary cows in Ireland are treated fairly well?

I’ll be getting thyroid results tomorrow.

#7

Also there is varying info as to how much retinol is in butter. Some list it as low as 100mg per tblspn, while others say there is as much as 500mg.

(Bob M) #8

Just make sure you get a complete thyroid workup, not just TSH.

All cows have to have something in the winter. And as for “grass-fed”, if you have time, listen to Peter Ballerstedt’s podcasts. It’s quite a complex topic.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #9

Also bear in mind that, while thyroid hormone levels may be lower on a ketogenic diet, the body may be fine on those lower levels. Dr. Robert Cywes, a bariatric surgeon and support of keto and carnivore, believes that the body uses a lot of hormones and vitamins much more efficiently when carbohydrate intake is not interfering, so that the “normal” levels, which were generally calculated from high-carb research subjects, may not be relevant to people on a keto or carnivore diet.