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• Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-02 19:57:48 By Vicki T
• Hi everyone. Are there any "vitamin experts" out there? I want to know what the difference is between vitamin A Palmitate and the other vit. A from fish oil or other ingredients. I read an article many years ago on the benefits of taking vit. A for people with RP but it said only the type derived from Palmitate was effective. Has anyone else heard that? If so, why is that? I used to be able to buy that kind at the drug store but now I can only find the fish oil type. Guess I'll have to shop online to get it now? I'm up for trying anything if it helps slow down this disease. I'd appreciate any replies on this subject. Thanks!
  Vicki T

• Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-02 23:57:48 By Jonathan R
• As far as I understand it, the reason they suggest palmitate is that it was the only one that they used in the study.
  
  

• Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-03 10:20:04 By Darran Z
• The Vitamin A regime is highly contreversial at best. I don't do it for that very reason. Several of the issues involve the actual study and analysis itself to the toxicity of the liver.
  
  But to answer your question Palmitate is fat-soluble, which means it takes longer to ingest and stays in your system longer. The beta-carotene form is water-soluble. But in reality, beta-carotene is the precursor to the palmitate form. Your body converts beta-carotene to what your body needs of palmitate form and since it is water soluble, it's easily eliminated so there is no toxicity involved.
  
  But if you are thinking of taking the Vitamin A regime for RP, then I strongly suggest you research all the facts about this. Some forms of RP were excluded from the study, including those with advanced RP. This was primarily done for those with early stages of RP.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-05 15:36:41 By Vicki T
• Darran,
  What do you consider to be "late stages of RP" as opposed to still in the "early stages"? Does a Dr. go by the ammount of VA and or VF or what? I'd like to know when a person with RP is "technically" considered to be in the late stages. I know this question sounds a little dumb, but I'm curious. I used to take Vit. A Palmitate for many years until I could only find the "non" palmitate type at the drug store. Then I took the "fish oil" type so I don't know if I was getting the same benefits or not. My eye Dr. supported me taking the Vit. A Palmitate. My RP seemed pretty stable for several years without much change. Now that I'm almost 50 I'm noticing more of a decline in my VF and my VA isn't quite as good either. Granted, Getting older is definately part of the reason along with the prgression of RP. But I can't help wondering if Taking the Vit. A really did help slow down my RP. I'd like to believe it did. That's why I'm going to find a source on the internet to buy the palmitate kind and start taking that form again.I will have my Dr. monitor my liver regularly to check for any toxicity problems. Thank you for your input on this subject.
  Vicki T

• Re: Re: Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-05 15:47:02 By Darran Z
• Vicky,
  
  The terms used "late term" or "early stage" are laymans terms. There really is no general criteria. From what I have gathered asking a researcher at Johns Hopkins, that it would be safe to call "late term" with someone who has 10 degrees of VF or less. The VA may or may not change since some with RP can have less than 10 degrees and still have perfect VA. That is dependant upon the type of RP mutation one has (there are over 100 known genes responsible for RP).
  
  Age certainly has a big factor. But let me ask yout his, when were you diagnosed with RP? Or rather, when did you notice anything different about yoru vision? Those who are diagnosed later in life, generally have a more slow, milder form of RP. Those who are diagnosed younger, as a child, tend to have a more aggressive form. So it's hard to say whether the Vitamin A did anything without knowing a little more background of your RP.
  
  If you are looking for a place to buy it, then check Freeda Vitamins. They make the 15,000 IU dosage. They also make a Multi-vitamin without A and E in it specific to RPers (got on the hype here).
  
  The paper in Publications section of the FFB site has a FAQ on the Vitamin A regime. It excluded CRD, LCA and a few other forms of RP. It also excluded those with less than 8 degrees of visual field (since primarily all the rods are gone by 10 degrees).
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-05 16:22:18 By Vicki T
• Hi Darran,
  To answer your question, I was diagnosed with RP when I was in high school (15 or 16 yrs of age) Currently, my BCVA is 20/50 and a VF of less than 10 degrees. I have 6 sisters and the 2 oldest ones also have RP. (One of them with RP has a different father than the rest of us.) I don't know what type of RP we have, I guess I never really asked. The only other person in my family that has RP, that I know of, is a neice of one of my sisters who doesn't have RP. So, I assume my mother was a carrier and had the gene? Is that the X-linked type? You know all about that kind of info, right? It's so confusing to me. Thanks for giving me the info on where to buy the vit. A. I appreciate that.
  Vicki T

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Vitamin A Palmitate?
• Posted: 2008-03-05 16:41:07 By Darran Z
• It sounds like a dominant form of RP from your Mother's side, such as a new mutation. Even if a proceeding generation had it, your Mom probably had a reduced penetration phenomenon, in which the gene is passed on but isn't exhibited in that person thus looking like it "skipped" a generation.
  
  X-linked RP is passed on from Mothers to sons only. There is what is called lyonization that would contribute to a female to experience XLRP but you didn't mention of any males in the family that have it thus, wouuld automatically rule out XLRP. And the fact that one of your sisters have a different father and also has RP, then that leaves autosomal recessive out.
  
  The Autosomal Dominant form is a mild form. If you have less than 10 degrees then you likely won't benefit from Vitamin A. all you have left are cones. For those who have nightblindness as a sypmtom of Vitamin A deficiency such as in Crohn's Disease then Vitamin A would help, but cones have nothing to gain from this. Studies are suggesting Lutein would have an impact on the macula since that is where the cones are. The macula is a separate part of the retina. The Retina is where all the rods are scattered and the visual field reductions are there. So I would be surprised, if you take anything, you are just taking it for psychological benefit rather than anything else. Like I said, read the FAQs on the Vitamin A regime under Publications here. I think question 3 addresses who benefited. It was clear that those with 8 degrees of vision or less would not benefit due to the absence of rods. But do what you think you need to do.
  
  Autosomal Dominant forms are a 50-50 chance of passing on RP to your offspring. WHich is why your neice has RP.
  
  Darran