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Six months down
Hi everybody. I've been eating a low vitamin a diet for about six months now so I thought I'd share my experience.
First I've had health issues likely related to vitamin a since I was a kid but they didn't get really bad until my early 20's. For the past 5-6 years I've been pretty much incapacitated. I have a huge list of symptoms but haven't been properly diagnosed with anything other than anemia and hypothyroidism. One doctor told me I have chronic lyme but now I think that's just another name for vitamin a toxicity.
After six months on the diet I don't have many improvements except for a significant reduction in intracranial pressure and joint pain. For the first month and a half I ate brown rice, black beans, and beef but my skin kept getting drier so I switched to white rice and cut out the beans. I was also drinking mineral water every once and awhile but noticed I felt much when I did so I've stopped that.
About six weeks ago I had some tests done and discovered I have a severe zinc deficiency which is odd since my diet has always been high in beef and for the last couple years I've regularly eaten smoked oysters, sometimes as much as a tin a day. I assume that my high vitamin a intake increased my need for retinol binding protein, which requires zinc, and my diet just couldn't keep up. That would also explain why brown rice and black beans made my symptoms worse since they contain phytate which block mineral absorption. I've tried two forms of zinc supplements and both cause a rapid heart rate, worsening insomnia and what I would describe as mini panic attacks. So I don't think I'll be taking those any more.
I do have one rather serious concern with the diet. My kidney function which was normal a couple months prior to beginning the diet is not looking good. I'm hoping I was just dehydrated, I had noticed I wasn't drinking much lately, and I had a follow up test a week later that was improved but still not good. I'll get it tested again soon.
I'm going to continue the diet with just white rice, beef, and a little olive oil and continue to monitor my kidney function and zinc status. If my kidney function worsens I'm not sure what I'll do. If my zinc status doesn't improve I may try eastern oysters which do have a little vitamin a but much less than the pacific variety. They also have much more zinc. I'll keep posting my progress.
I'm curious, has anyone else here had labs done while on the diet? Does anyone know if they are zinc deficient? Based on symptoms I would expect everyone who's had significant health issues related to vitamin a to be at least low in zinc.
Personally, I would stay off brown rice for the reason you mentioned: the phytate. There is a reason why most cultures in the world settled on white rice and white potatoes as a staple.
My naturopath did a zinc test I think by saliva not sure how accurate but she said I was very deficient. Like you I been eating oysters, liver, beef and even taking a zinc supplement at the end so it was a little shocking.
I don't understand what you mean you stopped drinking mineral water? What do you drink now filtered water? I wouldn't mess with water intake.
-Ron
I was zinc deficient before going on the diet despite taking a 30mg supplement a day. Dr. Smith says that zinc can be hard to raise. I do think the decficiency is very much related to liver function and vA toxicity but I am not sure which always comes first. Supposedly vA comes first but for me I was not well as a youngster back in the late 60s and 70s before fortified dairy and round-up so I don't know what made my liver not function so well - maybe I have a naturally small liver? I tried to look up variation in liver size among cohorts but didn't get anywhere. My sister who is 14 months younger than me faired much better than me growing up though now she seems to have some vA toxicity symptoms like mild insomnia but I am in much worse shape. I was always looking for things to fix me and make me feel better and thanks to the info from an inept medical, media and government system, I made my bad health much worse.
You might want to experiment with taking zinc again though. I was having extremely high anxiety at one point and stopped the zinc supplement but then tried a few weeks later at a lower dose (skipping days) and found that it didn't exacerbate my symptoms. Dr. Smith says that all ocean food is contaminated with toxins but maybe farm raised oysters are ok (if there is such a thing). The other thing he says is crucial is to eat organic. Rice might be heavily sprayed with round up to dry it out. I am making a big effort to eat mostly organic. About beans - I thought that propperly prepared beans didn't have much anti-nutrients left.
I don't know anything about the accuracy of a saliva test either. Plasma zinc is supposed to be the best marker for zinc status.
I still drink plenty of water from the tap. I was buying bottled mineral water from a german brand called Gerolsteiner which is high in calcium. After drinking a glass all my symptoms would get worse for several days, especially my joints and back. I tested this several times without changing anything else so I'm confident that's what was causing the flair up.
Dr. Smith warns against high calcium intake. Especially with A and D vitamins intake, it causes calcification.
He mentions it in this blog post (https://nutritionrestored.com/blog-forum/topic/anecdotes-about-ray-peat-diet-followers-advocates-of-poison-vitamin-a/) and also in some videos on his YouTube Channel.
I may try zinc again but one of the ones I tried was only 15mg and I don't know if I can find a lower dose than that. I haven't been getting organic rice but I'll look into it. I soak it for a day or two and then rinse it well though. I know you can reduce the amount of phytate in beans to some extent but I want to get my zinc into normal range as quickly as possible so I'll be avoiding all anti nutrients for awhile. I've considered going carnivore to boost my zinc but it's expensive and until I get my kidneys sorted out I don't want to increase my protein.
I saw Dr. Smith's post on that. My experience would appear to confirm it. I'll be avoiding calcium for the time being.
You could start eating grains, I would recommend oats especially. But wheat, spelt and barley products are good too.
Eat meat with white rice or white noodles only, not much phytates involved there.
Incorporate apple juice into your drinking routine
Quote from ZJ on January 4, 2019, 7:59 pmI may try zinc again but one of the ones I tried was only 15mg and I don't know if I can find a lower dose than that. I haven't been getting organic rice but I'll look into it. I soak it for a day or two and then rinse it well though. I know you can reduce the amount of phytate in beans to some extent but I want to get my zinc into normal range as quickly as possible so I'll be avoiding all anti nutrients for awhile. I've considered going carnivore to boost my zinc but it's expensive and until I get my kidneys sorted out I don't want to increase my protein.
Hi ZJ,
Are you thinking that the added protein is going to cause kidney issues?
Quote from ggenereux on January 9, 2019, 12:18 pmQuote from ZJ on January 4, 2019, 7:59 pmI may try zinc again but one of the ones I tried was only 15mg and I don't know if I can find a lower dose than that. I haven't been getting organic rice but I'll look into it. I soak it for a day or two and then rinse it well though. I know you can reduce the amount of phytate in beans to some extent but I want to get my zinc into normal range as quickly as possible so I'll be avoiding all anti nutrients for awhile. I've considered going carnivore to boost my zinc but it's expensive and until I get my kidneys sorted out I don't want to increase my protein.
Hi ZJ,
Are you thinking that the added protein is going to cause kidney issues?
Hi Grant,
I'm not afraid it's going to cause it but that it may exacerbate it. I'm sure it's the vitamin A that's causing it. Maybe I'm being overly cautious but I had no kidney issues prior to starting this diet and had been eating massive amounts of vitamin A for years. Now after 5 months of no Vitamin A I get a call from my Dr. saying I may have acute kidney failure. That's frightening. I'm eating 90g-100g a day, so I certainly don't avoid it, and I won't go any lower. I'm wondering if some vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, etc. that was abundant in my previous diet and lacking in this one was protecting my kidneys. Or it could be the rebound effect you've mentioned and my zinc deficiency intensifies it. I don't know.