OBSERVATIONS ON THE ABSORPTION OF CAROTENE AND VITAMIN A

Abstract

The absorption of vit. A and carotene by the chyle was studied in a patient in whom part of the thoracic duct contents was evacuated into the pleural cavity. A relatively small amt. of carotene could be accounted for by the pigment in the chyle; the amt. of vit. A recovered indicated almost complete absorption. Since the vit. was found in esterified form in chyle, a linkage with fatty acids during passage through the intestinal wall may account for the higher coefficient of absorption. Neither the carotene nor the vit. A of the chyle would pass a dialyzing membrane over a much wider range of reactions than is found in the human body; hence they are apparently present in the colloidal form and closely associated with the highly dispersed fat.