Hodges R E, Sauberlich H E, Canham J E, Wallace D L, Rucker R B, Mejia L A, Mohanram M
Am J Clin Nutr. 1978 May;31(5):876-85. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/31.5.876.
Recent studies of experimental vitamin A deficiency in man led the authors to conclude that anemia may result from lack of vitamin A. A review of numerous nutrition surveys in underdeveloped countries enhanced the suspicion that deficiency of vitamin A does contribute to the prevalence of anemia. Preliminary studies of vitamin A-deficient rats confirmed previous observations that anemia may result from lack of this vitamin. The livers of these animals had very low concentrations of vitamin A but normal or increased concentrations of iron. The finding of anemia is in contrast with other reports that vitamin A deficiency may cause elevated values for hemoglobin and hematocrit. The authors suggest that loss of taste and smell as a result of deficiency may account for refusal of experimental animals to eat and drink enough to prevent inanitation and dehydration. The resulting hemoconcentration may mask the true hematological picture, which is one of anemia.
近期针对人类实验性维生素A缺乏症的研究使作者们得出结论，贫血可能是由缺乏维生素A导致的。对众多不发达国家营养调查的回顾加深了人们的怀疑，即维生素A缺乏确实会导致贫血的普遍存在。对维生素A缺乏大鼠的初步研究证实了之前的观察结果，即贫血可能是由于缺乏这种维生素引起的。这些动物的肝脏中维生素A浓度极低，但铁浓度正常或升高。贫血的发现与其他报告相反，其他报告称维生素A缺乏可能导致血红蛋白和血细胞比容值升高。作者们认为，缺乏维生素A导致的味觉和嗅觉丧失可能是实验动物拒绝摄入足够的食物和水以避免营养不良和脱水的原因。由此产生的血液浓缩可能掩盖了真正的血液学情况，而实际情况是贫血。
