Increases in plasma retinol, -carotene, zeaxanthin, and
lycopene levels were also significantly greater in children given gac (49). This is of
great importance, because worldwide, vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major
health problem and the leading cause of xerophthalmia and blindness in children (50).
It is likely that the fatty acids in gac are what make its β-carotene more bioavailable
than that of the synthetic form (49).
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