Digital Social Hour Podcast Episode Summary

Title: The Vitamin A Lie: Why Your 'Healthy' Diet May Be Toxic
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Thor Torrens
Release Date: December 16, 2024
Episode: Thor Torrens DSH #986

Introduction

In this compelling episode of the Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly welcomes Thor Torrens, a health coach and author, to delve deep into the controversial topic of vitamin A toxicity. Thor shares his personal journey and extensive research that challenges longstanding beliefs about vitamin A and its role in a "healthy" diet.

Historical Context of Vitamin A Fortification

Thor Torrens begins by tracing the history of vitamin A fortification:

• 1970s Fortification Programs:
  "In 1970, they decided mandate fortification programs of dairy, cereals, grains, baby formula. Ten years later, starting in 1980, you start to see all the autoimmune disease exponentially rise." (01:19)

• Rise of Autoimmune Diseases:
  He correlates the introduction of vitamin A fortification with a surge in autoimmune disorders, suggesting a causal relationship.

Vitamin A: Not Just a Vitamin

Thor challenges the conventional classification of vitamin A:

• Vitamin or Toxin:
  "Vitamin A is not a vitamin. It's actually retinol, which is an alcohol... it is a fat soluble toxin." (01:30)

• Impact on the Liver:
  He explains that excessive vitamin A accumulates in the liver, leading to conditions like fatty liver and cirrhosis.

Personal and Community Experiences

Thor shares both personal experiences and anecdotes from his community to illustrate the effects of vitamin A toxicity:

• Personal Overdose:
  "I overdosed. I became hypervitaminosis, a vitamin A toxic." (02:45)

• Community Statistics:
  "Now it looks like one out of three people are vitamin A toxic." (03:55)

• Case Study – Grant Jenru:
  Thor recounts the story of Grant Jenru, an engineer who reversed chronic kidney disease and eczema through a low vitamin A diet.
  "Two months in, he starts to see it reverse. A few months later, he goes to the kidney doctors and he is the first person the kidney doctors have ever seen to reverse stage three chronic kidney disease." (09:08)

Sources of Vitamin A Toxicity

Thor identifies various sources contributing to excessive vitamin A intake:

• Fortified Foods:
  "In 1970, they decided mandate fortification programs of dairy, cereals, grains, baby formula." (03:55)

• Sunscreens and Medications:
  "They started adding vitamin A palmitate to the sunscreens. Then they started the acne medications. Accutane and Retin-A are a massive way that our teenagers are becoming vitamin A toxic acutely." (04:20)

• Supplements and Multivitamins:
  "Majority of multivitamins have 150 to 200% the RDA... why are we putting double the RDA?" (16:03)

Health Impacts of Excess Vitamin A

Thor elaborates on the myriad health issues linked to vitamin A toxicity:

• Autoimmune Diseases:
  Excessive vitamin A is linked to increased rates of autoimmune conditions.

• Mental Health Issues:
  "They're getting acutely poisoned by vitamin A. Our dermatologists are handing out Accutane like candy... list includes irritability, angry suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression." (05:57)

• Physical Symptoms:
  "I started getting psoriasis. I started getting gallstones. I started getting neuropathy on my left side." (57:41)

• Reproductive Health:
  "Why are women having miscarriages or fertility issues... after eliminating vitamin A, they're getting pregnant without miscarriages." (24:01)

Critique of Modern Health Practices

Thor is critical of current health and wellness trends, emphasizing the dangers of over-supplementation and reliance on processed "health" foods:

• Supplements Industry:
  "Big supplement is basically the new big pharma... multi-ingredient supplements are the leading cause of liver injury in hospitals." (32:24)

• Diet Trends:
  "Eat the Rainbow was brought to us by Sesame Street... seasonal plants, salads, smoothies... we're not supposed to be eating colorful seasonal plants 365 days a year." (13:51)

• Popular Foods as Toxins:
  "Carrots were originally white... Vitamin A actually hurts your night vision... tomato is an inflammatory nightshade high in beta carotene." (15:17)

Recommendations for a Low Vitamin A Diet

Thor outlines a strategy to mitigate vitamin A toxicity through dietary changes:

• Dietary Adjustments:
  Adopt a low vitamin A diet by limiting foods high in retinol and beta carotene, such as liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, and colorful vegetables.

• Focus on Seasonal and Simple Foods:
  "We were never supposed to eat an orange carrot again... eat apples and bananas which are low in vitamin A." (15:30)

• Long-Term Commitment:
  "It can take three to five years to get your levels down... five years of a low vitamin A diet." (53:45)

Addressing Common Misconceptions

Thor debunks several myths surrounding commonly accepted health practices:

• Carrots and Vision:
  "The myth of carrots being good for your eyesight started in World War II... Vitamin A actually hurts your night vision." (15:17)

• Supplements Safety:
  "Majority of multivitamins have double the RDA for vitamin A, which is insane... you have to be conscious of your intake." (16:03)

• Coffee and Toxins:
  "Coffee raises epinephrine and norepinephrine, which can lower essential nutrients like magnesium and zinc... causes anxiety." (46:00)

The Role of the Liver

Thor emphasizes the liver's critical role in detoxifying the body and managing vitamin A levels:

• Liver as a Commander:
  "My liver is my commander in chief who is filtering and allocating... the more product I give my liver, the more stressed my liver will be." (34:28)

• Symptoms of Liver Stress:
  Issues like gray hair, thinning hair, and skin problems are linked to liver toxicity from excess vitamin A.

Dangers of Over-Supplementation and Exotic Diets

Thor warns against adopting extreme diets and over-relying on supplements without medical guidance:

• Carnivore Diet Critique:
  Initially benefits like low vitamin A intake, but long-term issues arise from lack of soluble fiber causing cholestasis.
  "Cholestasis is stagnant bile... it's a toxic condition." (19:54)

• Anti-Aging Movements:
  "Aging is poisoning. The more you poison your liver, the older you're going to get." (62:37)

Conclusion and Call to Action

Thor concludes by urging listeners to reconsider their dietary habits and become aware of vitamin A toxicity:

• Community Support:
  "Join our community, One of Ones, at thortorins.com... over 670 members strong today." (63:35)

• Educational Resources:
  Access to courses on breathing, eating, sleeping, and safe supplement use to foster a healthier lifestyle.

• Final Thoughts:
  "We have to stop playing guessing games. We have to just stop throwing everything but the kitchen sink at our people." (32:27)

Notable Quotes

• Thor Torrens on Vitamin A Toxicity:
  "Vitamin A is not a vitamin. It's actually retinol, which is an alcohol... it is a fat soluble toxin." (01:30)

• On Over-Supplementation:
  "Majority of multivitamins have double the RDA for vitamin A, which is insane... you have to be conscious of your intake." (16:03)

• Regarding Accutane:
  "Accutane is a way people are getting acutely poisoned by vitamin A. Our dermatologists are handing out Accutane like candy." (23:14)

• On Diet Simplicity:
  "Our grandfathers were not taking any supplements and their testosterone was twice of ours." (18:25)

• On Aging:
  "Aging is poisoning. The more you poison your liver, the older you're going to get." (62:37)

Final Thoughts

This episode sheds light on the often-overlooked issue of vitamin A toxicity and its profound implications on modern health. Through personal anecdotes, scientific research, and community experiences, Thor Torrens presents a persuasive argument against the conventional wisdom surrounding vitamin A. Listeners are encouraged to critically evaluate their dietary choices and consider the long-term impacts of over-supplementation.

For more information and to join the community, visit thortorins.com.