Strange story in Antarctica, eating animal liver can lead to death

More than 100 years ago, humanity encountered many difficulties in exploring Antarctica and often everyone had to die in this cold polar region, but that did not stop the steps of the brave people.

In 1911, Mawson, Ninnis and Mertz traveled from Australia to Antarctica on a medium-sized boat. Unlike other adventurers, all three brought a pack of sled dogs and sleds to transport their equipment. This is the first time in history that sled dogs have been brought to Antarctica.

On December 14, 1912, Ninnis fell into a crack in the ice and they never saw him again. The meager food forced them to eat the dogs on the way home. Their meat is difficult to eat, hard and no longer fat. Each animal produces very little meat, and most are fed to surviving dogs, meat, skin and bones until they are no longer available. Men also ate the dogs' brains and livers. Unfortunately, the sled dog's liver contains hypervitaminosis A.After eating them, Mertz was rapidly depleted.He had abdominal pain, impotence, inability to function.On January 7, 1913, Mertz died.Mawson continued his journey alone, eventually returning and alive.

When they left the base to make an expedition, suddenly Ninnis and his sleigh fell into a crack in the glacier and disappeared without a trace.

Mawson and Mertz were then forced to return to the base camp. Because Ninnis and the sleigh crashed, they lost their food and food supplies while they traveled 480 km. In desperation, both had to slaughter the remaining dogs to fill the hunger. However, after eating dog meat, Mertz's body became weaker and began not being lucid.

Mawson believes that the dog's liver is the most nutrient-dense and can increase physical strength, so he divided most of the dog's liver with Mertz.

But one very strange thing, Mertz after eating that dog liver, he soon fell down and died. After that, Mawson had to try to survive alone and return to the base.

For a long time, people thought that Mertz's death was not starvation but his death was due to the harsh and cold climate of Antarctica.

Until 1961 two researchers thought there was another truth about Mertz's death.It is likely that he died from consuming too much vitamin A due to the consumption of a large amount of dog liver. You are not mistaken, when our body's vitamin A concentration is too high, we may face death.

In fact, people living in the polar region experience symptoms of having eaten after polar bear liver, such as severe headache, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision and being unable to sit or stand due to dizziness.

People living in the polar region have symptoms of enlightenment after eating polar bear liver.

We know that animal liver is rich in vitamin A , especially the liver of species such as polar bears and seals. For example, a fist-sized piece of polar bear liver may contain 9 million units of vitamin A.

However, recent research shows that a healthy adult needs about 10,000 units of vitamin A per day. According to the food analysis table, sheep and beef liver content is about 20,000 units per 100 grams and pig, duck and goose liver have an average of 50,000 units. This is why when consuming animal liver in large quantities will be poisoned.

About absorbing too much vitamin A can be toxic to the body, in fact there are 13 vitamins necessary for the human body, can be divided into two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble (A, D, E).

Among them, water-soluble vitamins are easily soluble in water and excreted from the body, fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed through the intestine with the help of fat and are slowly metabolized in the body.

After overeating, they are stored in the liver as retinol, which can cause liver damage, especially for pregnant women and children. There is evidence that, if pregnant women consume too much vitamin A, the risk of teratogenicity in the fetus will increase significantly.

In addition to acute vitamin A poisoning, chronic cumulative poisoning is more common in our lives. Its symptoms include thinning and thinning hair, dry skin, ulcers and peeling, anorexia, diarrhea, muscle aches, dizziness, blurred vision, and more.

Not only vitamin A, but excessive absorption of other vitamins can also be harmful. For example, when we use vitamin C, it seems that they are completely "harmless", but the fact has proved that it has completely side effects.

Research shows that the daily safe intake of vitamin C for adults is 2000 milligrams. Drinking too much can cause insomnia, seizures, headaches and other adverse symptoms, in newborns will develop a rash.

It can even cause scurvy (scurvy) which is an obscure disease. The cause of the disease is a deficiency of vitamin C continuously for many days.

It sounds extremely contradictory, but consuming too much vitamin C in addition to being largely excreted in the urine, the rest will be absorbed by enzymes in the body.

After stopping consuming too much vitamin C, enzymes in the body remain active with high intensity and lead to vitamin C deficiency and scurvy.

One of the symptoms of scurvy, bleeding gums.