Crude Palm Oil Consumption on Improve Retinol Concentration and Reduce Healthy Liver’s Enzyme Activity in Housewife Blood In Sub District Dramaga Bogor

Abstract

Vitamin A deficency (KVA) in indonesia is still a major problem. Although the level heavy of vitamin A deficiency (xeropthalmia) has seldom encountered , but Subclinical KVA level, the levels that still had not show the real symptoms , can still be found especially in toddlers. Crude palm oil (CPO) has high content of carotenoids as a source of provitamin A. CPO is naturally red because it contains very high carotenoids, which until now has not been utilized in Indonesia. A programme to utilize CPO as a source of provitamin A was named SawitA programme. This programme aimed to help handling vitamin A deficiency in low income family by utilizing CPO as source of provitamin A. CPO contain high carotenoids and vitamin E which serves as antioxidant for the body. Antioxidants may reduce damage caused by oxidants by neutralize free radical, protect cells and prevent damage to lipids, proteins, enzymes, and DNA. Seventy respondents were selected for fed CPO for 2 months with a dose ±3,27 ml/day and their blood plasma from 22 healthy housewife respondents were analyzed by TFA method and using AST, ALT, ALP kits. The results showed 16 respondents displayed increased number of retinol plasma and decreased activity levels of AST, ALT and ALP enzymes. This research showed that CPO has antioxidant activity that can improve health of liver, so it can be alternative source of provitamin A for handling vitamin A deficiency in Indonesia.