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Why is polar bear liver potentially poisonous for people to eat?
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Grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, western Alberta, Canada.
The liver of a polar bear is potentially poisonous to humans because it contains extremely high concentrations of vitamin A.12
While vitamin A is an essential nutrient, it is fat-soluble, meaning the body stores any excess in the liver rather than excreting it through urine. Consuming polar bear liver can lead to hypervitaminosis A, a toxic condition caused by an overdose of the vitamin. Acute toxicity from this source is characterized by severe symptoms such as intense headaches and irresistible sleepiness. Chronic exposure to such high levels of vitamin A can further result in neurological symptoms, fatigue, anorexia, and damage to the liver and skin.32