Beta carotene is an important carotenoid found in fruits and vegetables, for instance carrots. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant compound that gives foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe their orange and yellow coloring; the nutrient is also found in some greens, like spinach and broccoli.
   Beta carotene is sold as a supplement, but my preference is that anyone considering supplementing with beta carotene to do so in combination with other antioxidants and with other carotenoids and not to take the pills every day. Beta carotene is thought to be useful for eyesight health or in certain eye disorders. I have formulated a product for vision enhancement called Eyesight Rx.

MultiVit Rx High Quality Daily Vitamins and Minerals
Developed by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Manufactured by a FDA-approved and GMP-certified facility.

Click here to purchase MultiVit-Rx or to see a complete list of products at Physician Formulas

MultiVit Rx Supplement Facts:
Vitamin A - Beta Carotene and Retinyl Palmitate
Vitamin C with Rose hips (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin D
Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols)
Vitamin B-1(thiamine hcl)
Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin)
Niacinamide
Vitamin B-6
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Biotin
Pantothenic acid (d-calcium pantothenate)
Calcium (citrate)
Iodine (potassium iodine)
Magnesium (oxide)
Zinc (oxide)
Selenium (amino acid chelate)
Copper (amino acid chelate)
Manganese (carbonate)
Chromium (amino acid chelate)
Molybdenum (amino acid chelate)
Potassium (carbonate)
Green Tea (leaves)
N-Aceytl-L-Cysteine
Inositol
PABA (para aminobenzoic acid)
Rutin
Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex
Choline (bitartrate)
Betaine (HCI)
Beta Glucan
Lycopene is found in tomatoes and watermelon, Lutein (from marigold extract) is helpful for vision, Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, Zeaxanthin is helpful for vision, Octacosanol

Carotenoids supplement 120 capsules - Now Foods

Many diverse carotenoids besides beta carotene play vital roles in maintaining good health, especially in protecting against free radical damage. Yet, most Americans don't eat enough vegetables.

Serving Size: 2 Vcaps
Servings per container: 60

 

Carotenoids Supplement Facts
Vitamin A - 12 mg/20,000 IU - 400%DV
   (as Beta Carotene)
Alpha carotene - 400 mcg*
Additional carotenoids -3 mg*
     (from D. salina algae: zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Floraglo™marigolds)
Lycopene - 3 mg *
   (LYC-O-MATO™tomato extract)** Broccoli concentrate (250 mcg sulforaphane) - 250 mg *
Spinach concentrate - 100 mg *
   (75 mcg lutein)
Tomato concentrate - 100 mg *
   (140 mcg lycopene)
Kale powder - 50 mg *
Cabbage powder - 50 mg *
Brussels sprouts powder - 50 mg *

Click here to purchase Carotenoids or to see a complete list of products at Physician Formulas
Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month you will receive an email with a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including beta carotene.

Eyesight Rx with Beta Carotene
Supports Healthy Vision

Unlike some vision products that provide nutrients and herbs for long term healthy vision support, and prevention of visual impairment, but don't seem to have much of an immediate effect on visual acuity, Eyesight Rx was formulated to provide a quick and noticeable vision improvement within hours or days of use.

Reports from Eyesight Rx users indicate enhanced clarity of vision, colors being brighter, better focus, and overall improvement in close and distance vision. We've had reports of some people noticing this effect within a half hour, while most people notice improved vision within hours. Still others will realize their vision is sharper the next morning when they take their second dose.

Supplement Facts:
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
Citrus bioflavonoids
     (eriocitrin, hesperidin, flavonols, flavones, flavonoids, naringenin, and quercetin)
Mixed carotenoids
     (alpha carotene, astaxanthin, beta carotene, cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Lycopene, Zeaxanthin)
Bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Eyebright extract (Euphrasia officianales)
Jujube extract (Zizyphus jujube)
Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo biloba)
Suma extract (Pfaffia paniculata)
Mucuna pruriens extract (Cowhage)
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Lycium berry extract (Lycium Barbarum)

Beta Carotene in health and disease
Studies show beta carotene supplements may help reduce sun induced skin damage.
Beta carotene and carotenoids may reduce the risk of tumors and cancer.
Beta carotene, alone, has not been found to have much of an influence on cataract formation.
Smokers should avoid large doses of beta carotene by itself.

Beta Carotene and Lung Tissue
People with high blood levels of beta-carotene may have better lung function as they age and both beta-carotene and vitamin E might offer some lung protection to heavy smokers. Lung function naturally starts a slow decline around 30s, but a healthful diet may help the lungs stay more youthful. Studies have concluded that supplements of beta-carotene, vitamins A, C and E, and other nutrients do not have a significant effect on smokers' risk of lung cancer. A new study included 1,194 adults ages 20 to 44. At the outset, participants had their lung function measured, as well as their blood levels of vitamins A and E, beta-carotene and a related compound called alpha-carotene. Lung function was gauged with an FEV1 score -- the amount of air a person can forcefully exhale in one second. Overall, the researchers found, men and women with higher blood levels of beta-carotene at the study's start showed a smaller dip FEV1 scores over the next 8 years. And among heavy smokers -- those who lit up at least 20 times a day -- higher levels of both beta-carotene and vitamin E were related to a slower decline in lung function. Smoking generates excess levels of potentially cell-damaging substances called oxygen free radicals -- molecules that antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene are designed to neutralize. The body converts some of the beta-carotene is receives into vitamin A, while some is stored in tissues, including lung tissue. Beta-carotene may also preserve non-smokers' lung function by battling free radicals. The potentially damaging molecules are a normal byproduct of metabolism, and they are also generated by outside sources other than cigarettes -- air pollution, for example. Beta-carotene is not the sole player in lung or overall health. So it's important to get a mix of antioxidants and other nutrients from plant foods, rather than relying on pills. Thorax, April 2006.

Lung cancer risk in smokers
Long-term use of beta carotene and some other carotenoid-containing dietary supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers, Researchers used questionnaires to assess use of dietary supplements, including multi-vitamins and individual nutrients, by more than 77,000 Americans over 10 years, and matched the results against data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry to track the rates of lung cancer among them. They found that certain people – especially smokers – who took dietary supplements containing these nutrients, were at higher risk of developing lung cancer than the general population. according to a study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers. February, 2009 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
    Comments: Those who take beta carotene or carotenoid complex pills should consider taking them 2 or 3 times a week rather than daily.

Beta carotene and eyesight
These are headlines that appeared in March 2007, "Eyesight vitamin’ fails to prevent vision loss," "Beta carotene pills powerless against top cause of blindness, study finds." The article continues, "Carrots, rich in beta carotene, long have been thought to sharpen eyesight, but a new study suggests that beta carotene pills are powerless against a common type of eyesight loss among older people. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in people 65 and older. The condition blurs the center of the field of vision, making it difficult to read, drive, thread a needle and even recognize faces. It affects more than 10 million Americans and there is no cure. An earlier large study had shown that beta carotene — when taken with certain vitamins and zinc — could slow or prevent eyesight loss in people with age-related macular degeneration. Commercial formulations of the eye-protecting combination vitamins are sold over the counter. But the new study found no benefit for beta carotene supplements alone against the eyesight disease. The finding is based on data from more than 21,000 male doctors who were followed for an average of 12 years. The doctors were randomly assigned to take either 50 milligrams of beta carotene every other day or a dummy pill. The doctors didn’t know whether the pills they took contained beta carotene. Roughly the same number of doctors in both groups developed the eye condition, suggesting beta carotene didn’t help or hurt. After 12 years, there were 162 cases of macular disease in the beta carotene group and 170 cases in the group taking the dummy pills. Currently the best advice might be to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day because it’s the combination of nutrients that seems to be the important factor."
   Comments: Important nutrients for macular degeneration include lutein, zeaxanthin, and fish oils. There is no reason to suspect a high dose of beta carotene would be helpful by itself. In fact, it is possible that by taking a high dose of one carotenoid, such as beta carotene, a displacement could occur in the retina of the other important carotenoids crucial for vision, namely lutein and zeaxanthin.

Side effects and risks
High doses of beta carotene, when used by smokers, can increase the risk for lung cancer.

Beta Carotene Research Update
Plasma carotene and {alpha}-tocopherol in relation to 10-y all-cause and cause-specific mortality in European elderly: the Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly, a Concerted Action (SENECA)
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 82, No. 4, 879-886, October 2005
The objective was to study the association of plasma carotene ({ alpha }-and beta-carotene) and alpha-tocopherol with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in elderly subjects who participated in a European prospective study. Plasma concentrations of carotene and alpha-tocopherol were measured in 1168 elderly men and women. After a follow-up period of 10 years, 388 persons had died. Results: Plasma carotene concentrations were associated with a lower mortality risk. This lower mortality risk was observed for both cancer and cardiovascular disease. The lower risk of cardiovascular death was confined to those with a body mass index (in kg/m2) <25. Plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were not associated with all-cause or cause-specific mortality. Conclusions: This prospective study suggests that high plasma concentrations of carotene are associated both with lower mortality from all causes and with cancer in the elderly. For cardiovascular mortality, the inverse association was confined to elderly with body mass indexes <25.

Supplementation with beta Carotene or a Similar Amount of Mixed Carotenoids Protects Humans from UV-Induced Erythema
Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Carotenoids are useful oral sun protectants, and supplementation with high doses of beta carotene protects against UV-induced erythema formation. We compared the erythema-protective effect of beta carotene (24 mg/d from an algal source) to that of 24 mg/d of a carotenoid mix consisting of the three main dietary carotenoids, beta carotene, lutein and lycopene (8 mg/d each). In a placebo-controlled, parallel study design, volunteers with skin type II (n = 12 in each group) received beta carotene, the carotenoid mix or placebo for 12 wk. Carotenoid levels in serum and skin (palm of the hand), as well as erythema intensity before and 24 h after irradiation with a solar light simulator were measured at baseline and after 6 and 12 wk of treatment. Serum beta carotene concentration increased three- to fourfold in the beta-carotene group, whereas in the mixed carotenoid group, the serum concentration of each of the three carotenoids increased one- to threefold. No changes occurred in the control group. The intake of either beta carotene or a mixture of carotenoids similarly increased total carotenoids in skin from wk 0 to wk 12. No changes in total carotenoids in skin occurred in the control group. The intensity of erythema 24 h after irradiation was diminished in both groups that received carotenoids and was significantly lower than baseline after 12 wk of supplementation. Long-term supplementation for 12 wk with 24 mg/d of a carotenoid mix supplying similar amounts of beta carotene, lutein and lycopene ameliorates UV-induced erythema in humans; the effect is comparable to daily treatment with 24 mg of beta carotene alone.

Association of dietary vitamin A, carotenoids, and other antioxidants with the risk of ovarian cancer.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Mar;14(3):669-76.
Antioxidants may protect the ovaries from oxidative damage and reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Although a few studies have examined the relation of antioxidant intake to the risk of ovarian cancer, the results have been inconclusive. Questions still remain regarding the effects of confounding factors, such as menopause, tobacco smoking, and alcohol drinking, on the association between antioxidants and ovarian cancer development. To examine the association of the consumption of micronutrients from foods and supplements with the risk of ovarian cancer. Our findings suggest that dietary vitamin A and beta carotene are modestly protective against ovarian cancer, particularly among smokers. Our data suggest a role for retinoic acid signaling pathways in ovarian carcinogenesis.

Age-related cataract in a randomized trial of beta-carotene in women.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2004 Dec;11(5):401-12.
To examine the development of age-related cataract in a trial of beta-carotene supplementation in women. The Women's Health Study is a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial originally designed to test the balance of benefits and risks of beta-carotene (50 mg on alternate days), vitamin E, and aspirin in the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease among 39,876 female health professionals aged 45 years or older. The beta-carotene component of the trial was terminated early after a median treatment duration of 2.1 years. Main outcome measures were visually-significant cataract and cataract extraction, based on self-report confirmed by medical record review. There were 129 cataracts in the beta carotene group and 133 in the placebo group. For cataract extraction, there were 94 cases in the beta-carotene group and 89 cases in the placebo group. Subgroup analyses suggested a possible beneficial effect of beta carotene in smokers. These randomized trial data from a large population of apparently healthy female health professionals indicate that two years of beta carotene treatment has no large beneficial or harmful effect on the development of cataract during the treatment period.

Effects of 6-month multivitamin supplementation on serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and vitamin C in healthy elderly women.
Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2004 Mar;74(2):161-8.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with nutritional doses of antioxidant nutrients on the serum concentrations of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and beta carotene in healthy elderly women. The study was performed as a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Two hundred forty-one free-living, healthy women aged 60 years and older were recruited by newspaper advertisement in Hanover, Germany and its environs. As 21 women dropped out, data of 220 women (aged 60-91 years median 63 years) were included in this evaluation. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either a multivitamin/mineral or placebo capsule with identical appearance for six months containing 36 mg 36mg vitamin E, 150 mg vitamin C, and 9 mg beta carotene. Serum concentrations of vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene were measured initially and after six months of supplementation. Data were analyzed with the SPSS 10.0 program. A six-month supplementation with physiological doses of antioxidant vitamins improves the blood concentration of these nutrients even in relatively well-nourished elderly women or, as seen for vitamin C, prevents reduction of serum concentrations.

Plasma carotenoid concentrations in relation to acute respiratory infections in elderly people.
Br J Nutr. 2004 Jul;92(1):113-8.
A high plasma carotenoid concentration could improve the immune response and result in decreased risk of infectious diseases. However, data on the relationship of plasma carotenoid concentration with acute respiratory infections, which occur frequently in elderly people, are scarce. We investigated, therefore, the relationship of plasma concentrations of six major carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin) with the incidence and severity of acute respiratory infections. Baseline data from an intervention trial were used. Participants were 652 non-institutionalized elderly people (> or =60 years old) enrolled via two community-based sampling strategies in the Wageningen area of The Netherlands in 1998-99. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were divided into quartiles, the lowest being the reference. Frequency and severity of episodes during the previous 1 year, i.e. staying in bed, medical consultation and episode-related medication, were self-reported by means of a questionnaire. On average 1.6 episodes per person were recorded. The incidence rate ratio of acute respiratory infections at high beta-carotene status was 0.71 as compared with the low beta-carotene concentration group. No association was observed between beta-carotene and illness severity. alpha-Carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were not related to incidence or severity of the infections. We conclude that elderly people with a high plasma beta carotene concentration may have a lower occurrence of acute respiratory infections.

beta-Carotene concentrations in maternal and cord blood of smokers and non-smokers.
Early Hum Dev. 2005 Apr;81(4):313-7.
Smoking in pregnancy can cause a reduction in the transport of beta carotene across the placenta, consequently reflecting on the concentrations of this micronutrient in the newborn baby. This study determined the concentrations of beta-carotene in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood in a group of smokers and non-smokers. A total of 215 women and respective newborn babies were selected from a hospital in Joinville city, Brazil, between July and November 2002. Women were divided in two groups according to their smoking habits. beta-Carotene concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The difference between mean concentrations of beta-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood, in smokers and non-smokers, was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was a statistical significant difference between the concentrations of beta-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood in smokers and non-smokers. The mean concentration of beta-carotene was significantly higher in maternal blood than in cord blood. The intake of foods rich in beta carotene was lower in smokers, than in non-smokers. The concentrations of beta-carotene in maternal blood and cord blood were influenced by the use of tobacco.

Beta carotene supplement questions
Q. Dear Dr. Sahelian, I came across your site a few days ago and find it to be extremely informative with a genuine dedication to research. Its great to come across such a resource! I am now leaning very strongly to adding DIM and Beta Glucan to my regimen because of frequent colds /immunity issues. However I am a smoker and the studies indicate that Beta Carotene is dangerous for smokers. I was then wondering , do either DIM or Beta Glucans contain Beta Carotene?
   A. They do not.

Q. I need to take Vitamin A 25,000 IU in the form of mixed carotenoids, for three months and then reduce to 15,000 IU. What would be a good combination? I am concerned about my skin turning an orange hue. Is Beta Carotene the only one that converts to vitamin A. I noticed combinations with algae and other things in them. Do you get the same results as with straight beta carotene?
   A. Carotenoid supplements contain beta carotene along with several other carotenes. The ideal carotenoid supplement depends on which medical condition is being treated. High dose beta carotene ingestion causes the condition known as carotenemia, which is harmless. Beta carotene is not the only carotenoid that converts into vitamin A. Alpha carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are primary carotenoids that can also convert into vitamin A.

Can you please comment on a study that shows taking beta carotene supplements increases the risk for lung cancer in smokers? Here is an excerpt, "Long-term use of beta carotene and some other carotenoid-containing dietary supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers, according to a study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers. The study, which also examined use of retinol, vitamin A, lycopene and lutein, appears in the February 2009 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Researchers used questionnaires to assess use of dietary supplements, including multi-vitamins and individual nutrients, by more than 77,000 Americans over 10 years, and matched the results against data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry to track the rates of lung cancer among them. They found that certain people – especially smokers – who took dietary supplements containing these nutrients, were at higher risk of developing lung cancer than the general population. Researchers at UNC and the University of Washington in Seattle gave questionnaires to men and women, aged 50 to 76, in western Washington state. Participants were asked about their use of multivitamins and individual nutrient supplements over the past 10 years (including frequency and dose), as well as about their health history and risk factors. Participants were followed for the next four years, at which time lung cancer rates were obtained. The results show that smokers’ risk of developing lung cancer increased with the length of time they took dietary supplements containing beta carotene, retinol and lutein."
    I have no reason to doubt the results of this study. I am not a proponent of taking high doses of single nutrients or carotene supplements. Perhaps taking too high a dose of one or two carotenoids causes imbalances in the function or activity of the other carotenoids that are beneficial to the body, or perhaps too high a dose of a single nutrient has the opposite effect. I would be interested to know whether the ones who took low amounts had any increased risk. Nevertheless, if a person wants to take beta carotene, they should consider rather taking a carotenoid complex and not every day but rather once or twice a week. I think it is a good idea not to take supplements every day but to take breaks from use, thus getting some of the benefits but minimizing any potential risks.