Does Beta-carotene Prevent Skin Damage?

Sun exposure is healthy and necessary in moderate amounts, but too much can lead to skin damage and increase your risk of skin cancer. Sunblocks are commonly recommended for outdoor activities under the sun, but they prevent the formation of vitamin D by your skin and some contain chemicals that may not be healthy. Research indicates that beta-carotene provides skin protection, although it takes a number of weeks to build up within your body. Consult your dermatologist about sun exposure and skin health.

Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid that acts as a color pigment in many vegetables and fruits. It's found primarily in orange-colored foods such as carrots and sweet potatoes, but also some yellow and red varieties. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which means your body is able to convert it to retinol in your liver and use it as vitamin A. Beta-carotene is a strong antioxidant and able to reduce the harmful effects of free radicals on various tissues, including your skin. Unlike vitamin A supplements, beta-carotene supplements are completely non-toxic in large doses.

Skin Damage

Excessive sun exposure is a common source of skin damage. The cumulative effect of years of exposure to the sun's UV rays and free-radical formation can cause small patches of skin damage that can progress to various forms of skin cancer, including melanoma. Avoiding the sun is not the answer, however, because your body needs the vitamin D that is produced by your skin during summer months to sustain healthy immune function and proper absorption and use of calcium throughout the winter months. Lack of sunshine is linked with seasonal depression, reduced immune function and increased risk of bone diseases, such as osteomalacia and osteoporosis, according to "Human Biochemistry and Disease" by Gerald Litwack.

Protection Against Sunburn

According to a German meta-analysis study published in a 2008 edition of the journal "Photochemistry and Photobiology," beta-carotene supplements help protect against skin damage from sunlight. Their meta-analysis included seven studies on the effectiveness of beta-carotene supplementation in protection against sunburn and they found that it does display protective properties, although it took a minimum of 10 weeks before protection was clinically significant. The researchers pointed out that topical application of sunscreens and protection with beta-carotene are not competing strategies, but can be complementary in nature and should be combined. They suggested that beta-carotene provides all-day protection against sunburn for all parts of the body, but that sunscreens should be used additionally to select skin areas when UV radiation levels are high.

Protection as Vitamin A

Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A when needed and when there is enough storage capacity in your liver. As such, the benefits of oral vitamin A supplementation are essentially synonymous with beta-carotene supplementation, although it takes at least twice as much beta-carotene to produce the same amount of retinol. According to a study published in a 2004 edition of "Clinical Cancer Research," long-term use of oral vitamin A supplements can repair skin damage caused by sun exposure. Specifically, patients given 50,000 IU of vitamin A daily for one year had 81 percent less skin damage than they began with. Further, there was no sign of toxicity from the large amounts given.