Beta carotene is found in many fruits and vegetables. It is what makes these nutritious foods colorful, and it actually has nutritive properties of its own. Getting enough beta carotene in your diet is linked to lowering your risk for certain cancers and heart disease. However, it is not recommended that you take beta carotene as a supplement. Studies have shown that it can actually increase your risk of cancer and heart disease if you are a smoker or drinker. So, before starting any supplement, ask your doctor first to make sure that it is safe for you.
Uses
Beta carotene has many uses in the body. It is converted into vitamin A, and this vitamin helps the body with vision, immune function and skin health. Beta carotene is also an antioxidant, which means that it cleans toxins from your system and prevents them from destroying healthy tissues. Many research studies were conducted on this nutrient and lung cancer. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, eating a diet high in beta carotene shows mixed results for preventing lung cancer. However, smoking and taking it as a supplement actually leads to a higher risk for lung cancer. Other uses for beta carotene are for prevention of macular degeneration, relief of sun sensitivity and help for scleroderma.
Sources
Beta carotene is the pigment found in vegetables that gives them their color. Reds, oranges and yellows are all a sign of this nutrient. Some foods that contain it are carrots, spinach, lettuce and tomatoes. One cup of canned carrot juice contains 22 mg of beta carotene, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. One cup of canned pumpkin contains 17 mg, 1 cup of cooked spinach contains 13.8 mg and one medium sweet potato contains 13.1 mg. The more intense a vegetable's color, the more beta carotene it contains.
Dosages
The best way to get beta carotene is to get it from your diet. In fact, studies have shown that getting it from a supplement does not have benefit or is dangerous. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends getting 15 to 50 mg of beta carotene from your diet a day for general health. The recommendation is to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day to get the most benefits from beta carotene in your diet. This will also increase your consumption of other vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Safety
Beta carotene in the diet is safe and has no side effects, but supplements do have some dangers. In addition to causing a greater risk of lung cancer in smokers, supplements also increase the risk of heart disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Side effects include skin discoloration, diarrhea, joint pain and bruising. Beta carotene also interacts with some of the statin drugs, decreasing their effectiveness when combined with selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C. For safety, do not take this supplement if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
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