Active Ingredient Beta-carotene

the name "carotene" was first coined in the early 19th century by the scientist wachenroder after he crystallized this compound from carrot roots. beta-carotene is a member of the carotenoids, which are highly pigmented (red, orange, yellow), fat-soluble compounds naturally present in many fruits, grains, oils, and vegetables (green plants, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, apricots, and green peppers). alpha, beta, and gamma carotene are considered provitamins because they can be

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: beta-carotene

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
acute dermatitis due to solar radiation	beta-carotene has been used for ple. additional study is needed in this area.	c
alzheimer's disease	intake of dietary or supplemental beta-carotene has been shown not to have any effect on alzheimer's disease risk.	d
aortic aneurysm and dissection	long-term supplementation with alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene has been shown not to have a protective or preventive effect in male smokers with large aaas.	d
cardiovascular disease unspecified	although several studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene appear to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, most randomized controlled trials with oral supplements of beta-carotene have not supported these claims. a science advisory from the american heart association states that the evidence does not justify the use of antioxidants such as beta-carotene for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.	d
cataract	study results of beta-carotene supplementation for cataract prevention are conflicting. further well-designed clinical trials are needed before a conclusion can be drawn.	c
cerebral artery occlusion unspecified with cerebral infarction	taking all-trans beta-carotene (synthetic beta-carotene) orally has been reported to have no effect on the overall incidence of stroke in male smokers. additionally, there is some evidence that beta-carotene actually increases the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage by 62% in patients who also drink alcohol.	d
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allied conditions	the prevalence of bronchitis and shortness of breath in male smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (copd) seems to be lower in those patients who consume a diet containing high amounts of beta-carotene. however, beta-carotene supplements have not been proven to benefit copd and may actually increase cancer rates in smokers.	c
cystic fibrosis	individuals with cystic fibrosis may be deficient in beta-carotene and vitamin e, and it has been suggested that they may be more susceptible to oxidative damage. theoretically, these patients may benefit from beta-carotene supplementation. further research is needed before a conclusion can be drawn.	c
disorders involving the immune mechanism	preliminary research of beta-carotene for immune system maintenance or stimulation shows mixed results. further research is needed before a strong conclusion can be drawn.	c
disorders of porphyrin metabolism	erythropoietic protoporphyria is a rare inherited genetic disorder of porphyrin-heme metabolism that has skin and systemic manifestations, including photosensitivity (painful skin sensitivity to sunlight), as well as gallstones and liver dysfunction. it is usually recognized during childhood. the over-the-counter synthetic beta-carotene product lumitene is u.s. food and drug administration (fda)-approved for photoprotection in this disease. antihistamines may also be used to reduce symptoms.	a
exercise-induced bronchospasm	based on preliminary evidence, taking a mixture of beta-carotene isomers orally may prevent exercise-induced asthma. however, because synthetic beta-carotene has not been well tested for this indication, the difference between the activities of the two supplements cannot be deduced. further research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
helicobacter pylori (h. pylori) infection	infection with helicobacter pylori bacteria in the gut can lead to gastric ulcers. dietary supplementation with beta-carotene has not been found to be effective for this indication.	d
instantaneous death	patients given beta-carotene supplements show no reduction in relative mortality rates from all causes based on most available data.	d
leukoplakia of oral mucosa including tongue	taking beta-carotene orally seems to induce remission in patients with oral leukoplakia. further research is needed to confirm these results.	c
macular degeneration (senile) of retina unspecified	taking beta-carotene and other antioxidants has been proposed to help prevent or delay progression of age-related macular degeneration. however, long-term studies have not shown strong evidence that beta-carotene supplementation can prevent age-related eye disorders.	d
neoplasms	while diets high in fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene have been shown to potentially reduce the incidence of certain cancers, results from randomized controlled trials with oral supplements do not support this claim. there is some concern that beta-carotene metabolites with pharmacological activity can accumulate and potentially have cancer-causing (carcinogenic) effects. a higher, statistically significant incidence of lung cancer in male smokers who took beta-carotene supplements has	d
osteoarthrosis unspecified whether generalized or localized	beta-carotene supplementation does not appear to prevent osteoarthritis, but it might slow progression of the disease. well-designed clinical trials are needed before a conclusion can be drawn.	c
other abnormal granulation tissue	study results conclude that peri-operative supplementation with antioxidant micronutrients has limited effects on strength and physical function following major elective surgery.	d
sunburn	a combination of antioxidants may help protect the skin against irradiation. long-term supplementation with beta-carotene may reduce uv-induced erythema, and appears to modestly reduce the risk of sunburn in individuals who are sensitive to sun exposure. however, beta-carotene is unlikely to have much effect on sunburn risk in most people.	c
unspecified complication of pregnancy	all-trans beta-carotene (synthetic beta-carotene) taken weekly before, during, and after pregnancy may reduce pregnancy-related mortality, night blindness, post partum diarrhea and fever. a regular intake of a micronutrient supplement at a nutritional dose may be sufficient to improve micronutrient status of apparently healthy pregnant women and could prevent low birth weight in newborns. however, further research is necessary to consolidate the evidence in this area before a clear	c
unspecified persistent mental disorders due to conditions classified elsewhere	antioxidants such as beta-carotene may be helpful for increasing cognition and memory. long term, but not short-term, beta-carotene supplementation appears to benefit cognition.	c
vascular hamartomas	beta-carotene has been shown not to reduce the development of new moles in patients with numerous atypical moles.	d

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.