Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene Supplements… Do you need them?

Dietary deficiency of vitamin A is uncommon in healthy people except in older age groups. Although vitamin A is important for the function of the immune system vitamin A supplementation did not help prevent infection elderly people living in nursing homes, in one study. Due to concerns about birth defects and bone loss, people should not take over 10,000 IU of supplemental vitamin A in the form of retinol without consulting a doctor.

About Synthetic and Natural Beta-Carotene Supplements

Beta-Carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, but may play a separate role in human health. The controlled research has shown that beta-carotene supplements can increase the some white blood cell counts and enhance cancer-fighting immune function in people who take 25,000 to 100,000 IU per day. The studies of smokers have reported that supplements of synthetic beta-carotene increased the risk of heart disease and lung cancer. Other trials found no positive or negative effect of synthetic beta-carotene on the risk of many other diseases, including several types of cancer, angina pectorsis, diabetes age-related eye disease, or intermittent claudication. Natural beta-carotene, though similar to synthetic, was found in one preliminary study to reverse pre-cancerous changes, while synthetic beta-carotene did not. No other studies have investigated whether natural beta-carotene could be more effective than synthetic in preventing other diseases, but the potential harm from taking synthetic beta-carotene suggests it should be avoided by smokers. (The information provided here was provided by Puritan. For additional information and documentation on the research studies and clinical trials please click on our Vitamins Nutrition Store on the the far right menu