Should You Take Beta-Carotene Supplements?

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Should You Take Beta-Carotene Supplements?
A panel of experts reviews new data and updates its recommendations
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Jul 01, 2022
There are lots of things you can do to lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease or cancer, but taking a beta-carotene supplement isn’t one of them. In fact, doing so could cause more harm than good, according to the  U.S. Preventive Services Task Force , an independent panel of experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine.
The group’s  latest recommendations , which are consistent with its 2014 guidelines, advise against beta-carotene supplementation for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease, the nation’s two leading killers, citing no known benefit and a possible increased risk for lung cancer in some populations, including smokers and people who have been exposed to asbestos. 
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The task force also found no benefit in using vitamin E for cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention, and says there’s not enough evidence to determine if the benefits of other vitamins and minerals outweigh the harms when it comes to preventing these chronic diseases. It’s important to note that this guidance is for adults who are not pregnant and for people who do not need to take supplements due to an underlying illness or known nutritional deficiency.
More than half of U.S. adults take dietary supplements — mostly to improve or maintain their health, surveys find — and in 2021, Americans spent almost $50 billion on them.
What is beta-carotene?
Beta-carotene is a pigment found in plants — it’s what gives carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes and pumpkins their orange-yellow hues. When you ingest it, the body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is important for vision, immune function, and growth and development. Vitamin A also supports the heart, lungs and other organs.
Most people are able to get enough vitamin A through their diet — it’s naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, eggs and dairy, and is found in fortified breakfast cereals. Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health.
“And the people that tend to have problems with it have some type of malabsorption syndrome with their gastrointestinal tract,” says Greene Shepherd, a pharmacist and clinical professor at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. People with cystic fibrosis are also at increased risk of vitamin A deficiency.
Nevertheless, up to about 40 percent of the U.S. population uses supplements containing vitamin A, and older adults are more likely to take it than their younger peers, research shows.
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Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, which is a substance that can prevent or slow cell damage. “So the thought was that if oxidative stress [a process that can trigger cell damage] leads to cancer, then maybe supplementing large doses of beta-carotene and a lot of other vitamins that have antioxidant properties may help prevent cancer,” Shepherd explains.
The theory hasn’t panned out, though, despite ongoing research. And some studies have even shown a counterproductive effect, where high doses of beta-carotene supplements are linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and death in smokers and people who have been exposed to asbestos. Supplementation with the nutrient has also been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
This is why, after reviewing the latest data, the panel concluded “with moderate certainty” that the harms of beta-carotene supplements outweigh the benefits for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Who should take a beta-carotene supplement?
One sign that you could need more beta-carotene is if you start experiencing difficulty seeing well in the dark but still see just fine in the light. “That might be a time to go visit with your physician,” who can check your vitamin A levels, Shepherd says. If they’re low, your doctor might prescribe a beta-carotene or vitamin A supplement.
Other warning signs that you are lacking in vitamin A include dry eyes, eye infections, skin problems and slowed growth, according to Mayo Clinic.
If you don’t have symptoms of a deficiency but are worried about your beta-carotene intake,  switch up your diet  before reaching for a supplement. There is no recommended daily allowance for beta-carotene, but adults should eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day to get about 3 to 6 milligrams (mg) of beta-carotene, the experts at Mount Sinai say. One sweet potato contains about 11 mg of beta-carotene; so does a cup of raw chopped carrots. 
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