Beta-Carotene

Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More
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Beta-Carotene

Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More
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Beta-Carotene

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For Patients & Caregivers

Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.

What is it?

There is no definitive evidence to support use of beta-carotene supplements for preventing cardiovascular disease or cancer.



Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that is found in yellow and orange fruits, such as apricots, cantaloupe, and papaya, as well as squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, leafy greens, and broccoli.

High dietary intake of fruit and vegetables has been associated with reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. Although beta-carotene supplements do not appear to prevent or effectively treat either of these diseases, beta-carotene obtained from the diet may be beneficial. This is because it may interact with other phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables and have a greater effect on the body than do supplements.

What are the potential uses and benefits?
  • As an antioxidant

    Several studies support this use.
  • To prevent cancer

    Available evidence does not support the use of beta carotene supplements for preventing cancer. In fact, high beta-carotene intake has been linked to higher risk of lung cancer in male smokers and aggressive prostate cancer.
  • To prevent and treat heart disease

    Several large and well-designed clinical trials and population studies show that taking beta-carotene supplements does not reduce the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina, or coronary artery disease. In fact, a review of clinical trials showed that beta-carotene was associated with a small increase in overall death as well as death to cardiovascular disease.
  • To prevent cataracts

    Clinical trials generally have shown that taking beta-carotene supplements does not reduce the risk of developing cataracts, but a small study found that amounts of beta-carotene in the blood were associated with decreased cataracts, indicating that beta-carotene obtained from the diet, but not supplements, may be helpful.
  • To prevent and treat macular degeneration

    One clinical trial suggested that taking an antioxidant supplement plus zinc reduces the risk of macular degeneration, but it is not clear whether beta-carotene, or any of the other antioxidants in this supplement, were responsible for these effects.
  • To treat AIDS

    Although small studies have suggested that beta-carotene supplements could increase CD4 cell counts, clinical trials have not been able to replicate these results.
  • To stimulate the immune system

    Some laboratory experiments show that beta-carotene stimulates certain aspects of the immune system, but it is not certain that this effect occurs in the human body.
  • To treat oral leukoplakia

    Several clinical trials have shown that beta-carotene supplementation can induce remission of oral leukoplakia, a pre-cancerous lesion in the mouth.
  • To treat type 2 diabetes

    Data are conflicting.
  • To improve cognition

    Clinical findings suggest that long-term supplementation with beta-carotene may improve cognition.
What are the side effects?
  • Prolonged intake of high doses of beta-carotene can lead to carotenodermia, a harmless yellowish discoloration of the skin.
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For Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Summary

A natural pigment synthesized by plants, beta-carotene is used as an antioxidant, as an immunostimulant, and to prevent or treat cancer, AIDS, heart disease, and leukoplakia. Beta-carotene, along with alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, can be converted to retinol and is classified as a provitamin A carotenoid. Supplementation with beta-carotene does not increase overall vitamin A levels or lead to vitamin A toxicity.

Available data of beta-carotene supplementation for HIV-positive patients and its effects on CD4 counts (10) as well as cardiovascular disease are conflicting. A meta-analysis demonstrated a small but significant increase in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death for the beta-carotene arm over placebo (11), whereas other studies reported no such effects (39) nor any benefits of beta-carotene supplementation against cardiovascular disease (12) (52), or its risk factors (13). However, higher intake of fruits and vegetables, but not antioxidant supplements, reduced intra-abdominal visceral fat (53) and was associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality (44). Supplementation (with or without vitamin A) may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality (54). Beta-carotene has also been inversely correlated with metabolic syndrome (45). 
Another meta-analysis did not find any correlation between beta-carotene supplementation and hematologic malignancies (46). Consistent associations between serum beta-carotene levels and risk of developing type 2 diabetes are lacking as well (14) (15).
Additional studies have reported beta-carotene to protect adults under 40 years from seasonal influenza virus when used with Levilactobacillus brevis KB290 (55); serum beta-carotene to be inversely associated with the incidence of cataract formation (16); higher intake of β-carotene (while avoiding vitamin C supplements) to be associated with lowered risk of acquired hearing loss in women (40); high dietary intake to have a protective effect on buccal cells from relative telomere length (RTL) shortening (41). Data on the effects of supplementation for preventing cognitive decline are conflicting (17 (50) (51).

Epidemiological associations between beta-carotene and cancer risk are conflicting. Whereas high dietary intake was associated with reduced risk of cervical cancer (1); and limited evidence suggesting an inverse association with overall survival in breast cancer patients (47), high serum levels were correlated with increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer (2), but with reduced risk of aggressive urothelial cell carcinoma (32). Findings of beta-carotene and chemoprevention are inconsistent as well. Consumption of beta carotene, vitamins A, C, fruits and vegetables did not influence the risk of renal cell carcinoma (31); supplementation with antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, and E, did not prevent gastrointestinal cancer, and beta-carotene may actually increase risk of lung cancer (54) and overall mortality (3) (4). Data from large, multi-center trials suggest that supplementation may not lower the risk of prostate cancer (5) (6); and in male smokers over the age 40, it may increase lung cancer incidence (7) (30) (42), regardless of the tar or nicotine content of cigarettes smoked (48). When combined with cigarette smoking, beta-carotene supplements may also reduce the efficacy of cancer therapies, resulting in increased recurrence and mortality (8). Additional data from a large-scale cohort study suggest that alcohol consumption, too, has a negative effect on the chemopreventive property of beta-carotene (9).

Furthermore, long-term supplementation may not have a meaningful effect on total or cancer mortality more than a decade after supplementation ends (49). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against beta-carotene or vitamin E supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer (33).

Food Sources

Deep yellow and orange fruits (apricots, cantaloupe, papaya), squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, leafy greens, and broccoli (18) (19)

Purported Uses and Benefits
  • Cancer prevention
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cataracts
  • Macular degeneration
  • AIDS
  • Immunostimulation
  • Oral leukoplakia
  • Type-2 Diabetes
  • Cognition
Mechanism of Action

Beta-carotene has strong antioxidant effects, and protects lipid peroxidation and provitamin-A activity, thereby preventing oxidative damage (34). It was also shown to alleviate the severity of ulcerative colitis in a murine model by modulating several molecular targets including nuclear factor-kappa B, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin 17, and connective tissue growth factor (35).

In other studies, beta-carotene reduced cell growth and induced apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell lines through caveolin-1 expression (20). It also induces glutathione production (21); enhances macrophage function and natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity; and increases T-helper lymphocyte counts. However, clinical findings suggest that beta-carotene can increase cancer risk. It was shown to induce angiogenic gene expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as well as HUVEC migration (22); and stimulate cellular proliferation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (23) as well as in lung cancer cells (24). Animal studies show that beta-carotene also promotes the development of pulmonary adenocarcinoma via increased cAMP signaling (29).

Adverse Reactions
  • Carotenodermia (yellowish, harmless discoloration of the skin):  Following excessive intake of foods and supplements containing large amounts of carotenoids (36) (37) (38) (43) (56).
  • Carotenemia and double phytobezoars: In a 47-year-old woman who experienced severe epigastric pain, vomiting and obstipation after adhering to a strict vegetable-based diet for several years consuming >5 carrots on a daily basis. Symptoms resolved after surgical removal of bezoars (57).
Herb-Drug Interactions

Ethanol: Hepatotoxic effects of ethanol may be potentiated by high doses of beta-carotene. A large-scale cohort study found that alcohol consumption has a negative effect on the chemopreventive activity of beta-carotene.
 (9) (19)

Dosage (OneMSK Only)
References
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  20. Palozza P, Sestito R, Picci N, et al. The sensitivity to beta-carotene growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects is regulated by caveolin-1 expression in human colon and prostate cancer cells. Carcinogenesis. Nov 2008;29(11):2153-2161.
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  24. Al-Wadei HA, Takahashi T, Schuller HM. Growth stimulation of human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells and small airway epithelial cells by beta-carotene via activation of cAMP, PKA, CREB and ERK1/2. Int J Cancer. Mar 15 2006;118(6):1370-1380.
  25. Zhang LX, Cooney RV, Bertram JS.Carotenoids enhance gap junctional communication and inhibit lipid peroxidation in C3H/10T1/2 cells: relationship to their cancer chemopreventive action. Carcinogenesis. Nov 1991;12(11):2109-2114.
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  31. Bertoia M, Albanes D, Mayne ST, et al. No association between fruit, vegetables, antioxidant nutrients and risk of renal cell carcinoma. Int J Cancer. 2010 Mar 15;126(6):1504-12.
  32. Ros MM, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Kampman E, et al. Plasma carotenoids and vitamin C concentrations and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Oct;96(4):902-10.
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