If science is wrong, then medical patients may be in jeopardy. But, several European authorities are now sounding the all-clear for beta-carotene – often condemned and slandered. 15 mg per day are don’t carry risks, say the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Union Food Committee!
For a long time, researchers were uncertain through one study and numerous expert opinions regarding which beta-carotene was harmful for smokers. The Internet is still full of warnings. But is that true? Is it possible that a naturally occurring vitamin substance could be harmful, even for healthy people?
Beta-carotene is an important radical scavenger which helps to reduce oxidative stress.
Beta-carotene is nothing more than a precursor (provitamin) of vitamin A. By supplying the body with the provitamin, it converts it into the active vitamin. Vitamin A is an extremely important vitamin for vision, growth, the immune system, and the development of cells and tissues. Beta-carotene itself is considered an important radical scavenger, which reduces oxidative stress.
Nature offers ample opportunities to fill the beta-carotene stores. Provitamin is found in sweet potatoes, carrots, and various green vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, fennel, lamb’s lettuce, chard, or chicory. Can something with so many nutritional sources be harmful? Until recently, studies spoke of a harmful effect for smokers in connection with lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Nature is often right!
The first data comes from 1994 and the studies were immediately refuted. As there have been ongoing controversial assessments, the EFSA reassessed the issue in 2012 and published its assessment of the safety of beta-carotene in smokers. The EFSA therefore considers daily doses of 15 mg safe, even for heavy smokers.
Even heavy smokers had no increased lung cancer risk in studies taking beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene is safe
The EU Food Committee also concluded over a decade ago that the data on the rejection of beta-carotene is inadequate. Topics of this kind always encourage further studies, some of which have already been published.
For example, an epidemiological study on the subject cannot detect an increased risk of lung cancer in heavy smokers who took 6-15 mg beta-carotene daily for 5-7 years.
Important for the eyes
According to the EFSA, 15 mg of beta-carotene can now be considered safe for smokers as a daily dose in the form of food additives and dietary supplements.
This is important as smokers are twice as likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as non-smokers. Therefore, even this high-risk group of patients can have their special eye protection complexes with a maximum daily dose of 15 mg beta-carotene for prevention and therapy.
