Beta-carotene is a kind of carotenoids, which are greatly identified as those orange, red, and yellow pigments that provide color to many fruits and vegetables. The beta-carotene is then converted by the body into the form of vitamin A, which is a nutrient that is first recognized in the 1930s and now is recognized as very crucial to the improvement and growth of the human body.
How much beta carotene does it take to get adequate levels of vitamin A in the body? Is it safe? Does it cause any side effects? What are some other benefits associated with taking BCA supplements?
In humans, Vitamin A is critical for vision, growth, reproduction, and immunity. People who eat less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day are at risk of becoming deficient in this nutrient.
Take advantage of these nutrition facts to better understand which foods provide you with high doses of beta carotene.
Beta-carotene is actually a powerful immune-system booster and a powerful antioxidant that combats the free radicals which cause some damage to the human cells. As such, beta-carotene is considered to have a vital role in the proper functioning of the body or for human health.
Every time that we consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, we are actually consuming amounts of beta-carotene. With that, vegetables and fruits are the major sources of beta-carotene. However, due to the continuous popularity of this supplement, many health stores today also offer beta-carotene in supplement form.
No need To Take Extra Supplements
Speaking of supplements, it is interesting to know that for years, many scientists and enthusiasts have long dreamed that supplements could offer concerted sources of beta-carotene to offer an increased shield against heart failures and even against specific cancers.
However, there are current studies that demonstrate that high-dose beta-carotene supplements may cause much worse consequences than good ones. Too much beta-carotene is a problem for some people. This includes people who can’t convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. This can happen to people who have hypothyroidism. Higher doses of vitamin A may increase the risk for fractures in both women past menopause, and in men.
As such, until more details are gathered about the effects of beta-carotene, it is then probably right to only take beta-carotene in its supplement form only as part of a combined complex, along with the other heath-driving carotenoids. It is much wise to find some products that combine beta-carotene with the other forms of carotenes like the alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin.
More Benefits – Beta-carotene
And aside from the findings that beta-carotene is helpful for treating heart disease and cancer, there are recent findings that beta-carotene has the potential for treating chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, male infertility, fibromyalgia, and psoriasis. It is as well interesting to learn that low levels of beta-carotene and other forms of antioxidants have been connected to the improvement of cataracts, which is commonly described as a clouding of the eye’s lens that impairs vision.
Some of the preliminary studies have pointed out that there is a probable link between too little beta-carotene, along with the low levels of vitamin E and A, and the ensuing enhancement of lupus, which is an autoimmune malfunction.
As many products that contain beta-carotene are widely offered in the market nowadays, several experts have recommended that the better intake for those products falls to the fact that no RDA is yet been formed for beta-carotene, but about 10,000 IU of the nutrient achieved RDA for the vitamin A. As such, it is somehow understandable that the symptoms of beta-carotene deficiency imitate those of a vitamin A deficiency such as dry skin, night blindness, and vulnerability to infection.
It is not a surprise that people are always on the lookout for the best forms of vitamins and nutrients. As with any supplement, the market is full of different types of vitamins and supplements that make claims regarding the health benefits that they can offer.
It is important to choose the right product for you based on the research you have already done and then make sure that you take it as directed.
As such, beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that has been found in research to have numerous potential benefits for humans. It is considered to be one of the most effective antioxidants that exists, and has been linked to preserving the health of our cells, as well as keeping them healthy.
The best sources for this supplement are fruits and vegetables.