What are the dangers of taking beta-carotene and smoking?

Dear Reader,

Unlike peas and carrots, beta-carotene supplements and smoking don’t go well together. Beta-carotene supplements have been suggested to affect the way the body absorbs and uses vitamins, potentially disrupting already sensitive systems or immune responses. In fact, beta-carotene isn't recommended for anyone who smokes regularly or who’s had asbestos exposure. Read on to find out more information about beta-carotene, its benefits, side effects, and why it can be dangerous for smokers to take in its synthetic form.

Beta-carotene is a red-orange substance that’s naturally present in many fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene can also be consumed as a supplement in capsule or tablet form. When you ingest beta-carotene either through produce or pills, your body turns it into vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for proper vision, preventing inflammation, and protecting against cell damage.

While you’ll likely benefit from having beta-carotene in recommended amounts, there are risks associated with its consumption. One of these risks is carotenemia. If you’ve over-indulged in beta-carotene in any form, you might be caught orange-handed—literally. This condition leads to yellow-orange discoloration of the skin. It can often be detected visually but also confirmed through laboratory tests. While orange pigmentation might persist for a period, carotenemia is reversible and isn’t associated with any major complications.

Another tough pill to swallow is that beta-carotene supplement consumption has been found to increase the risk of small-cell lung cancer, increase mortality, and reduce the efficacy of cancer treatments. Research suggests that the synthetic version of beta-carotene in supplements is more potent than the natural version found in food and this more potent version of beta-carotene might interfere with or counteract other processes that protect against cancer. Because smoking already greatly increases your risk for lung cancer, it’s not recommended for smokers to take beta-carotene supplements.  

However, eating foods rich in beta-carotene likely won’t put you at risk of these harmful effects. In fact, eating habits with a variety of fruits and vegetables that are loaded with beta-carotene can actually reduce the incidence of certain cancers. This might be the case because of the benefits of the other nutrients in these foods besides beta-carotene. So, while smokers might be recommended to dump the pills, there’s no need to throw out those carrots just yet.  

Like with any supplements, if you’re thinking of adding them to your diet, you may want to speak with a health care provider or a dietician to decide how best and at what dosage to incorporate them into your life.