Did You Know Just That Many Cancers Are Linked To A Vitamin Deficiency?
Vitamin A helps
regulate the immune system, which helps prevent and combats
infections by producing white blood cells that destroy harmful
bacteria and viruses and helping lymphocytes (a type of
white blood cell that help us fight infections) function
more vigorously. Vitamin A also plays a significant role
in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and
cell differentiation. It helps to maintain the membranous
linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal
tracts. Those linings protect the organs from being invaded
by bacteria and viruses.
Beta Carotene Information
The Benefits of Beta Carotene
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Ten
carotenes, colored molecules synthesized only in plants,
show vitamin A activity. In other words, they function like
vitamin A. However, only the alpha- and Beta-Carotenes and
cryptoxanthin are important to man, and Beta-Carotene is
the most active. Beta-Carotene and other carotenoids that
can be converted by the body into retinol are referred to
as provitamin A carotenoids. Hundreds of different carotenoids
are synthesized by plants, but only about 10 % of them are
provitamin A carotenoids.
Beta-Carotene
also helps prevent night blindness and other eye problems,
skin disorders, enhance immunity, protects against toxins
and cancer formations, colds, flu, and infections. It is
an antioxidant and protector of the cells while slowing
the aging process. Sources of Beta-Carotene can be found
in a good liquid multivitamin.
Recent
reports show natural Beta-Carotene aids in cancer prevention.
It is important in the formation of bones and teeth. No
vitamin overdose can occur with natural Beta-Carotene. About
two decades ago, it was reported that beta carotene offered
a notable measure of photoprotection to individuals with
porphyria. (Beta-Carotene helps to protect the eye and vision).
Increased
consumption of fruits (apricots have more beta carotene
than carrots) and vegetables is associated with a lower
risk of cancer. Liquid supplementation with Beta-Carotene
may have a similar benefit.
It
might just be other compounds in the vegetables such as
lutein and lycopene3 that offered the protection. Beta carotene
is remarkably safe and free of side effects. Beta carotene
is closely related to vitamin A, but there is a big difference.
Large doses of vitamin A definitely can cause health problems.
If one chooses to take supplemental beta carotene, it is
hard to achieve the blood levels that have proven helpful
in porphyria by diet alone. Beta carotene comes in a 30mg
pill. Some must take ten or more per day to see benefit.
This would be like eating about 2 lbs. of carrots every
day.4
The
decision to take supplemental Beta-Carotene can be difficult
to make. You might want to consider it in summer, if your
skin is quite fair, if sun exposure is unavoidable, and/or
if your disease is severe. Although available without a
prescription, it would be important to discuss the matter
with your doctor, who likely would monitor blood levels
periodically. Interest in systemic photoprotection continues
to develop. Last year, a substance called PL was found to
triple tolerance to UV light in healthy volunteers.5
Beta-Carotene
is an antioxidant and boosts the immune system. As with
many supplements, Beta-Carotene is not the same in its natural
and synthetic states. Natural Beta-Carotene consists of
two molecule types; synthetic Beta-Carotene contains only
one of these. While many of the benefits of Beta-Carotene
can be found in both forms, some have argued some properties,
such as its antioxidant effect is only found in its natural
form but there I not scientific proof of the claim. Beta
carotene deficiencies often occur in people who do not eat
leafy green vegetables. When supplements are used, vitamin
E supplements are also necessary, as Beta-Carotene appears
to reduce blood levels of vitamin E.
Beta-Carotene
is often low during the more advanced stages of HIV. Supplementation
of 300,000 IU daily may help increase the number of CD4+
cells found, CD4+ cells are a type of white blood cells
that are low in AIDS patients.
Low Beta-Carotene levels are often associated with the development
of lupus. Taking a liquid supplement may help ease some
of the arthritic problems associated with this condition.
Eating foods with beta carotene also lowers the risk of
macular degeneration.
Vitamin
A is a major source of beta carotene and has also been shown
to reduce the risk of cataracts. The most common Beta-Carotene
supplement intake is probably 25,000 IU (15 mg) per day,
though some people take as much as 100,000 IU (60 mg) per
day. Beta-Carotene appears to have potential in the prevention
and treatment of cancers, including lung cancer, and oral
cancer. Other members of the antioxidant carotene family
include cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein,
and lycopene, but most of them do not convert to significant
amounts of vitamin A.
A
good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition.
Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular
brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for
a high quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you
take a look at the Multivitamin Product Comparisons.
Scientific
Explanation:
Fat-soluble vitamins pass with the chylomicrons into our
lymphatic system. Vitamin A, first presenting as a precursor,
Beta-Carotene, is cleaved to form retinol, which is then
recombined with fatty acids before entering the chylomicron.
Beta-Carotene, the principal yellow pigment of the carrot
is of health importance because the animal organism apparently
is able to cleave the molecule at the point of symmetry
with the production of vitamin A. The vitamin, which functions
directly in vision, is a component of a pigment, called
visual purple, present in the retina of the eye.
References
1. Mathews-Roth MM. Systemic Photoprotection.
Dermatol Clinics. 1986;4:335-39
2
Omaye ST, et al. Beta carotene: friend or foe.
Fundam Appl Toxicol. Dr Joseph Malak 1997;40:163-74
3
Nishino H. Cancer prevention by natural carotenoids.
J Cell Biochem Suppl. 1997;27:86-91
4
Mangles AR, et al. Carotenoid content of fruits and vegetables:
an evaluation of analytic data. JADA. 1993;93:284-296
5
Gonzalez S, et al. Topical or oral administration with an
extract of Polypodium leucotomos prevents acute sunburn.
Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 1997;13:50-60
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