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In recent years, in the circle of cancer friends, there have been a saying that carotene anti-cancer has begun to occur. It’s groundless and always has some roots, let’s explore it.
carotene is expensive
01
carotene=carrot? [1-4]
carotene (Beta Carotene). When we saw this name, the appearance of carrots immediately appeared in front of us. Yes, it was found in the "Civilian Ginseng" carrot.
carotene is the main source of vitamin A (meaning that it can be converted into vitamin A in animals). In nature, carotene includes various forms such as α, β, γ, δ, ε, etc. Among them, the most widely distributed and most abundant is β-carotene , so it is also called carotenoid , carotene, vitamin A proto, etc., and appears as a representative of the carotene family [1-2] .
so here we only bring out β-carotene.
β-carotene ( precursor of vitamin A) is fat-soluble, that is, it is insoluble in water and only soluble in fat. Is that difficult to absorb? On the contrary, fat-soluble substances are easier to transmembrane transport and are absorbed by our bodies.
As the most common and stable natural pigment , β-carotene is found in dark yellow, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, peach, apricots, spinach and cauliflower , cantaloupe, make them rich in color.
Parents like to talk about it most, eat more carrots in , which is good for eyes . Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the human body, which is crucial for the development of human vision. If the body lacks vitamin A, vision will be problematic, resulting in dry eye and night blindness.
β-carotene provides 50% of vitamin A required for diet. It is a natural antioxidant and can remove the effects of free radicals and anti-inflammatory , helping to protect cells from damage [2-3] . The extraction of natural beta-carotene in
nutritional supplements mainly selects plants rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots, salt algae , and sea buckthorn. The content of β-carotene in 6g of Spirulina is equivalent to the content in 20 eggs. At present, extraction of β-carotene from Spirulina has become a hot topic in current research [4].
02
What is the use of carotene?
In the view of American researchers, β-carotene can treat a hereditary disease characterized by light sensitivity, and may be effective in breast cancer patients, prevent postpartum complications, and sunburn .
However, there is no sufficient scientific evidence to support the prevention of certain cancers, heart diseases, cataracts, , skin aging and other purposes.
According to the effectiveness of the United States Natural Drug Comprehensive Database, β-carotene may be effective for the following diseases:
- Breast cancer
Intake of more β-carotene in the diet is related to a reduced risk of breast cancer in high-risk premenopausal women . In people with breast cancer, eating more beta-carotene in their diet is related to increased survival chances.
- Postpartum complications
Oral administration of beta-carotene may reduce the risk of diarrhea and fever after delivery, and may also reduce the risk of death associated with pregnancy.
- Sunburn
Oral beta-carotene may reduce the risk of sunburn in people who are sensitive to sunlight. Erythropoietic protoporphyrin (EPP): a hereditary disease characterized by light sensitivity. Oral beta-carotene can reduce the sensitivity of EPP patients to sunlight.
may be ineffective. The uses are as follows:
- Cancer
Oral β-carotene does not reduce the risk of Most cancer .
- Heart Disease
Oral beta-carotene will not reduce the risk of heart disease, and may actually increase the risk of death from heart disease in some people.
- Noncancerous growth (colorectal adenoma) in the large intestine and rectum
Oral β-carotene does not reduce the risk of these growths. In people who smoke and drink alcohol, taking beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of noncancerous growth in the large intestine and rectum.
- Lung Cancer
Oral beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in some people. Beta-carotene in foods does not have this effect.
- prostate cancer
Most people take oral beta-carotene supplements to prevent prostate cancer. Taking beta-carotene supplements, may increase the risk of in prostate cancer. How safe is
03
? [1]
When taken orally
Under certain medical conditions, it may be safe to take β-carotene in moderation. However, it is not recommended to supplement beta-carotene supplements in normal times.
β-carotene supplements may not be safe when taken orally at large doses, especially when taken for a long time, high doses of beta-carotene can turn yellow or orange in the skin.
Taking high doses of beta-carotene supplements can also increase death from various causes, increase the risk of certain cancers, and may lead to other serious side effects.
β-carotene in foods does not appear to have these side effects.
For example, carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is fat-soluble and can be easily absorbed in the body. It is recommended to eat it on cooked food.
Cooking method has the following suggestions:
.Fried : It is advisable to stir-fry with dry oil. Low heat will make carotene dissolve in fat ( oil is red and yellow ), add water or over-ripen it, which will easily produce a strange smell.
.Cook : Add meat and cook together, use the fat of meat to dissolve carotene , which can make the body easier to absorb and taste better. When mixing with other vegetables, you can first stir-fry carrots and then add other vegetables to remove flavor and dissolve carotene. The β-carotene content of carrots has the highest amount of β-carotene and should not be too thick when peeled. scrambled carrot is a good dish that is beneficial to the health of the young and old.
β-carotene content TOP10 food ( β-carotene content is measured per 100 grams of food )
ranking | food | content ( micrograms ) | ||||
No.1 | Sweet potato | 11509 No.1 | Sweet potato | 11509 No.1 | Sweet potato | 11509 html l24 |
No.2 | Carrot | 8332 | ||||
No.3 | Dark green leafy vegetable | 6288 | ||||
No.4 | Lettuce | 5226 | ||||
No.4 | Lettuce | 5226 | No.5 | pump | 4570 | |
No.6 | No.6 | 0dried apricot fruit | 2163 | |||
No.7 | Hami melon | 2020 | ||||
No.7 | Hami melon | 2020 | ||||
0No.8 | bell pepper | 1624 | ||||
No.9 | pea | 1250 | ||||
No.10 | green cauliflower | 929 | ||||
Source: [8] , 1 mg = 1000 micrograms |
04
Attention to take medication, people
Pregnant and breastfeeding
Adjustment of oral β-carotene may be safe. But there is not enough reliable information to see if high doses of beta-carotene are safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Stay safe and avoid using.
Children
Adjust amount of oral beta-carotene may be safe.
As with a history of asbestos exposure
In people who have been exposed to asbestos, beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of cancer.
smokers
In smokers, beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of colon cancer , lung cancer and prostate cancer.
5
Interaction with drugs, food, etc.
- Niacin
Niacin can increase high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol) levels. Taking β-carotene with vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium can reduce the effect of niacin on the good cholesterol levels. Whether beta-carotene alone lowers the effects of niacin on good cholesterol levels is unclear.
- Excessive drinking: can reduce the β-carotene levels in the body.
- lutein
Taking beta-carotene supplements may reduce lutein levels in the body. Research on anti-cancer of
06
βcarotene[10] The results of the epidemiological study consistently show that a large amount of intake of fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids can reduce the cancer risk in some common areas.
Over the past few years, the United States has started three large-scale intervention trials to observe whether supplementing vitamins or micronutrients to people at high risk of cancer can effectively reduce risks.
In the first ATBC study, more than 29,000 middle-aged male smokers were randomly assigned 50 mg of vitamin E, 20 mg of beta-carotene, or placebo per day, and continued to take it for 5-8 years. The study showed that among smokers who received 20 mg of beta-carotene daily, lung cancer increased by 18% and deaths increased by 8% at the end of the intervention.
The second study was conducted in the United States, β-carotene and vitamin A efficacy test (CARET study) . This is a large study that uses beta-carotene and vitamin A as a drug to prevent lung cancer. In the high-risk group of men and women, after an average of 4 years of treatment, the intervention was terminated in January 1996 and 18,314 participants were informed to stop taking it.The
CARET study was conducted in 6 regions in the United States. The study included severe smokers, including those exposed to asbestos. Half of the people took beta-carotene and vitamin A, and the other half took inactive placebo. The amount of carotene is 30 mg ( is equivalent to 50,000 IU of vitamin A, or 5 medium carrots ). Vitamin A is given in the form of vitamin A palmitate at a dose of 7.5 mg.
Interim study results show that supplements have no benefit and may also cause damage. Among participants taking beta-carotene and vitamin A, lung cancer increased by 28%, and deaths increased by 17%. These interim results are similar to those of the ATBC study .
The third large-scale intervention trial was conducted among 28,000 male doctors in the United States and ended as scheduled at the end of 1995. Half of the doctors take carotene supplements, and the other half take placebo. The results of the study show that there is no obvious evidence that between β-carotene ( 50 mg every other day in non-smoking populations (89% ), and placebo groups, is beneficial or harmful to cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Evidence from these large-scale intervention trials shows that the supplementation of β-carotene must be taken into account, not protective but pathogenic, especially in smokers. Therefore, discourages the supplementation of β-carotene ( nutritional supplement ) as an anti-lung cancer use .
07
How much do you need to eat every day? [1,7]
In daily life, do we need to supplement carotene or vitamin A? Can these two be supplemented at the same time?
Taiwan Cancer Foundation Recommended reference intake [7]
Men's recommended daily intake is 0.6 mg Vitamin A ( is equivalent to 3.6 mg β-carotene ) β-carotene and vitamin A cannot be equated. Eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetable every day ( 100g per serving) to get 6-8 mg of beta-carotene . Carotene, as the precursor of vitamin A, will be converted into vitamin A in our body and become the same thing, so just eat one, and there is no problem with eating it. The key is not to overload it. For pregnant women, supplementing carotene is safer than vitamin A, because the latter is easy to accumulate in the liver. The symptoms include frequent chapped lips and mouth corners, dry and sparse hair, easy to lose hair , etc. Image source see watermark
Women's recommended daily intake is 0.5 mg Vitamin A ( is equivalent to 3 mg β-carotene )
( micrograms of vitamin A = 6 micrograms of β-carotene , the conversion rate of carotene converted to vitamin A is only 1/2, so 1 microgram of carotene is only converted to 0.5 IU (i.e. 0.15 micrograms) vitamin A.
Summary: Vitamin A and β-carotene are fat-soluble, and it is better to eat with fat, so is best eaten or eaten after a meal. Many global health government agencies recommend that β-carotene and other antioxidants beta-carotene from food without supplements. Regular supplementation for non-therapeutic use is not recommended [1] .
