Unlike supplements, foods rich in beta-carotene pose no lung cancer risk.
Well, that settles it: I now have no intentions of giving up my morning goji berry habit.
Synthetic beta-carotene supplements have been found to increase the risk of both colorectal and lung cancer in smokers, especially those who also drink alcohol. A study published by an international team in the January 2004 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention indicates that beta-carotene consumed as part of whole foods has no such negative effects.
Translation: do not take beta-carotene supplements if you smoke &/or drink on a regular basis, but do eat well.
Carotenoids may play a role in the prevention of the following health conditions:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Angina pectoris
- Asthma
- Cataracts
- Cervical cancer
- Cervical dysplasia
- Chlamydial infection
- Heart disease
- Laryngeal cancer (cancer of the larynx)
- Lung cancer
- Male and female infertility
- Osteoarthritis
- Photosensitivity
- Pneumonia
- Prostate cancer
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Skin cancer
- Vaginal candidiasis
Statistically speaking, smokers and drinkers eat fewer foods that contain carotenoids such as beta-carotene. Also, researchers suspect that cigarette smoke destroys carotenoids. However, if you do smoke or drink, use carotenoid supplements with caution
To read more, click on the link below:
WHFoods: beta-carotene
What is of the GREATEST importance, J, is "How great is the PROBABILITY?"
ReplyDeleteAs we know, these studies tend to pick up on some minuscule risk and turn that minuscule risk into something important on the grounds that the risk is 50 times greater in smokers. But, when you analyse the detail, it may well turn out that even 50 times the risk is still minuscule. Fifty times 0.000001 = 0.000050.
Tobacco Control is adept at this sort of exaggeration, as has been shown by their emphasis upon SIDS. In the UK, 'Sudden Infant Death Syndrome' accounted for 130 infant deaths out of 700,000 live births in 2010.
JUNICAN.
Junican,
DeleteI'm not exactly certain on what the probability is. Still though, sometimes it's good to err on the side of caution. I tend to think that Whole Foods is telling the truth. It's not like they're beating anyone over the head for being a smoker, they're just saying that if you are, then maybe it's better to get your beta carotene from whole (no pun intended..lol) foods. Personally, I feel that if we were to get more information (on diet, etc..) like this, we'd all be better off...but, that's just me:-)
I don't disagree with the idea that whole foods are better. It's just that I think that one should not put too much emphasis on statistical associations.
ReplyDeleteBuried deep inside the report which you link to is a statement that 'beta-carotene deficiency is not known to cause health problems, at least in the short term'.
Yer takes yer pick!
"Yer takes yer pick! "
DeleteLOL! Fair enough...:-)
..though I am somewhat of a vitamin junkie....expensive habit..
DeleteHere in the north of Scotland, vitamin D supplements are quite useful (especially in winter when the sun peeks over the horizon at midday then says 'Nah, can't be bothered' and goes away again).
ReplyDeleteAll other vitamins are easily obtained in foods. Beta-carotene (which gets turned into vitamin A in the body) we get mainly from carrots which are easy to grow and therefore cheap.
An interesting aside - vitamins A and K are fat-soluble so you absorb them more efficiently if there are fats in your diet. Those who have, on 'health advice', reduced or excluded fats from their diets have a hard time absorbing these vitamins.
Leg-iron,
Delete"Here in the north of Scotland, vitamin D supplements are quite useful ..."
Lol, I bet! Oh, and speaking of being fat-soluble, vitamin D is fat-soluble as well. You're right, there is a role for healthy fats in the diet. A "no fat" diet isn't necessarily a "healthy" diet. Salmon is a good protein/fat source. I bet that you have an abundance of fatty fish up in Northern Scotland!