Is beta-carotene safe? Are any toxic effects to be expected from Golden Rice?
Beta-carotene is a natural component of many plant foods including all green vegetables and carrots, and is not known to be toxic. When intake is high any excess is stored in the body as beta-carotene, or excreted, and only converted to vitamin A when the body needs it. It is not possible to suffer from an overdose of beta-carotene, while it is possible to overdose vitamin A to toxic levels (Clevidence et al., 1997; Khachik et al, 1995). There are just two reports of potential adverse health effects from the consumption of beta-carotene, and both involve dietary supplements, not food. In these studies, beta-carotene was given with high levels of vitamin A or vitamin E, respectively. One of these studies suggested, but did not prove, that beta- carotene may, in certain circumstances, be harmful to smokers. Moreover, unlike with vitamin pills, there is no danger of vitamin A toxicity, as there is no vitamin A in Golden Rice, only non-toxic carotenoid precursors that enable the human body
Beta-carotene is a natural component of many plant foods including all green vegetables and carrots, and is not known to be toxic. When intake is high the excess is stored in body fat as beta-carotene, or excreted, and only converted to vitamin A when needed by the organism. It is not possible to suffer from an overdose of beta-carotene, while the same cannot be said of straight vitamin A (Clevidence et al., 1997; Khachik et al, 1995). There are just two reports of potentially adverse health effects from the consumption of beta-carotene, and both involve dietary supplements, not food. In these studies, beta-carotene was given at high levels of vitamin A or vitamin E, respectively. One of these studies suggested, but did not prove, that beta- carotene may, in certain circumstances, be harmful to smokers. Moreover, unlike with vitamin pills, there is no danger of vitamin A toxicity, as there is no vitamin A in Golden Rice, only non-toxic carotenoid precursors that enable the human body t
