BETA-CAROTENE

Beta-Carotene belongs to a group of colored pigments called carotenoids. 
Beta-Carotene's converted to vitamin A in the body and found in many fruits and vegetables. 
Beta-Carotene and other red, orange, and yellow pigments called carotenoids are considered antioxidants. 

CAS Number: 301150-50-5
Molecular Formula: C30C10H56

Synonyms: beta-carotene, 7235-40-7, beta Carotene, beta,beta-Carotene, Solatene, Betacarotene, Provatene, Carotaben, Provitamin A, Serlabo, all-trans-beta-Carotene, Food orange 5, Lucaratin, BetaVit, KPMK, b,b-Carotene, Betacaroteno, Provatenol, Karotin, Natural Yellow 26, beta-Karotin, Solatene (caps), C.I. Food Orange 5, Zlut prirodni 26, Betacarotenum, CI Food Orange 5, Carotene,beta, .beta.-Carotene, Lucarotin 30sun, .beta.,.beta.-Carotene, trans-beta-Carotene, beta-Carotene, all-trans-, Beta, beta-carotene, CI 40800, CI 75130, Betacarotenum [Latin], NSC 62794, C.I. 75130, CCRIS 3245, Ins-160a(iii), Ins no.160a(iii), Caroten base 35468, beta-Carotin, HSDB 3264, beta;-Carotene, Diet,beta-carotene supplementation, E-160a(iii), E160A, .beta. Carotene, all-trans-.beta.-Carotene, (all-E)-1,1'-(3,7,12,16-Tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexene), EINECS 230-636-6, UNII-01YAE03M7J, Betacarotene [INN], 01YAE03M7J, 1,3,3-trimethyl-2-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]cyclohexene, 116-32-5, DTXSID3020253, CHEBI:17579, Rovimix .beta.-carotene, NSC62794, NSC-62794, DTXCID10253, b-Carotene, MLS001066383, 1,1'-(3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexene), 2,2'-((1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(1,3,3-trimethylcyclohex-1-ene), C.I.-40800, EC 230-636-6, Betacarotene (INN), MFCD00001556, Cyclohexene, 1,1'-(3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(2,6,6-trimethyl-, (all-E)-, Betacarotenum (Latin), CAROTENE, BETA, NCGC00096081-01, SMR000112037, Karotin [Czech], BETACAROTENE (MART.), BETACAROTENE [MART.], .beta.-Carotene, all-trans-, beta carotene [USAN], Betacaroteno [Spanish], BETACAROTENE (EP IMPURITY), BETACAROTENE [EP IMPURITY], BETACAROTENE (EP MONOGRAPH), BETACAROTENE [EP MONOGRAPH], beta -carotene, BETA CAROTENE (USP MONOGRAPH), BETA CAROTENE [USP MONOGRAPH], Betacarotenum [INN-Latin], Betacaroteno [INN-Spanish], Zlut prirodni 26 [Czech], 1,1'-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl]bis(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexene), SR-01000763803, Beta carotene [USAN:USP], Lucarotin, Lumitene, Lurotin, 9-cis--Carotene, all-E-b-Carotene, Rovimix b-carotene, Carotene, .beta., Solatene (TN), 1,1'-((1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl)bis(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexene), Cyclohexene, 1,1'-(3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis[2,6,6-trimethyl-, (all-E)-, I(2)-Carotene, Carotene Base 80S, all-trans-b-Carotene, beta Carotene (USP), trans-.beta.-Carotene, all trans beta-Carotene, all-E-.beta.-Carotene, all-epsilon-beta-Carotene, Spectrum5_000505, ROVIMIX beta-CAROTENE, .beta., .beta.-Carotene, bmse000832, C40H56 (beta-carotene), BETA CAROTENE [DSC], BETA-CAROTENE [FCC], CHEMBL1293, BIDD:PXR0110, BETA CAROTENE [HSDB], BSPBio_003404, BETA CAROTENE [VANDF], BETACAROTENE [WHO-DD], CAROTENE,BETA [VANDF], .BETA.-CAROTENE [MI], BETA CAROTENE [USP-RS], BDBM54988, cid_5280489, HMS501A12, HY-N0411R, .beta.,.beta.-Carotene, neo B, A11CA02, D02BB01, HMS2091M17, Pharmakon1600-01500143, BETA CAROTENE [ORANGE BOOK], HY-N0411, beta-Carotene, >=97.0% (UV), Tox21_111557, CCG-36062, LMPR01070001, NSC755910, s1767, AKOS015896682, 1ST1569, AC-1869, DB06755, NSC-755910, SDCCGMLS-0066579.P001, IDI1_000330, NCGC00096081-02, |A, AS-13354, XC175229, CAS-7235-40-7, SBI-0051295.P003, NS00002019, SW220035-1, C02094, D03101, AB00051925_06, AB00051925_07, BETA-CAROTENE (CONSTITUENT OF SPIRULINA), beta-Carotene, Vetec(TM) reagent grade, >=93%, EN300-21680271, Q306135, Q-200706, SR-01000763803-2, SR-01000763803-3, SR-01000763803-4, BETA-CAROTENE (CONSTITUENT OF SPIRULINA) [DSC], BRD-K74225533-001-08-8, BRD-K74225533-001-09-6, BRD-K74225533-001-10-4, beta-Carotene, Type I, synthetic, >=93% (UV), powder, 89648336-F9B2-44A0-9BF8-62E73369CB9B, Beta Carotene, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard, beta-Carotene, Type II, synthetic, >=95% (HPLC), crystalline, BETA-CAROTENE (CONSTITUENT OF LYCOPENE AND TOMATO EXTRACT CONTAINING LYCOPENE), beta-Carotene, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material, (all-E)-1,1'-(3,7,12,16-Tetramethyl-1,3,5, 7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis[2,6, 6-trimethylcyclohexene], (all-E)-1,1'-(3,7,12,16-Tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis, (all-E)-1,1'-(3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-octadecanonaene-1,18-diyl)bis[2,6,6-trimethyl-Cyclohexene, 1,3,3-trimethyl-2-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethylcycl-1-en-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaen-1-yl]cyclohex-1-ene, 3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-1,18-bis(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)-octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene, BETA-CAROTENE (>97% CHEMICAL PURITY) (12,12',13,13',14,14',15,15',20,20'-13C10, 99%);Beta-Carotene (12,12',13,13',14,14',15,15',20,20'-13C10);BETA-CAROTENE;Beta-Carotene (12,12',13,13',14,14',15,15',20,20'-13C10)

Beta-Carotene is a pigment found in plants that gives them their color. 
The name beta-carotene is derived from the Latin name for carrot. 
Beta-Carotene gives yellow and orange fruits and vegetables their rich hues. 

Beta-Carotene is also used to color foods such as margarine.
In the body, beta-carotene converts into vitamin A (retinol). 
Beta-Carotene, for a strong immune system, and for healthy skin and mucous membranes. 

Taking big doses of vitamin A can be toxic, but body only converts as much vitamin A from beta-carotene as it needs. 
That means beta-carotene is considered a safe source of vitamin A. 
However, too much beta-carotene can be dangerous for people who smoke. (Getting high amounts of either vitamin A or beta-carotene from food, not from supplements, is safe.)

Beta-Carotene is an antioxidant. 
Beta-Carotene protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals. 
Free radicals damage cells through a process known as oxidation. 

Over time, this damage can lead to a number of chronic illnesses. 
There is good evidence that eating more antioxidants from foods helps boost immune system, protect against free radicals, and may lower risk of heart disease and cancer. 
But the issue is a little more complicated when it comes to taking antioxidant supplements.

Beta-Carotene is an organic, strongly colored red-orange pigment abundant in fungi, plants, and fruits. 
It is a member of the carotenes, which are terpenoids (isoprenoids), synthesized biochemically from eight isoprene units and thus having 40 carbons.
Beta-Carotene is a provitamin A compound, converting in the body to retinol (vitamin A).

In foods, it has rich content in carrots, pumpkin, spinach, and sweet potato.
It is used as a dietary supplement and may be prescribed to treat erythropoietic protoporphyria, an inherited condition of sunlight sensitivity.
Beta-Carotene is the most common carotenoid in plants.

When used as a food coloring, it has the E number E160a: 119  The structure was deduced in 1930.
Beta-Carotene is a naturally occurring compound that belongs to the family of carotenoids, which are pigments found in various fruits and vegetables, especially those that are orange, yellow, and green in color.
As a type of provitamin A, beta-carotene is converted by the body into vitamin A, an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision, immune function, and skin health. 

Beta-Carotene is also known for its antioxidant properties, helping to neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, which can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Beta-Carotene is commonly found in foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and other leafy greens. 
It is fat-soluble, meaning it is best absorbed when consumed with a small amount of healthy fats. 

Besides its nutritional benefits, beta-carotene is also widely used as a food coloring agent due to its vibrant orange hue, and it is often included in dietary supplements to support overall health. 
Additionally, Beta-Carotene has been studied for its potential to protect skin from sun damage and to support eye health, particularly in preventing age-related macular degeneration.
Isolation of Beta-Carotene from fruits abundant in carotenoids is commonly done using column chromatography. 

It is industrially extracted from richer sources such as the algae Dunaliella salina.
The separation of β-carotene from the mixture of other carotenoids is based on the polarity of a compound. 
Beta-Carotene is a non-polar compound, so it is separated with a non-polar solvent such as hexane.

Being highly conjugated, it is deeply colored, and as a hydrocarbon lacking functional groups, it is lipophilic.
Plant carotenoids are the primary dietary source of provitamin A worldwide, with Beta-Carotene as the best-known provitamin A carotenoid.
Others include α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin.

Carotenoid absorption is restricted to the duodenum of the small intestine. 
One molecule of Beta-Carotene can be cleaved by the intestinal enzyme β,β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase into two molecules of vitamin A.
As part of the digestive process, food-sourced carotenoids must be separated from plant cells and incorporated into lipid-containing micelles to be bioaccessible to intestinal enterocytes.

If already extracted (or synthetic) and then presented in an oil-filled dietary supplement capsule, there is greater bioavailability compared to that from foods.
At the enterocyte cell wall, β-carotene is taken up by the membrane transporter protein scavenger receptor class B, type 1 (SCARB1). 
Absorbed Beta-Carotene is then either incorporated as such into chylomicrons or first converted to retinal and then retinol, bound to retinol binding protein 2, before being incorporated into chylomicrons.

The conversion process consists of one molecule of Beta-Carotene cleaved by the enzyme beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase, which is encoded by the BCO1 gene, into two molecules of retinal.
When plasma retinol is in the normal range the gene expression for SCARB1 and BCO1 are suppressed, creating a feedback loop that suppresses β-carotene absorption and conversion.
The majority of chylomicrons are taken up by the liver, then secreted into the blood repackaged into low density lipoproteins (LDLs).

From these circulating lipoproteins and the chylomicrons that bypassed the liver, Beta-Carotene is taken into cells via receptor SCARB1. Human tissues differ in expression of SCARB1, and hence β-carotene content. 
Examples expressed as ng/g, wet weight: liver=479, lung=226, prostate=163 and skin=26.
Once taken up by peripheral tissue cells, the major usage of absorbed Beta-Carotene is as a precursor to retinal via symmetric cleavage by the enzyme beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase, which is encoded by the BCO1 gene.

A lesser amount is metabolized by the mitochondrial enzyme beta-carotene 9',10'-dioxygenase, which is encoded by the BCO2 gene. 
Beta-Carotenes of this asymmetric cleavage are two beta-ionone molecules and rosafluene. 
BCO2 appears to be involved in preventing excessive accumulation of carotenoids; a BCO2 defect in chickens results in yellow skin color due to accumulation in subcutaneous fat.

Another older unit of vitamin A activity is the international unit (IU).
Like retinol equivalent, the international unit does not take into account carotenoid variable absorption and conversion to vitamin A by humans, as well as the more modern retinol activity equivalent.
Carotenoderma, also referred to as carotenemia, is a benign and reversible medical condition where an excess of dietary carotenoids results in orange discoloration of the outermost skin layer.

Beta-Carotene is associated with a high blood β-carotene value. 
This can occur after a month or two of consumption of beta-carotene rich foods, such as carrots, carrot juice, tangerine juice, mangos, or in Africa, red palm oil. 
Beta-Carotene dietary supplements can have the same effect. 

The discoloration extends to palms and soles of feet, but not to the white of the eye, which helps distinguish the condition from jaundice. 
Carotenodermia is reversible upon cessation of excessive intake.
Consumption of greater than 30 mg/day for a prolonged period has been confirmed as leading to carotenemia.

Beta-Carotene is industrially made either by total synthesis (see Retinol § Industrial synthesis) or by extraction from biological sources such as vegetables, microalgae (especially Dunaliella salina), and genetically-engineered microbes. 
The synthetic path is low-cost and high-yield.
Beta-Carotene is a naturally occurring compound, classified as a provitamin A carotenoid, essential for human health. 

Found predominantly in plants, it's responsible for imparting vibrant red, yellow, and orange colors to a variety of fruits and vegetables. 
This pigment not only beautifies the plant world but also plays a critical biochemical role by acting as a precursor to vitamin A, an essential nutrient for human vision, growth, and immune function.
They provide about 50% of the vitamin A needed in the diet. 

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient. 
Beta-Carotenes antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects help to protect cells from damage. 
People use beta-carotene for an inherited disorder marked by sensitivity to light. 

Beta-Carotene is also used to prevent certain cancers, heart disease, cataracts, aging skin, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses. 
Many global health authorities recommend getting beta-carotene and other antioxidants from food instead of supplements.
Vitamins are compounds that you must have for growth and health. 

They are needed in small amounts only and are usually available in the foods that eat. 
Beta-Carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy eyes and skin.
Beta-carotene, with the molecular formula C40H56, belongs to the group of carotenoids consisting of isoprene units. 

The presence of long chains of conjugated double bonds donates beta-carotene with specific colors.
Beta-Carotene is the most abundant form of carotenoid and it is a precursor of the vitamin A.
Beta-Carotene is composed of two retinyl groups. 

Beta-Carotene is an antioxidant that can be found in yellow, orange and green leafy vegetables and fruits.
Under the FDA, beta-carotene is considered as a generally recognized as safe substance (GRAS).
The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin carota, "carrot") is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi).

Beta-Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis.
Beta-Carotenes contain no oxygen atoms. They absorb ultraviolet, violet, and blue light and scatter orange or red light, and yellow light(in low concentrations).
Beta-Carotenes are responsible for the orange colour of the carrot, after which this class of chemicals is named, and for the colours of many other fruits, vegetables and fungi (for example, sweet potatoes, chanterelle and orange cantaloupe melon). 

Beta-Carotenes are also responsible for the orange (but not all of the yellow) colours in dry foliage. 
They also (in lower concentrations) impart the yellow coloration to milk-fat and butter. 
Omnivorous animal species which are relatively poor converters of coloured dietary carotenoids to colourless retinoids, such as humans and chickens, have yellow-coloured body fat, as a result of the carotenoid retention from the vegetable portion of their diet.

Beta-Carotenes contribute to photosynthesis by transmitting the light energy they absorb to chlorophyll. 
They also protect plant tissues by helping to absorb the energy from singlet oxygen, an excited form of the oxygen molecule O2 which is formed during photosynthesis.
Beta-Carotene is composed of two retinyl groups, and is broken down in the mucosa of the human small intestine by β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase to retinal,a form of vitamin A.

Beta-Carotene can be stored in the liver and body fat and converted to retinal as needed, thus making it a form of vitamin A for humans and some other mammals. 
The carotenes α-carotene and γ-carotene, due to their single retinyl group (β-ionone ring), also have some vitamin A activity (though less than β-carotene), as does the xanthophyll carotenoid β-cryptoxanthin. 
All other carotenoids, including lycopene, have no beta-ring and thus no vitamin A activity (although they may have antioxidant activity and thus biological activity in other ways).

Animal species differ greatly in their ability to convert retinyl (beta-ionone) containing carotenoids to retinals. 
Carnivores in general are poor converters of dietary ionone-containing carotenoids. 
Pure carnivores such as ferrets lack β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase and cannot convert any carotenoids to retinals at all (resulting in carotenes not being a form of vitamin A for this species); while cats can convert a trace of β-carotene to retinol, although the amount is totally insufficient for meeting their daily retinol needs.

Beta-Carotene, also called provitamin A, is a bright orange-red pigment (carotenoid) found in some fruits, vegetables, and spices, such as carrots, broccoli, grapefruits, and paprika.
Beta-Carotene into vitamin A to use it for several important processes, including cell growth and immune function. 
As the main source of vitamin A in humans, beta-carotene is also available as a supplement.

Uses Of Beta-Carotene:
Beta-carotene has a variety of uses, particularly in the fields of nutrition, medicine, and cosmetics. 
In nutrition, Beta-Carotene serves as an important source of vitamin A, which is vital for maintaining good vision, promoting immune function, and ensuring healthy skin. 
People often consume beta-carotene through foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach, or in the form of dietary supplements to help prevent vitamin A deficiencies, particularly in regions where this vitamin is lacking in the diet.

In medicine, beta-carotene is sometimes used as an antioxidant to help combat oxidative stress in the body, which is believed to contribute to the aging process and the development of certain chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. 
There has been research into the potential of beta-carotene supplementation to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and to protect against damage from environmental toxins, although some studies have yielded mixed results.
In the cosmetics and skincare industry, beta-carotene is often used in formulations due to its antioxidant properties and its ability to promote healthy, glowing skin. 

Beta-Carotene is sometimes incorporated into sunscreens and other skin care products as a natural way to help protect the skin from sun damage and to promote a youthful appearance. 
Additionally, it is utilized as a natural coloring agent in food and beverages, giving products a bright orange or yellow color while providing a nutritional benefit.
In agriculture and food production, beta-carotene is often used as a natural colorant in various processed foods such as beverages, dairy products, and snacks. 

Beta-Carotene provides a vibrant yellow-orange color, especially in items that aim to mimic the appearance of more expensive natural products or enhance their visual appeal, while also offering nutritional value.
Its use in food products is often labeled under the E-number E160a, ensuring its safe inclusion as a food additive. 
Beta-Carotene is also used in pet foods to ensure pets get the benefits of vitamin A in their diet.

Beta-carotene is sometimes included in weight management supplements and formulas aimed at supporting metabolic health, as it plays a role in fat metabolism and has been suggested to help improve overall fat distribution in the body. 
Some research indicates that beta-carotene may aid in improving skin elasticity and reducing the visible effects of aging, making it a sought-after ingredient in anti-aging creams and lotions. 
Additionally, its use in hair care products has been explored, with studies suggesting it might support scalp health and potentially promote hair growth.

Beta-carotene is also utilized in the production of nutraceuticals and functional foods, offering a natural alternative to synthetic vitamin A for the prevention of deficiency-related health issues, especially in children and populations in developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is a public health concern. 
Beta-Carotene has been shown to help support healthy vision, reduce the risk of night blindness, and may assist in the prevention of cataracts.
Beta-Carotenes antioxidant properties also extend to its role in preventing age-related macular degeneration and promoting eye health overall.

In addition to its uses in nutrition, medicine, and cosmetics, beta-carotene is also employed in certain therapeutic contexts. 
For instance, it has been studied for its potential to support immune health by enhancing the function of the body's immune system, particularly in individuals with weakened immune responses. 
Some studies suggest that beta-carotene may help in reducing the risk of respiratory infections and boosting the body’s defenses against illnesses by stimulating the production of immune cells such as T-cells and B-cells.

Beta-carotene is also an important component in agricultural biotechnology, where it is used in biofortification programs aimed at improving the nutritional content of staple crops. 
One well-known example is the development of "Golden Rice," a genetically modified rice variety enriched with beta-carotene to combat vitamin A deficiency in regions where rice is a primary food source. 
This biofortification initiative has the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of blindness and other health problems caused by vitamin A deficiency, particularly in developing countries.

In environmental and industrial settings, beta-carotene's antioxidant properties have led to its incorporation into products designed to reduce oxidative stress caused by environmental pollutants or exposure to toxins. 
For example, it has been used in certain environmental health products and supplements aimed at protecting the body from the harmful effects of air pollution and UV radiation, particularly in urban areas with high levels of environmental stress.

Beta-carotene is sometimes included in the diets of livestock and farm animals, particularly in poultry and cattle, as it contributes to the production of healthy, nutritious eggs and meat. 
Beta-Carotene also helps maintain the health of animals’ skin and coat, ensuring that they are in optimal condition for farming or breeding purposes.

Safety Profile Of Beta-Carotene:
Excessive intake of beta-carotene, typically from high-dose supplements rather than food sources, can lead to a condition known as hypercarotenemia. 
This is characterized by the accumulation of beta-carotene in the skin, which may cause a yellowish-orange discoloration, particularly on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. 
Although hypercarotenemia is usually harmless and reversible once the intake is reduced, it can be alarming to those who experience it.

Some studies have shown that high doses of beta-carotene supplements may be harmful to smokers or individuals exposed to asbestos. 
Research has indicated that in certain cases, excessive beta-carotene intake can increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. 
This has been particularly evident in studies involving high-dose beta-carotene supplements (such as 20 mg per day or more) given to smokers or asbestos-exposed workers, leading to a higher incidence of lung cancer compared to those who did not take the supplements.

Although rare, some individuals may experience allergic reactions to beta-carotene, particularly if they have sensitivities to other carotenoids or related compounds. 
Symptoms of an allergic reaction could include rashes, itching, or swelling, especially in individuals who have pre-existing conditions like hay fever or asthma.