High intake of beta-carotene seems to decrease the risk of tobacco-related cancers among people who’ve never smoked, but to increase the risk among current or past smokers, new research suggests. Although the findings are based on a study of women, the researchers believe that similar results would be obtained in men."Based on the findings from our study and others, I would advise against beta-carotene supplements for current or past smokers,” senior author Dr. Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault, from INSERM in Villejuif, France, told Reuters Health. “For beta-carotene-rich foods, the message is less clear, since they often contain other vitamins that may counteract the interaction of beta-carotene with smoking."The new study, which is reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, involved an evaluation of beta-carotene intake for 59,910 women who were followed for about 7 years to assess cancer occurrence. During follow-up, 700 women developed tobacco-related cancers, such as lung cancer or head and neck cancer.
