{
  "slug": "beta-carotene",
  "name": "β-Carotene (Provitamin A · Mixed Carotene)",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Beta-carotene",
    "Provitamin A",
    "All-trans-β-carotene"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Provitamin A converted to retinol via β-carotene-15,15-monooxygenase",
    "Singlet oxygen quenching (carotenoid antioxidant)",
    "Cleavage products with potential pro-oxidant effects in high-pO2 lung tissue (mechanism behind smoker lung-cancer signal)"
  ],
  "target": [
    "Retinoid pathway (skin / vision / immunity)",
    "Lipid peroxidation buffers in low-oxygen tissues"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "vitamin A precursor for plant-based diets (with safe upper-limit awareness)",
    "mixed-carotenoid antioxidant adjunct in non-smoker populations"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "VISION",
    "SKIN",
    "IMMUNITY"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "B",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 1,
  "dosage_range": "Diet-derived β-carotene is generally safe at any intake. Isolated supplemental β-carotene at ≥ 20 mg/day in current and former smokers significantly increased lung cancer incidence in the ATBC study (Middha 2019 PMID 29889248 Nicotine Tob Res follow-up confirmed the effect was independent of tar / nicotine level). CARET (β-carotene 30 mg + retinol) was stopped early in 1996 for a 28% increased lung cancer incidence in smokers and asbestos-exposed workers. Supplement is contraindicated in current or former smokers",
  "safety_notes": "CONTRAINDICATED in current and former smokers (ATBC + CARET hard evidence). Excess preformed vitamin A pathway concerns at very high cumulative intake; β-carotene per se does not cause vitamin A toxicity due to regulated cleavage. Skin yellowing (carotenodermia) at high doses is reversible and harmless",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "GRAS · DSHEA dietary supplement · NOT subject to a specific authorized health claim · FDA + IOM tolerable upper intake levels not formally set for β-carotene (vitamin A precursor pathway is regulated)",
    "efsa": "Authorized claim Reg 432/2012 vitamin A contributes to maintenance of normal vision / iron metabolism / immune system / skin / mucous membranes — applies via retinol equivalents (12 µg β-carotene = 1 µg retinol activity equivalent); no separate β-carotene-specific claim",
    "anvisa": "RDC 243/2018 dietary supplement · IN 28/2018 vitamin A claims applicable when β-carotene contributes to retinol activity equivalents · no β-carotene-specific separate Anexo V claim"
  },
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/beta-carotene/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "eye-protection",
    "skin-beauty"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "plant-based"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-04",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-04",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}