Smokers beware! Taking this vitamin may cause lung cancer

Smoking is injurious to health. We all, including smokers, know this. Smoking can cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease and even diabetes. Smokers are also at risk of getting tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), diseases caused by smoking kill more than 440,000 people in the U.S. each year.

While studying the effects of vitamins and other supplements in smokers, it was found that high-dose B6 and B12 supplements, especially in men, may cause harm in male smokers. In fact, it has been established that use of beta-carotene may increase the risk



of lung cancer in people who smoke or who have been exposed to asbestos. In a study of 29,000 male smokers, it was found that there was an increase of 18% in lung cancer among the group which took 20 mg of beta-carotene a day for 5 to 8 years. In another study where 18,000 people with a history of smoking and/or asbestos exposure took 30 mg of beta-carotene in addition to 25,000 Units of retinol (a form of vitamin A) everyday for 4 years, 28% more cases of lung cancers were found.

Beta-carotene was a recommended supplement for the people suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in older people. But, since beta-carotene increased the risk of lung cancer for smokers, doctors now prescribe use of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin instead of beta-carotene because they not only reduces risk of lung cancer due to beta-carotene, but is also more effective at reducing risk of AMD progression.

Smokers or people who have a history of smoking or asbestos exposure should not take large amounts of beta-carotene supplements for long periods of time. Experts at the same time recommend eating foods that are rich in beta-carotene as they are considered safe and may even lower the risk of some types of cancer and possibly heart disease. The good sources of beta-carotene are yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli).