beta-carotene Supplements for Smokers: Good or Bad?

Vitamins are good, right? Of course they are. It's a multi-billion dollar industry. Since everyone is taking vitamins and supplements, that must mean smokers should too. I recently came across an article at Prescrire that spoke to this topic.

Apparently, beta-carotene is an excellent supplement for those wanting to stave off lung cancer and the like. Eat lots of fruits and veggies to live a healthy life. Well, if you're a smoker, you may want to hold on just a minute. I'm not saying don't eat right, but think twice before taking a carrot supplement. That's right, beta-carotene supplements did not reduce a smoker's risk for developing lung cancer. On the contrary, it actually increased their risk of developing lung cancer!

Whoa! What a shocker that was. Apparently, beta-carotene supplements of 20-30 mg's did in fact, cause a statistically significant increase in the chance of lung cancer in smokers.

I've got an easy answer to the problem. You can either not take the beta-carotene or you can stop smoking. Well, since this is a stop smoking blog, you should be able to guess my recommendation.  That's right, stop smoking and  head to the health store, just don't be surprised if your skin turns a nice shade of orange.

As always, if you need a little extra stop smoking help, you can visit our website.