Beta-carotene Off the Hook

Previous studies in both Finland and the U.S. found that beta-carotene supplementation increased the incidence of lung cancer in smokers. This finding was surprising, since other studies seemed to indicate that this antioxidant vitamin had a preventive effect against cancer, and should have helped clear out the carcinogenic free radicals produced by smoking. Researchers from the U.S. now believe that cigarette smoke converts beta-carotene into chemicals that encourage cancer, which would explain why smokers in the two studies experienced more malignancies. A reanalysis of the results found that the increased cancer rates were mostly restricted to people who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. Based on information in: New Scientist, 11-23-96