title: Lack of effect of chronic administration of oral beta-carotene on serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.
abstract: Previous studies suggest that chronic oral administration of retinol and other retinoids causes elevation of plasma triglyceride concentrations. The effects of chronic oral administration of beta-carotene, a carotenoid partially metabolized to retinol, on plasma lipid concentrations have not been well studied; therefore, we studied 61 subjects over 12 mo while they were enrolled in a skin-cancer-prevention study in which patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n = 30) or 50 mg beta-carotene/d orally (n = 31). At study entry and 1 y later, fasting blood samples were obtained for measurement of triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, retinol, and beta-carotene. Retinol concentrations changed minimally in both groups; beta-carotene concentration increased an average of 12.1 +/- 47 nmol/L in the placebo group and 4279 +/- 657 nmol/L in the active-treatment group. Both groups experienced similar small increases in triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations and small decreases in HDL cholesterol. Daily oral administration of 50 mg beta-carotene/d did not affect plasma lipid concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine (Biostatistics), Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03756.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Nierenberg
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Bayrd
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Stukel
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000517:prevention & control; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000517:prevention & control; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol