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General description	Fat-soluble antioxidants.
Found	- yellow and leafy vegetables - yellow fruits - carrots - pumpkin, sweet potato - apricot - green wheat - tomatoes - algae - photosynthetic bacteria
Anti-aging role	- antioxidants - provitamin A - prevention of macular degeneration - boost immune system - scavenging free radicals - required for healthy skin - prevent CVd
Deficiency symptoms	It's not possible to develop. Frequent consumption of alcohol reduces the amount of carotene in the liver. People with diabetes or hypothyroidism conversion process from carotene into vitamin A can be disturbed.
Therapeutic doses	15 mg of natural beta-carotene. 6 mg of natural alpha-carotene, lycopene and lutein
Maximum safe level	Not established.
Side effects	- usage of synthetic beta-carotene in smokers causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer - long-term usage of beta-carotene may cause yellow color of the skin - long-term usage of lycopene may cause orange color of the skin
Contraindications	- beta-carotene: liver and kidney diseases
Interactions	- cholestiramin - cholestipol - mineral oils - vitamin E - neomicin
Composition formulas	- can contain only one carotene or carotenoids mixture
Other remarks	- synthetic beta - carotene: retinol=2:1 - natural beta - carotene: retinol=12:1 - alpha - carptene: retinol=24:1 - beta - cryptoxanthin: retinol=24:1

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