Jamieson to drop contentious beta carotene from some multivitamins
Jamieson Laboratories is removing beta carotene from some of its multivitamin supplements, amid growing concerns that the nutrient could spur the growth of cancer.
The company will continue to sell beta carotene separately, and in combination with certain supplements, because there is still a demand for the product, Vic Neufeld, president of Jamieson, Canada’s largest vitamin maker, said in an interview.
Beta carotene is a yellow plant pigment that is converted to vitamin A in the liver. It was once widely considered to be a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals — unstable molecules that promote cancer and heart disease. So, beta carotene was routinely added to many vitamin and mineral supplements.
However, a 1994 Finnish study found that smokers who took beta carotene supplements were more likely to develop lung cancer. Vitamin advocates initially dismissed the Finnish study as a fluke. Since then, however, other research has also suggested high doses of beta carotene might not be beneficial.
Jamieson to drop contentious beta carotene from some multivitamins
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