The Basics
What is Beta-Carotene?
Used for erythropoietic protoporphyria and to prevent certain cancers, heart disease, cataracts, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Brand names for Beta-Carotene
N/A
How Beta-Carotene is classified
Complementary Therapies, Carotenoids, Food, Vitamins
Beta-Carotene During Pregnancy
Beta-Carotene pregnancy category
Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.
What we know about taking Beta-Carotene while pregnant
Per the HSIS, Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body on an ‘as required’ basis which reduces the risk of vitamin A
Taking Beta-Carotene While Breastfeeding
What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Beta-Carotene?
Beta-carotene is a plant pigment that is converted into vitamin A in the body. Maternal vitamin A requirements are increased during lactation, but there are no specific guidelines for increased beta-carotene intake or indications for high-dose supplementation in nursing mothers. Typical beta-carotene intake in a Western diet is 6 to 8 mg daily. Beta-carotene is a normal component of human colostrum and mature milk, where it contributes to antioxidant defenses in the neonate.[1] Average concentrations are 1.12 mg/L and 230 mcg/L, respectively, in the Unites States.[2] Beta-carotene supplementation during pregnancy and for 6 months postpartum in nursing mothers with poor diets in a resource-poor setting reduced the number of days of illness in the mothers,[3] but does not reduce infant morbidity or mortality according to another study.[4] The bioavailability of beta-carotene is dependent on the fat content of the meal and the form in which it is administered, with synthetic pharmaceutical forms having the best bioavailability. High-dose beta-carotene supplements lead to a slow increase in breastmilk beta-carotene concentrations, with an accumulation half-life of about 9 days. Levels drop towards baseline slowly over several weeks after discontinuation. In general, beta-carotene is well tolerated, although excessive maternal intake of beta-carotene can lead to a harmless, reversible discoloration of the breastfed infant’s skin.[5] In HIV-infected women, high-dose beta-carotene plus vitamin A supplementation increases the rate of HIV viral shedding into breastmilk and increases HIV infection in breastfed infants, although the mortality rate over the first 2 years of life is not increased.[6][7] The viral shedding may be a result of an increase in subclinical mastitis caused by beta-carotene.[8] Beta-carotene concentration in breastmilk is not affected by refrigeration, freezing, or low-temperature microwaving. The concentration does decrease when milk passes through a tube feeding system, regardless of light exposure.[9] Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.
Maternal / infant drug levels
Beta-carotene is a plant pigment that is converted into vitamin A in the body. Maternal vitamin A requirements are increased during lactation, but there are no specific guidelines for increased beta-carotene intake or indications for high-dose supplementation in nursing mothers. Typical beta-carotene intake in a Western diet is 6 to 8 mg daily. Beta-carotene is a normal component of human colostrum and mature milk, where it contributes to antioxidant defenses in the neonate.[1] Average concentrations are 1.12 mg/L and 230 mcg/L, respectively, in the Unites States.[2] Beta-carotene supplementation during pregnancy and for 6 months postpartum in nursing mothers with poor diets in a resource-poor setting reduced the number of days of illness in the mothers,[3] but does not reduce infant morbidity or mortality according to another study.[4] The bioavailability of beta-carotene is dependent on the fat content of the meal and the form in which it is administered, with synthetic pharmaceutical forms having the best bioavailability. High-dose beta-carotene supplements lead to a slow increase in breastmilk beta-carotene concentrations, with an accumulation half-life of about 9 days. Levels drop towards baseline slowly over several weeks after discontinuation. In general, beta-carotene is well tolerated, although excessive maternal intake of beta-carotene can lead to a harmless, reversible discoloration of the breastfed infant’s skin.[5] In HIV-infected women, high-dose beta-carotene plus vitamin A supplementation increases the rate of HIV viral shedding into breastmilk and increases HIV infection in breastfed infants, although the mortality rate over the first 2 years of life is not increased.[6][7] The viral shedding may be a result of an increase in subclinical mastitis caused by beta-carotene.[8] Beta-carotene concentration in breastmilk is not affected by refrigeration, freezing, or low-temperature microwaving. The concentration does decrease when milk passes through a tube feeding system, regardless of light exposure.[9] Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.
Possible effects of Beta-Carotene on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Possible alternatives to Beta-Carotene
None listed
List of References
Lactation sources: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/1. Ostrea EM Jr, Balun JE, Winkler R, Porter T. Influence of breast-feeding on the restoration of the low serum concentration of vitamin E and beta-carotene in the newborn infant. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1986;154:1014-7. PMID: 3706423
2. Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding: a guide for the medical profession, 7th ed. Mosby. Maryland Heights, MO. 2011;741.
3. Christian P, West KP Jr, Khatry SK et al. Vitamin A or beta-carotene supplementation reduces symptoms of illness in pregnant and lactating Nepali women. J Nutr. 2000;130:2675-82. PMID: 11053506
4. Gogia S, Sachdev HS. Maternal postpartum vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of mortality and morbidity in infancy: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Int J Epidemiol. 2010;39:1217-26. PMID: 20522482
5. Thomson ML. Carotinaemia in a suckling. Arch Dis Child. 1943;18:112. Letter. PMID: 21032250
6. Fawzi WW, Msamanga GI, Hunter D et al. Randomized trial of vitamin supplements in relation to transmission of HIV-1 through breastfeeding and early child mortality. AIDS. 2002;16:1935-44. PMID: 12351954
7. Villamor E, Koulinska IN, Aboud S et al. Effect of vitamin supplements on HIV shedding in breast milk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:881-6. PMID: 20739426
8. Arsenault JE, Aboud S, Manji KP et al. Vitamin supplementation increases risk of subclinical mastitis in HIV-infected women. J Nutr. 2010;140:1788-92. PMID: 20739447
9. Tacken KJ, Vogelsang A, van Lingen RA et al. Loss of triglycerides and carotenoids in human milk after processing. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2009;94:F447-50. PMID: 19416803
10. Canfield LM, Giuliano AR, Neilson EM et al. beta-Carotene in breast milk and serum is increased after a single beta-carotene dose. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997;66:52-61. PMID: 9209169
11. Johnson EJ, Qin J, Krinsky NI, Russell RM. Beta-carotene isomers in human serum, breast milk and buccal mucosa cells after continuous oral doses of all-trans and 9-cis beta-carotene. J Nutr. 1997;127:1993-9. PMID: 9311956
12. Canfield LM, Giuliano AR, Neilson EM et al. Kinetics of the response of milk and serum beta-carotene to daily beta-carotene supplementation in healthy, lactating women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998;67:276-83. PMID: 9459376
13. Rice AL, Stoltzfus RJ, de Francisco A et al. Maternal vitamin A or beta-carotene supplementation in lactating Bangladeshi women benefits mothers and infants but does not prevent subclinical deficiency. J Nutr. 1999;129:356-65. PMID: 10024613
14. Gossage CP, Deyhim M, Yamini S et al. Carotenoid composition of human milk during the first month postpartum and the response to beta-carotene supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:193-7. PMID: 12081834
15. Dijkhuizen MA, Wieringa FT, West CE, Muhilal. Zinc plus beta-carotene supplementation of pregnant women is superior to beta-carotene supplementation alone in improving vitamin A status in both mothers and infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:1299-307. PMID: 15531679
16. Villamor E, Saathoff E, Bosch RJ et al. Vitamin supplementation of HIV-infected women improves postnatal child growth. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81:880-8. PMID: 15817867
17. Webb AL, Aboud S, Furtado J et al. Effect of vitamin supplementation on breast milk concentrations of retinol, carotenoids and tocopherols in HIV-infected Tanzanian women. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63:332-9. PMID: 17940544
18. Haftel L, Berkovich Z, Reifen R. Elevated milk beta-carotene and lycopene after carrot and tomato paste supplementation. Nutrition. 2015;31:443-5. PMID: 25701332
Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider with any questions.
