| It provides twice the antioxidant effects of beta-carotene, and 10 times the antioxidant effects of vitamin E. Idiopathic male infertility is a significant problem that appears to be caused by an excessive amount of free radicals. Lycopene has been shown to concentrate heavily in the testes and seminal plasma of men,
Based on these findings, it was speculated that dietary lycopene has a role in preventing oxidative damage of biomolecules and, most likely, in reducing the risk of prostate cancer. but is apparently in lower concentrations among men suffering from infertility. |
| For the prevention of macular degeneration, the use of zinc, antioxidants, and beta-carotene seems very prudent.
In addition, the use of lutein should be provided at a dose of 5 mg two to three times each day. For idiopathic male infertility, 4 to 5 mg of lycopene daily seems warranted. For the prevention of prostate cancer, it is recommended that men consume plenty of lycopene-containing foods, and take 30 mg of supplemental lycopene daily. To reduce the loss of bone associated with aging, 5 to 10 mg daily should be sufficient. |
| Green and deep-yellow vegetables, as well as deep-yellow fruits, are highest in beta-carotene.
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin)
I.U. per I.U. per
100-gram (3.5 oz) portion 100-gram (3.5 oz) portion
15.61
Brewer's yeast
14.01
Torula yeast
2.01
Wheat germ
1.96
Sunflower seeds i.84
Rice polishings
1.28
Pine nuts
1.14
Peanuts, with skins
1.10
Soybeans, dry
1.05
Cowpeas, dry
•98
Peanuts, without skins
.96
Brazil nuts
•93
Pork, lean
.86
Pecans
•85
Soybean flour
.84
Beans, pinto and red
•74
Split peas
¦73
Millet
•72
Wheat bran
.67
Pistachio nuts
• 6S
Navy beans
. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 However, use of two antioxidant supplements (synthetic beta-carotene (page 469), 20 mg per day, and vitamin E (page 609), 50 IU per day) did not help smokers with COPD in a double-blind trial, despite the fact that people who ate higher amounts of these nutrients in their diets appeared to have lower risk.21
Are there any side effects or interactions?
Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions. |
| Nutritional supplements that may be helpful
Lycopene (page 548), an antioxidant (page 467) related to beta-carotene (page 469) and found in tomatoes, helps reduce the symptoms of asthma caused by exercising. In one double-blind trial,23 over half of people with exercise-induced asthma had significantly fewer asthma symptoms after taking capsules containing 30 mg of lycopene per day for one week compared to when they took a placebo.
Vitamin B6 (page 600) deficiency is common in asthmatics. |
Elaine Magee
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 Another study found similar results when seven women ate salads prepared with either fat-free dressing, reduced-fat dressing containing 6 grams of canola oil per serving, or a full-fat version with 28 grams of canola oil. The researchers measured the amount of carotenoids in the women's blood to see how much of the nutrients had been absorbed. The level detected corresponded to the increased oil: Numbers were higher for the reduced-fat dressing than the fat-free dressing and highest for the full-fat. |
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
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 Unlike mature soybeans, edamame do not have as much of the beany, bitter flavor; they have a higher ascorbic acid and beta-carotene content, and lower amounts of the undesirable protease inhibitors, phytates and oligosaccharides. In flavor and texture, they compare favorably with butter beans and lima beans.18
The main problem, as noted by an Ohio farmer named T. V.
FRANKENSOY: SAFE AS TESTED
Monsanto obtained FDA approval and rushed its newborn GM soybean plants to market in 1996 based on its claim that GM soybeans are substantially equivalent to conventional ones—hence safe. |
| True vitamin A is never found in soybeans (or any other plant food) and infants cannot easily convert its precursor beta-carotene into the true vitamin A it needs for metabolism and growth.
Calcium presented another difficulty. Soybeans do not naturally contain much calcium, but do contain phytates, a type of antinutrient that interferes with calcium absorption. (See Chapter 17.) Early researchers struggled mightily to find the best form of supplemental calcium and the right ratio of calcium and phosphorous. |
| Slightly larger and firmer than the more familiar mung bean sprouts, they are higher in vitamin C and beta-carotene and are usually served lightly boiled in salads or sauteed as part of a stir fry.12
Traditionally, soy sprouts are eaten in Korea but less often in China or Japan. They are less popular than mung beans everywhere because of their stronger, beanier flavor and tougher texture. |
Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton
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 If trying to conceive, do not exceed 3,000 meg retinol (10,000 IUs) or 3,000-30,000 meg beta-carotene per day.
A good multivitamin and mineral will include the most important antioxidants: vitamins A, C, and E, coenzyme Q10, and the minerals selenium and zinc. Other antioxidants include the omega-3 oils and the "detoxing" amino acid known as glutathione (see pages 45-46).
B Vitamins
Our bodies need large amounts of the B group of vitamins—Bt, B6, and B|2 in particular—in order to process toxic chemicals. |
Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD, FRCP(C) and Dr. Jonathan Prousjy, DPHE, DSC, ND, FRSH
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 Another group was given an antioxidant combination of 500 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, and 15 mg beta-carotene. A third group was provided with the zinc (with added copper) and the antioxidants. None of the patients in the groups knew whether they had received the nutritional treatments or placebo.
The zinc and antioxidant combination reduced the risk of developing advanced macular degeneration by 25% and the risk of central vision loss by 19%. Supplemental zinc by itself reduced the risk of advanced disease by about 21% and the risk of vision loss by about 11%. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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| The most well known of this group are beta-carotene (page 469) and alpha-carotene. Some of the better known carotenoids without provitamin A activity—but with very high anrioxidant activity—are lutein (page 548), lyeopene (page 548), and zeaxan-thin.1'2
Preliminary and experimental studies suggest that a higher dietary intake of carorenoids offers protection against developing certain cancers (page 87) (e.g. |
Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD, FRCP(C) and Dr. Jonathan Prousjy, DPHE, DSC, ND, FRSH
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| Beta-carotene and other carotenoids may be stored in adipose tissue, the liver, and other organs, with the adrenals, testes, and ovaries having the highest concentrations.
Vitamin A is one of the three major antioxidants and is, therefore, receiving more and more attention in the treatment of cancer. It is nontoxic. Even with very high doses, the only side effect has been the deposition of the pigment into the skin, with the subjects becoming a bit carrot-like in color, especially on the palms and soles of the feet. |
Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton
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| Levels of Vitamins and Minerals Desired in a Multivitamin
Essential Supplements
Total Daily Amount
Vitamin A* (retinol or beta-carotene)
5,000-10,000 IU
Vitamin C
60 mg
Vitamin D
400-800 IU
Vitamin E**
40-400 IU
Thiamin
3-25 mg
Riboflavin
1. |
by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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| Kale is also extremely high in chlorophyll and carotenes, especially beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
HOW TO SELECT AND STORE
High-quality kale and collards, as well as other "greens," are fresh, tender, and dark green. Avoid greens that show dry or yellowing leaves, evidence of insect injury, or decay. Smaller-sized leaves are not only easier to handle, they will be more tender and have a milder flavor than those with larger leaves. Kale is available throughout the year, although it is more widely available, and at its peak, from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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 Nutritional value In rural areas, unprocessed palm oil is highly nutritious, as it is rich in beta-carotene. Palm oil contains equal proportions of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, while palm kernel oil is completely saturated. notes Minor food products include palm wine and palm hearts.
Eleocharis dulcis
Chinese water chestnut
Chinese water chestnut plant
Canned Chinese water chestnuts
Description An aquatic plant with a tuft of slender, tubular leaves arising from a rounded tuber or corm that grows below the mud surface. |
Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton
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| Examples include vitamin A and beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc, selenium, coenzyme Q10, and the amino acid glutathione. asthma A breathing disorder associated with airway obstruction, marked by recurrent attacks of shortness of breath, with wheezing due to spasmodic contraction of the main airways. attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) A behavior disorder originating in childhood, the essential features of which are signs of de-velopmentally inappropriate inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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| They yield 25^2 kcal per 100 g and are rich in sugars (5-10%). beta-carotene (provitamin A) and other carotenoids are converted to vitamin A (retinol) in the liver. Too much can be harmful and too little causes deficiency diseases (ascribed to a lack of pigmented fruits and vegetables in the diet).
Dendrocalamus asper bamboo
Bamboo shoot (Dendrocalamus asper)
Description Bamboos are tall, woody grasses with underground rhizomes giving rise to erect, hollow stems with distinct nodes and internodes and most of the leaves clustered at the tips. |
Amarjit S. Basra
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 Cloning of tangerine from tomato reveals a carotenoid isomerase essential for the production of beta-carotene and xanthophylls in plants, Plant Cell, 14: 333-342.
26. Tadmor, Y, Fridman, E., Gur, A., Larkov, O., Lastochkin, E., Ravid, U., Zamir, D., and LewinsohnE., 2002, Identification of malodorous, a wild species allele affecting tomato aroma that was selected-against during domestication, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 50: 2005-2009.
27.Ibid.
28. Causse, M., Saliba-Colombani, V., Lesschaeve, I., and Buret, M. |
Joseph E. Mario
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 Beta) Carotene from marine algae is water-soluble and thus non-toxic in large doses; agood source being algae Dunaliella salina having Alpha- and beta-carotene, Lutein, Cryptoxanthin, and Zeaxanthin.
Other CAROTENOIDS
•CANTHAXANTHIN A Carotenoid antioxidant that improves Immune responses, inhibits genetic damage, and prevents breast cancer (in animal studies). An isolated color extract taken from edible mushrooms; and used in catsup, butter, and tomato sauces. Assimilated into fat cells; gives the appearance of a tan in the translucent skin, not affecting the pigment or melanin. |
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II
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 Indeed, they even recommended against the use of beta-carotene supplements.
It is not that these nutrients aren't important. They are—but only when consumed as food, not as supplements. Isolating nutrients and trying to get benefits equal to those of whole foods reveals an ignorance of how nutrition operates in the body. A recent special article in the New York Times6 documents this failure of nutrient supplements to provide any proven health benefit. |
Leo Galland
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 Dietary supplements of beta-carotene are ineffective in preventing cancer or heart disease, whereas food that is high in beta-carotene and other carotenoids does confer protection. Scientists have previously paid insufficient attention to these other carotenoids, like alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and the xanthins. They do not serve as precursors of vitamin A, yet their consumption, along with beta-carotene in food, may explain why carotene-rich foods decrease the risk of cancer. The "other" carotenoids exert significant antioxidant effects of their own. |
Michael T. Murray
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 VITAMIN
RANGE FOR ADULTS
Vitamin A (retinol)3
2,500-5,000 IU
Vitamin A (from beta-carotene)
5,000-25,000 IU
Vitamin B, (thiamin)
10-100 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
10-50 mg
.......... |
| More than 600 carotenes exist in nature, including perhaps fifty that the body can transform into vitamin A. beta-carotene is often considered the most active of the carotenes because more of it is converted to vitamin A, but several other carotenes such as lutein and lycopene exert greater antioxidant and anticancer effects. Some evidence shows that a wide range of carotenes protect against diabetes. The leading sources of carotenes are the dark green leafy vegetables: kale, collards, and spinach. The deeper the green color, the greater the concentration of carotenes. |
| Note: beta-carotene is safe during pregnancy and lactation.)
1 b People living in northern latitudes should supplement at the high range.
j c Women should take 800 to 1,000 mg of calcium to reduce the risk of osteoj porosis.
d Men and postmenopausal women rarely need supplemental iron.
Appendix I
Glycemic Index, Carbohydrate Content, Fiber Content, and Glycemic Load of Selected Foods
A complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load of all tested foods is beyond the scope of this book—it would be a book in itself. So we have selected the most common foods. |
Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D.
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 Albolene is a moisturizing cleanser that contains mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, ceresin, and beta-carotene. It should not be used with condoms or a diaphragm since petroleum jelly degrades latex.
Albolene is certainly cost-effective. Although it is solid in its container, a small amount applied to the skin soon liquefies and becomes slippery. One drawback, though, is the mineral oil and petrolatum base. These petroleum products will destroy latex, so they must not be used with barrier contraceptives such as condoms or a diaphragm. |
| The researchers suggest having at least six servings a day of produce (three vegetables and three fruits) to get adequate vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also recommend substituting fish (a 3-ounce serving every other day), beans (V2 cup), and nuts (1 ounce) for meat. Vitamin D and fish oil supplements (for those who cannot stomach fish) may also be helpful. These foods seem to provide anti-inflammatory nutrients that may help relieve joint pain.
Chocolate and tomatoes may trigger pain for some sensitive individuals. Most folks, however, don't have to avoid these treats. |
Mary-Ann Shearer
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 Just like the other derivatives, these two are essential and necessary, but you do not need to take them as your body will produce them as much as is needed (much like your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A at the rate you need it). Think of derivatives as children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. EPA is the great-grandchild of Omega 3 and DHA the great, great, great-grandchild. So as much as they are part of the family of Omega 3 they are not actually Omega 3. |
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II
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| They vary in color from the yellow color of beta-carotene (squash), to the red color of lycopene (tomatoes), to the orange color of the odd-sounding crytoxanthins (oranges). Other antioxidants may be colorless and these include chemicals such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and vitamin E, which act as antioxidants in other parts of plants that need to be protected from the hazards of wayward electrons.
What makes this remarkable process relevant for us animals, however, is that we produce low levels of free radicals throughout our lifetime. |
Mary-Ann Shearer
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| I find it interesting that all fruits (see tables in the back) and vegetables contain vitamin A (actually beta-carotene, which is the precursor to vitamin A), which is a fat-soluble vitamin, along with fat—nature has made sure that the vitamin A is absorbable and assimilated because of the presence of fat. Also, fats are a source of essential fatty acids. These are needed for the proper functioning of the endocrine system that controls hormone production, growth, reproductive activity, production of vitamin B12 in the intestines, and for helping to make calcium and phosphorus more available. |
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