•18,314 men and women
14,254 smoking men and women, 4,060
asbestos-exposed men
•
•30 mg beta-carotene and 25,000 IU 7567 ug
retinol/day
•
•Serum beta-carotene rose from 170 ng/ml to 2100
ng/ml
•
•Supplement group increased rates of death
all causes [1.17]
lung cancer [RR1.46]
cardiovascular disease
[RR1.26]
•
•Beta-carotene may increase the risk of a
fatal MI
Rapola et al Lancet
1997;349:1715-20
•
•It was not possible to differentiate between the effects
of retinol and beta-carotene