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Old 03-26-2010, 07:58 AM
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Default Vitamin C question, and is there any multi vitamins with 0 beta-carotene?

Hi all!

First post here, couple of quick questions.

I remember seeing a thread here the other day about a vitamin c product that contained higher doses than regular oral supplements but I can seem to find it again. Does anybody know of it's name? or where to get it?

2nd questions is:

Are there any multi vitamin supplements with 0 beta-carotene in them? I'm a smoker (although I am quitting) and i do not want to be taking anything containing this. I eat carrots quite often, adding this into my vitamin intake is something I really do not want to do.

Even though it may not be proven, I've read a lot about beta-carotene being a very bad thing to take for smokers. but I want to boost my intake of other vitamins.

Also,

Does anybody know if vitamin A causes the same risks? or is it just pro-vitamin A? (beta-carotene)

Thanks everyone
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Old 03-26-2010, 08:52 AM
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Vitamin A itself is actually beneficial to smokers. Beta carotene in the form of carrots, swet potatoes, apricots is also. It is the vitamin version of beta carotene that shows increased lung cancer rates. Yes there are non beta carotene multis, but you have to look for them.
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Old 03-26-2010, 09:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by changed View Post
Are there any multi vitamin supplements with 0 beta-carrotene in them?
Hi changed, welcome. Nicovite is one brand that has no beta-carotene. It looks like they may be temporarily out of stock, but might be worth it to contact them.

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Old 03-26-2010, 10:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saved1986 View Post
Vitamin A itself is actually beneficial to smokers. Beta carotene inthe form of carrots, swet potatoes, apricots is also. It is the vitamin version of beta carotene that shows incresed lung cancer rates. Yes there are non beta carotene multis, but you have to look for them.
Thats what I thought. thanks for clearing that up and for your suggestions
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Old 03-26-2010, 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by kind2creatures View Post
Hi changed, welcome. Nicovite is one brand that has no beta-carotene. It looks like they may be temporarily out of stock, but might be worth it to contact them.
Thanks very much! that product definately looks like the right kind of thing for me. Will have a search for similar products and see what I can find.

If I come accross something I will post it here because it may be useful to others with the same dilemna.

The only other question then really is, what was that vitamin C thing I saw here the other day?

luciprous vitamin C? or something.... I can't remember the name it's making me go crazy lol somebody posted a link to the store aswell but I forgot to bookmark it
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Old 03-26-2010, 06:48 PM
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I don't know the thread you're talking about. I take Solaray Vitamin C, 1000mg. When there's a health issue, I take it several times per day. There's powdered form of Vitamin C, like Now brand, that's 2500 mg. per serving. I don't think I've ever seen more than 1,000 mg in a capsule form.
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Old 03-26-2010, 07:13 PM
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Found the vitamin c thread!

/f27/5100-researchers-achieve-cancer-killing-effect-oral-dose.html
Interestin stuff. Not sure it's for me but a high amount of vitamin c in your body cannot be a bad thing.
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Old 03-26-2010, 09:38 PM
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I take a high dose Vitamin C - wouldn't be without it. Also, I agree - nothing wrong with beta caratene. The body converts beta caratene to Vitamin A as needed - what amazing bodies we have! Taking straight VitA can be toxic.
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Old 03-27-2010, 05:33 AM
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Originally Posted by hwenley View Post
I take a high dose Vitamin C - wouldn't be without it. Also, I agree - nothing wrong with beta caratene. The body converts beta caratene to Vitamin A as needed - what amazing bodies we have! Taking straight VitA can be toxic.
Beta-carotene is not good for smokers, that's why I want to find a 0 beta-carotene multivitamin.

Yeah it does get changed into vitamin a, but taking it in a supplement form is no good.
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Old 03-27-2010, 03:24 PM
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Default Beta carotene and smokers

Where did you get the information about beta caratene and that it is bad for smokers?

There was a study involving heavy smokers that appeared in April 1994, and I will quote from Doctor Michael Colgan "national media are being cleverly manipulated to misinterpret a new study appearing today in the New England Journal of Medicine." Dr Colgan on page 111 and 112 of his book The New Nutrition states 'the study has little application even to smokers. After reviewing all the studies, the Colgan Institute uses 25,000 - 50,000 IU of beta-caratene per day (15-30mg) for normal health maintenance in healthy people. Smokers would need a lot more than that to effectively combat their condition'.

If I was a smoker I would either quit or I would take a higher dose of the supplements I already take (including the beta carotene in my very high quality antioxidant) to overcome all the nasty toxins getting into my body from smoking.
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Old 03-27-2010, 03:33 PM
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Giving high dose Vitamin C by IV is being used by some doctors to help cancer patients.
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Old 03-27-2010, 04:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hwenley View Post
Where did you get the information about beta caratene and that it is bad for smokers?

There was a study involving heavy smokers that appeared in April 1994, and I will quote from Doctor Michael Colgan "national media are being cleverly manipulated to misinterpret a new study appearing today in the New England Journal of Medicine." Dr Colgan on page 111 and 112 of his book The New Nutrition states 'the study has little application even to smokers. After reviewing all the studies, the Colgan Institute uses 25,000 - 50,000 IU of beta-caratene per day (15-30mg) for normal health maintenance in healthy people. Smokers would need a lot more than that to effectively combat their condition'.

If I was a smoker I would either quit or I would take a higher dose of the supplements I already take (including the beta carotene in my very high quality antioxidant) to overcome all the nasty toxins getting into my body from smoking.
Here's just a handfull of links to this info:

https://www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/Unconv...roVitaminA.htm

https://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA99992

https://www.unexplainable.net/artman/...cle_4516.shtml

https://www46.safesecureweb.com/posi...oks/beta57.htm

Basically, it is not a wise move to take it as a supplement if you are a smoker. naturally it is fine. I personally want to avoid it...
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Old 03-27-2010, 04:34 PM
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Default Beta carotene, supplements for smokers

Thanks so much for sending all those links. I will investigate.

My final word is - good quality supplements are a form of good quality food. Should we stop eating good quality food because we are told that it's not good for us? I know what good quality supplements are and whether we smoke or not, I believe that we all need to take them for the sake of our future health.

Wishing you the very best,
Helen antiagingboomer.com
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Old 03-27-2010, 04:44 PM
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Oh and another 'final word' - it is important not to take supplements in isolation - they do need to be taken in the right quantities and with other vitamins and minerals to create balance and synergy.

Many studies use vitamins and minerals in isolation which does not actually prove anything. (You can study drugs in isolation).

The questions to ask about vitamin studies are:
1. who's paying for the study
2. what quality is the vitamin
3. what is the dose
4. what is the health condition of the subjects

That's why I recommend a good quality multi antioxidant and multimineral with ingredients in the correct doses to create balance and synergy.
Cheers,
Helen antiagingboomer.com
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Old 03-28-2010, 07:43 AM
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Yeah you are totally correct, synthetic beta-carrotene needs to be neutralized by other anit-oxidants. If you don't have enough other vitamins and anti-oxidants it actually causes more harm than good to smokers.

If I can find a multi vitamin with natural carretenoids that will be fine for me, it's hard to find one though. A lot have the synthetic version in them which is the one that causes smokers problems.

I did find one that used another form of vitamin A but I have lost it

I will post any findings I make in here, because I am sure there will be other smokers looking for a good multi vitamin without synthetic beta-carrotene in it.
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