Overview

• EFSA studies found a slight UV-protective effect only when adults consumed more than 20 mg of beta-carotene daily for at least ten weeks, far above the Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung’s 3.5 mg supplement cap.
• A market check of 23 products by Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen revealed that only three adhere to the BfR dosing guideline and just nine include any warning that capsules cannot replace sunscreen.
• Verbraucherzentrale NRW cautions that high supplemental intake of beta-carotene can increase lung cancer risk among smokers.
• The European Food Safety Authority has prohibited marketing claims that beta-carotene supplements provide reliable internal sun protection after deeming promotional statements misleading.
• Experts continue to advise applying SPF sunscreen and obtaining beta-carotene from a balanced diet for reliable protection against sunburn and skin cancer.