56 Joel Fuhrman, M.D.was responsible for the low incidence of cancer; it merely served as a
flag for those populations with a high fruit and vegetable intake. Un-
fortunately, many scientists confused the flag for the ship.
Recently, large-scale studies have shown that taking beta-carotene
(or vitamin A) in supplemental form may not be such a great idea.^7
In Finnish trials, taking beta-carotene supplements failed to pre-vent lung cancer and actually increased its incidence.^8 This study was
halted when the researchers discovered that the death rate from lung
cancer was 28 percent higher among participants who had taken
the high amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A. Furthermore, the
death rate from heart disease was 17 percent higher for those that
had taken the supplements than for those just given a placebo.^9
Another recent study showed a similar correlation between beta-
carotene supplementation and increased occurrence of prostate can-
cer. At this point, as a result of these European studies, as well as
similar studies conducted here in the United States,^10 articles in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the Lancet, and the New England
Journal of Medicine all advise us to avoid taking beta-carotene supple-
ments."
We can learn a lesson from this research. A high intake of iso-
lated beta-carotene may impair the absorption of other carotenoids.Taking beta-carotene or vitamin A may hinder carotenoid anti-cancer
activity from zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and many
other crucial plant-derived carotenoids. When my patients ask what
multivitamin they should use, I tell them I'd prefer they take a high-
quality multi that does not contain vitamin A or plain beta-carotene.The supplement should contain mixed plant-derived carotenoids,
not isolated beta-carotene. (See recommended products at my web-
site, http://www.drfuhrman.com.)A high intake of just one nutrient when nature has combined it
with many others may make things worse, not better. We humans,
especially physicians, are notorious for interfering with nature,
thinking we know better. Sometimes we do — all too often we don't.
Only later, when it is often too late, do we realize that in fact we have
made things worse.While it still may take decades longer to understand how whole
foods promote health, we must accept the fact that the foods found
in nature are ideally suited to the biological needs of the species.
"The most compelling evidence of the last decade has indicated the
importance of protective factors, largely unidentified, in fruits and
vegetables," said Walter C. Willett, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the De-