Extraordinary nutrients 'Beta Carotene and Carotenoids'

The values ​​of most Thai people prefer to lighten skin tone, skin-whitening become more and more popular. However many people don’t realize that the whiter or lighter skin that many people desire pose higher risk of skin cancer. Whiter skin is more sensitive to UV rays. Coupled with the weather conditions in Thailand that are getting hotter, especially in summer, there will be more intense UV rays than other seasons. This means that with an inadequate sun protection, skin may get damaged more easily.

    UV ray are trouble makers. They easily create free radicals, which are the main culprits that damage cells of the body; even skin cells, leading to skin cancer.  The dangers of UV rays (ultra-violet) causes many harm to the human body such as;
    The effects on the skin.
       UV rays may cause so much damages that the skin cells die and the upper layer of the skin peel off. UV rays destroy collagen, resulting in the loss of skin elasticity and result in dry and wrinkled skin. It also destroys DNA, causing genetic changes in skin cells and can develop into cancer cells.เซลล์มะเร็งได้
    The effects on immunity.
     UV rays destroy the structure of the cell, induce free radicals to destroy cells in the body that lead to tissue degeneration.
    The effects on eyes.
     UV rays damage the tissues of the eye, from the outermost layer of the eyelid (that lead to the formation of crow's feet) toward the innermost layer. Eye diseases caused by sunlight damage include pinguecula, pterygium, corneal haze, cataracts, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) etc.
      Nowadays, our physical health is at risk of many diseases. With changing weather conditions, and changing economic conditions, many people forget to take care of their own health. It's time for everyone to take better care of our health. One thing that is very important in maintaining good health is eating food that is beneficial to the body on a regular basis. Today, the value of natural nutrients that are highly beneficial to the body and skin is discovered, namely beta-carotene and carotenoids

      Carotenoid 
are naturally occurring compounds in vegetables and fruits, that give their red, orange, green and yellow colors such as carrots, cantaloupe, spinach, pumpkin, and algae. Carotenoids are compounds with antioxidant property against free radicals that are responsible for the degeneration of cells and organs. There are over 600 carotenoids, but the only six are used by our body in the bloodstream and tissues. The well-known substance is beta carotene, which has the highest activity. The rest are alpha carotene, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and Zeaxanthin. Each of these carotenoids works together to support each other in their actions for different various health benefits. Therefore, in addition to eating high amount of fruits and vegetables, eating a wide variety of them is also needed to get all the carotenoids.   

    Important functions of beta-carotene and carotenoids
           Protects against UV rays from sunlight
            UV radiation is a major cause of skin inflammation, redness, and sunburn, rough, dull, and tired-looking skin. Regular intake of beta-carotene can help protect your skin from those damaging effects of the sun.
           Antioxidant
            Free radicals are substances that occur in the body all the time, both from internal factors such as stress, reactions, or induced by external factors such as sunlight, pollution, cigarettes.  Beta-carotene and carotenoids have been found to have strong antioxidant properties, thereby protecting cells, tissues and organs of the body from free radicals that are a major cause leading to chronic diseases such as premature aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease. It was found that if beta-carotene is taken in combination with vitamin E and vitamin C, it will enhance the efficiency of cells, tissues and organs protection of the body. In addition, beta-carotene can enhance a better performance of immune cells against foreign matter.        


     Convert to vitamin A when the body needs.
           'Beta-carotene' is considered an important nutrient, especially if the body is not getting enough vitamin A. Vitamin A is very important for the eyes. It helps us see in the dark, nourishes eyesight, prevent night blindness and prevent cataracts. It was found that beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A as well as the body needs. Therefore, beta-carotene helps to see in the dark, prevent night blindness, reduce the risk of cataracts, and slow down the deterioration of the retina.    

    Why should we supplement with beta-carotene and carotenoids?
        Since our bodies cannot synthesize them on our own, we need to be obtained them only from food or vitamin supplements. Each day we usually get only a small amount of them because of the uncertainties of beta-carotene and carotenoids’ bioavailability obtained from food absorption. Beta-carotene is easily destroyed by the heat of cooking, or in the case of uncooked food, its absorption is not more than 5% due to the binding of polysaccharides and protein in complex form. In addition, the human body can absorb beta-carotene for only 25-27%, therefore, it is not enough to prevent the diseases. Moreover, some people do not like to consume fruits or vegetables, making them more likely to be at risk of these nutrient deficiency. In order for the body to benefit from beta carotene most effectively, Professor Anthony T. Diplock recommends taking 15 milligrams of beta-carotene per day.   
         In addition to fruits and vegetables, which are sources of beta-carotene and carotenoids, currently, D.Salina extract is being developed as a source of high quality raw materials rich in beta-carotene and carotenoids, which work together to form a strong synergistic effect and enhance high-performance.  

     Who should get more beta-carotene and carotenoids?

• People who want to protect their skin from the sun.
• People who want to take care of their skin. Beta-carotene has also been found to promote a healthy new skin cell.
• People who want to slow down degeneration of cells, tissues and organs. When used in combination with vitamin E and vitamin C, their effectiveness is even more enhanced.
• Elderly, in order to prevent diseases caused by degeneration of organs, especially the eyes.
• People who want to nourish their eyes, prevent night blindness. People who are at risk for cataracts.

• A study in 36 adults who took beta-carotene extracted from D. Salina or mixed carotenoids 24 milligrams per day for 12 weeks. Studies have shown that it is equally effective in protecting the skin from the sun.
• A medical research, has been studied in 20 healthy volunteers who were divided into 2 groups and were given Natural Beta-carotene 30 mg/day for 10 weeks and expose to sunlight in a controlled condition for 2 weeks (applying regular sunblock). It was found that the group taking Natural Beta-carotene had less redness due to sun exposure.
• A study of 29,000 women who took 7,000 mcg of beta-carotene weekly during pregnancy reduced their risk of night blindness by 50%.
• A study of 52 volunteers who received beta-carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C. It was found that these volunteers are able to protect red blood cells from free radical damage better than those who did not receive antioxidants.