What Happens If I Take Too Much Beta-Carotene?

December 17, 2025 •

3 min read

While excess preformed vitamin A can be toxic, the body's conversion of beta-carotene is self-regulating, meaning the primary risk of overconsumption from food is temporary and harmless. However, what happens if I take too much beta-carotene, particularly in supplement form, is a more serious concern, especially for certain populations.

Quick Summary

Taking too much beta-carotene usually results in a harmless skin discoloration known as carotenemia. High-dose beta-carotene supplements, however, are linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease in current and former smokers and asbestos-exposed workers.

Key Points

Harmless Skin Discoloration: Excess beta-carotene typically causes carotenemia, a harmless, reversible yellowing of the skin, especially on the palms and soles.
Not Vitamin A Toxicity: The body regulates its conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A, so overconsumption of beta-carotene from food does not lead to vitamin A toxicity.
High-Dose Supplementation Risk: High-dose beta-carotene supplements (not food) are linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease in smokers and those with asbestos exposure.
Food vs. Supplements: The health risks associated with high beta-carotene intake are specific to supplements; consuming beta-carotene from whole foods is considered safe and beneficial.
Consult a Doctor: Individuals with a history of smoking or asbestos exposure should avoid beta-carotene supplements and seek advice from a healthcare provider.
Jaundice vs. Carotenemia: Unlike jaundice, carotenemia does not cause the whites of the eyes to turn yellow, which is a key way to differentiate between the two conditions.

How the Body Manages Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, a type of antioxidant found in many colorful fruits and vegetables. Unlike preformed vitamin A (retinol), which can be toxic in high doses, the body only converts as much beta-carotene into vitamin A as it needs. This built-in regulatory mechanism is why it is nearly impossible to experience vitamin A toxicity from eating too many carrots or other beta-carotene-rich foods. The body simply stores the excess beta-carotene in fat tissue or excretes it.

Carotenemia: The Benign Side Effect

For most people, the most noticeable effect of high beta-carotene intake is a benign condition called carotenemia. This occurs when excess carotenoids circulate in the blood and accumulate in the outermost layer of the skin. The result is a yellowish-orange discoloration of the skin.

Key facts about carotenemia:

The discoloration is most prominent on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, but can also be seen on the face and forehead.
The whites of the eyes (sclera) do not turn yellow, which is a key distinguishing feature from jaundice, a more serious condition related to liver problems.
Carotenemia is completely harmless and requires no medical treatment.
The condition is reversible and fades away as intake is reduced, though it may take several months due to the fat-soluble nature of beta-carotene.

Carotenemia vs. Jaundice

To distinguish between the harmless yellowing of carotenemia and the potentially serious sign of liver disease known as jaundice, consider the following points:


Feature	Carotenemia	Jaundice
Sclera (whites of eyes)	Not yellow; remain white.	Yellow.
Cause	Excessive intake of carotenoids from foods or supplements.	Excessive bilirubin buildup due to liver disease or other conditions.
Skin Color	Yellowish-orange, especially on palms and soles.	Yellowish hue, affecting skin and mucous membranes.
Treatment	Reduce carotenoid intake in diet.	Requires addressing underlying medical cause.
Prognosis	Benign and reversible.	Can be a sign of serious illness.

Serious Risks of High-Dose Beta-Carotene Supplements

While beta-carotene from food is safe, high-dose supplements are a different story, especially for certain individuals. Several large-scale, long-term studies from the 1990s uncovered a significant danger for a specific population:

Smokers and Asbestos-Exposed Workers: The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene (ATBC) Cancer Prevention Study and the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) found that participants who were current or former smokers, or had been exposed to asbestos, had an increased risk of lung cancer and death from cardiovascular disease when taking high-dose beta-carotene supplements (20-30 mg/day).
Mechanism Unknown: The exact reason for this increased risk is not fully understood, and the adverse effects were not seen when beta-carotene was consumed through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
General Population: For non-smokers without asbestos exposure, there is no evidence of increased cancer risk from beta-carotene supplements, but health experts still advise against their use except to prevent vitamin A deficiency.

Other Reported Side Effects

Though rare and typically mild, other side effects of high-dose beta-carotene supplementation can include:

Diarrhea
Dizziness
Joint pain

Interactions with medication: Beta-carotene supplements may also interact with certain medications, including cholesterol-lowering drugs. It is always important to consult a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement regimen.

Conclusion

In summary, consuming large amounts of beta-carotene through food is exceptionally safe. The worst outcome is typically a harmless, reversible yellowing of the skin. However, using high-dose beta-carotene supplements carries a substantial and well-documented risk for those who smoke or have been exposed to asbestos, potentially increasing the likelihood of lung cancer and heart disease. For the general population, the benefits of beta-carotene from whole foods far outweigh the potential risks and lack of proven benefits from high-dose supplements. Always prioritize a diet rich in colorful vegetables and fruits over supplements unless advised otherwise by a healthcare professional.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. For more authoritative information on dietary supplements, consult resources like the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets, which you can find here: Vitamin A and Carotenoids - Health Professional Fact Sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot get vitamin A toxicity from eating too many carrots or other foods rich in beta-carotene. The body has a built-in mechanism that regulates the conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A, so the conversion slows down when sufficient vitamin A levels are reached.

Carotenemia is a harmless condition that causes a yellowish-orange skin discoloration due to excessive beta-carotene intake. It is not dangerous and will resolve on its own once intake is reduced.

The key difference is the eyes. In carotenemia, the whites of the eyes remain white, while in jaundice, the sclera (whites of the eyes) also turn yellow.

Smokers and former smokers should avoid high-dose beta-carotene supplements, as studies have linked them to an increased risk of lung cancer. However, consuming beta-carotene from foods is considered safe.

While there is no established Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for beta-carotene, high-dose supplements exceeding 20-30 mg daily have been associated with negative effects in at-risk groups. For most people, excess intake from food simply causes harmless skin yellowing.

If you notice your skin turning orange, simply reduce your intake of beta-carotene-rich foods. The condition is harmless and your skin color should return to normal over several months.

High doses of beta-carotene supplements can rarely cause side effects such as mild diarrhea, dizziness, and joint pain. These side effects are typically not seen with beta-carotene from dietary sources.