All rights reserved. Smokers who took beta-carotene supplements in recent experiments may have faced a greater risk of lung cancer because they took the synthetic form of the nutrient, a new study suggests. The subtle differences between synthetic and natural beta-carotene do appear to influence how the body uses the nutrient.
Isomers have the same molecular formula, but a different arrangement of atoms.
That means the natural form has something the synthetic does not. In contrast, much of the all-trans isomer was converted to vitamin A, which is a very weak antioxidant. They urged that researchers pay more attention to the different isomers of beta-carotene. For diagnosis and treatment, consult your physician.