Your skin faces daily challenges such as sunlight, pollution, stress and poor dietary habits. Over time, these environmental and lifestyle factors may gradually weaken its natural defence systems.
While topical SPF products offer surface-level protection, your nutritional intake can also play a significant role in supporting your skin from within.
Beta carotene is a plant pigment that gives carrots and sweet potatoes their vibrant orange colour and is also found in green vegetables like spinach and kale. Once absorbed by the body, it is converted into vitamin A - a nutrient essential for skin renewal, immune function and healthy vision.
In addition to supporting vitamin A production, beta carotene may help strengthen the skin’s natural resistance to oxidative stress caused by UV exposure. Its protective effects develop gradually with consistent intake, contributing to a more resilient and healthier looking complexion over time.
Beta Carotene Benefits for Skin and Vitamin A: What You Should Know?
What Is Beta Carotene?
Beta carotene is a plant-derived antioxidant found in colourful foods such as carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes. It belongs to a broader group of carotenoids, which also includes lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds are well known for supporting healthy skin and vision.
Once consumed, beta carotene is converted by the body into retinol, which is an active form of vitamin A. This essential nutrient supports healthy skin cell renewal, strengthens the immune system and plays a role in maintaining good vision.
How Beta Carotene Helps Your Body Make Vitamin A
Beta carotene is known as a provitamin A carotenoid. This means it can be converted by the body into retinol, which is the active form of vitamin A. The conversion mainly happens in the intestines and liver and is carefully regulated depending on how much vitamin A the body currently needs.
One of the key benefits of beta carotene is its self-regulating conversion into vitamin A. Unlike preformed vitamin A from animal sources, it is only converted when the body needs it. This makes beta carotene a safer option for maintaining healthy vitamin A levels. It may be particularly useful for those who follow a plant-based diet or have limited access to animal-derived nutrients
Vitamin A is essential for many important functions. It helps maintain healthy skin, supports immune function, and protects vision, especially in low-light conditions. A lack of vitamin A can weaken these systems, leading to dry or irritated skin, slower wound healing, or increased vulnerability to infections.
Beta-carotene plays an important role in maintaining adequate vitamin A levels. By supporting the body’s stores, it helps reduce the risk of deficiency. This is especially relevant for those whose diets are low in animal-derived sources of vitamin A.
Can Beta Carotene Help Your Skin Handle Sun Exposure?
Beta carotene has been studied for its potential to enhance the skin’s natural defences against the damaging effects of sunlight. Unlike topical sunscreens that provide surface-level protection, beta-carotene works from within. It helps reinforce your skin’s resilience by neutralising free radicals generated by UV exposure.
Scientific findings highlight that beta carotene acts as an antioxidant, reducing oxidative stress in light-exposed tissues such as the skin. The review ‘β-Carotene and Other Carotenoids in Protection from Sunlight’ by Stahl & Sies (2012) highlighted that regular dietary intake or supplementation with beta-carotene may provide systemic photoprotection. This means that, over time, the compound may help reduce UV-induced redness and support healthier skin appearance during periods of sun exposure.
The study ‘Bioactivity and Protective Effects of Natural Carotenoids’ by Stahl & Sies (2005) confirmed that beta-carotene supplementation raises its levels in the skin and bloodstream, enhancing the skin’s antioxidant defences. These effects develop gradually, as beta-carotene needs time to build up in the skin through regular intake.
Though beta carotene does not replace sunscreen, it offers an additional layer of protection. Including beta carotene-rich foods or supplements in your routine may support skin health during summer months or in sunny climates.
Key Benefits of Beta Carotene
1. Antioxidant Support for Cellular Health
Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant. It helps neutralise free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells. A high number of free radicals may lead to oxidative stress. This process is linked to long term health issues such as heart disease and cognitive decline. By lowering the impact of oxidative stress, beta carotene supports your body’s natural defences and helps maintain overall wellbeing.
2. Helps Protect Skin from UV Related Stress
Beta carotene may support the skin’s natural defence mechanisms when exposed to sunlight. While it does not replace sunscreen, regular intake can help the body manage the oxidative stress caused by UV rays. This nutrient also aids vitamin A production, which plays a part in skin repair and contributes to a healthier appearance over time.
3. Eye Health and Vision Support
Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy vision, especially in low-light conditions. Beta carotene helps the body produce vitamin A as needed, making it a valuable nutrient for eye support. Diets rich in carotenoids have been linked to a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. Regular intake may also help maintain the long-term health of the retina and other parts of the eye.
Are you Looking for a Reliable Source of Beta Carotene?
For those who want to support their skin, vision and immune health, beta carotene remains a gentle and effective option. Taken regularly in the weeks before sun exposure, beta carotene may help prepare the skin from within and support a naturally longer-lasting tan.
Sona offers a high-quality beta carotene supplement designed to help maintain healthy vitamin A levels safely. The body converts only what it needs, making it a suitable choice even during pregnancy.
Whether you're planning a sun-filled holiday or simply aiming to support your skin and overall wellbeing, Sona Beta Carotene can be a trusted addition to your daily routine.
As always, consult a healthcare professional if you’re unsure whether supplementation is right for you.
References:
Stahl, W., & Sies, H. (2012). β-Carotene and other carotenoids in protection from sunlight. The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 96(5), 1179S-1184S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.034819.
Stahl, W., & Sies, H. (2005). Bioactivity and protective effects of natural carotenoids. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1740(2), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2005.02.017
Tan, B., Norhaizan, M., Liew, W., & Sulaiman Rahman, H. (2018). Antioxidant and Oxidative Stress: A Mutual Interplay in Age-Related Diseases. Frontiers In Pharmacology, 9. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01162.
Wu, J., Cho, E., Willett, W., Sastry, S., & Schaumberg, D. (2015). Intakes of Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Other Carotenoids and Age-Related Macular Degeneration During 2 Decades of Prospective Follow-up. JAMA Ophthalmology, 133(12), 1415. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.3590.