Every curious about these questions - I did go back to my texts to find out
if there is a point at which the conversion of beta-carotene can lead to
excessive conversion to retinol.  The answer is no.  So, I'm very curious
about what went on with Dee Kassing & her experience with the carotenoid
supplements.  Her symptoms were classic retinol toxicity.  There is so much
we don't know about individual variation in needs for nutrients and
reactions to excessive amounts.

The two consquences of excessive intake of carotenoids that I found in my
texts are the hypercaretenosis - which causes the skin to turn orange.
Unlike jaundice,the sclera of the eyes do not turn yellow.  The other
condition that can occur is if the carotenoid supplement is canthaxanthin.
In the case of excessive amounts of canthaxanthin, it can induce
retinopathy when it is ingested in large amounts for long periods.

There is also a study that was reported about 10 years ago using beta-
carotene supplements for post partum women in Indonesia (where vitamin A
deficiency was common) that looked at breast milk concentrations - but the
level of supplementation was not repeated mega-doses. I could look up the
details for anyone who is interested, but I don't think they are applicable
in this case.

As for selenium - which has been most studied in China where selenium
levels in the soil vary widely so you get areas of toxicity and areas of
deficienty - toxicity can cause loss of hair and nails, & lesions in the
skin and nervous system (although one text suggested that the evidence for
this was not as strong). One of the studies on toxicity came from a health
food store in New York City that sold a supplement with excessive amounts
of selenium.  Apparently, humans are more protected from excessive amounts
than livestock because our diets are more varied.

Ever the purist when it comes to food (between the advertisements for milk
shakes with vitamins, vitamin water, snack bars with vitamins, & various
other ways industry wants to make nonfood seem good for you), I still think
there are plenty of beta-carotene rich foods that contain all sorts of
other excellent nutrients (many of which we probably have not yet even
isolated) would be a better approach than taking supplements. As with
breast milk, we know that the food and supplement industry is still a long
way from coming up with anything close to the original source.

As you can tell, I have a definite bias towards real food.

Best, Susan Burger

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