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Beta-Carotene

Form

Plant pigment the body converts to retinol as needed. Conversion is inefficient and varies a lot between people, and it needs fat in the meal to be absorbed at all.

Relationships

2 connections

Beta-Carotene enhances absorption of

Dietary Fat

Forms the micelles that carry the fat-soluble vitamins across the gut wall. Without fat in the meal, A, D, E, K and the carotenoids largely pass through.

Beta-Carotene form of

Vitamin A

Needed for vision, immune function and steroidogenesis. Measured two ways in the food data, as retinol activity equivalents and as international units.