NutriStack
Beta-Carotene and Vitamin A, a caution.
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body, so taking both together adds to total vitamin A activity and can increase the risk of vitamin A excess (hypervitaminosis A).
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
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What the row says.
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At a glance
- Substances
- Beta-Carotene and Vitamin A
- Pair type
- Caution
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Moderate
- Source citations
- 2 sources
- Stack Score effect
- −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Supplement
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Caution · Moderate evidence
Caution
What is happening. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body, so taking both together adds to total vitamin A activity and can increase the risk of vitamin A excess (hypervitaminosis A).
Mechanism. Beta-carotene is enzymatically cleaved to retinal and then retinol, adding to the body's preformed vitamin A pool; this conversion is downregulated when vitamin A status is high, but excess preformed retinol from supplements can still accumulate to toxic levels.
Recommendation. Do not take high doses of both at the same time. Account for beta-carotene's vitamin A contribution when dosing preformed vitamin A, and avoid combined high intake especially in pregnancy.
Sources (2)
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron. National Academies Press, 2001.
- Grune T, et al. Beta-carotene is an important vitamin A source for humans. Journal of Nutrition, 2010.
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Beta-Carotene and Vitamin A are in the same stack, this pair applies −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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