Beta-Carotene And Smokers: What The Research Says
Retina Clear's label includes 450mcg RAE of Vitamin A as beta-carotene. That's a common eye-health nutrient, but it comes with a specific safety history worth understanding.
Retina ClearThe CARET and ATBC trials
Two large randomized trials, the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) and the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC), both found that high-dose beta-carotene supplements increased lung cancer risk in smokers and people who had recently quit smoking.
Retina ClearWhy AREDS2 dropped it
The AREDS2 clinical trial, which shaped the modern standard eye-health supplement formula, removed beta-carotene entirely in 2013 specifically because of this smoker-risk finding, replacing it with lutein and zeaxanthin instead.
Retina ClearWhat this means for you
If you don't smoke and haven't recently quit, this research doesn't point to increased risk for you. If you do smoke or quit within the past year, talk to your doctor before taking any beta-carotene supplement, including this one.