What are "alpha" and "beta carotenoids"?
Alpha and beta carotenoids are actually substances that are found in most red, orange, green, and yellow vegetables and some fruits. They're essential for the functioning of basically all of the metabolic functions throughout the body. They are necessary for the production of energy as well, and so they're absolutely necessary. However, most of our emphasis is put on one beta carotene. There are at least a hundred different beta carotenes, but we focus on one. That's what you're going to find in a supplement; one form and lots of it. The body can't function effectively with just one carotenoid. The body is based on utilising all of the various carotenoids, alpha and beta, from the fruits and vegetables that we ingest. So, if you only get one, you're going to get a build-up of that one versus the body being able to utilise it. The body will store beta carotene; it's not toxic like vitamin A. They body will store the beta carotene or the carotenoids until they're needed for use by the body. If, on the other hand, you're only getting one type or one form of the beta carotene, and you're not getting the multitude of different carotenoids in your diet, then that's not going to happen as effectively. You might, actually, from the research that we're seeing now, have an overdose of that particular carotenoid that you're taking in a supplement form.
