Beta-Carotene vs. Retinyl Acetate
Among 6,056 on-market vitamin a products with an identifiable primary form, 63.3% use Beta-Carotene (3,833 products) and 10.2% use Retinyl Acetate (619).
| Beta-Carotene | Retinyl Acetate | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Tier 2 | Tier 1 |
| Vitamin A by weight | — | — |
| Share of market | 63.3% | 10.2% |
| On-market products | 3,833 | 619 |
| Median declared dose | 1,050 mcg RAE middle half: 600–1,801.6 | 750 mcg RAE middle half: 500–1,200 |
| Most common brands | Centrum, New Chapter, Douglas Laboratories | Airborne, Justified Laboratories, Nature Made |
Doses are declared per serving in mcg RAE. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why Beta-Carotene is tier 2
Requires enzymatic intestinal conversion to retinol, with conversion efficiency that varies between individuals; the current NIH ODS ratios are 12:1 for dietary beta-carotene and 2:1 for supplemental beta-carotene. High-dose supplemental beta-carotene (20-30mg/day) also increased lung cancer risk specifically in smokers (and asbestos-exposed workers) in two large RCTs -- a safety note, not a blanket warning against beta-carotene generally.
Source: NIH ODS Vitamin A fact sheet; ATBC 1994 PMID 8127329, CARET/Omenn 1996 PMID 8602180
Why Retinyl Acetate is tier 1
Same as retinyl palmitate -- a preformed retinol ester with 1:1 RAE conversion.
Source: NIH ODS Vitamin A fact sheet RAE table