Beta Carotene Blood Test

Beta carotene is a fat-soluble nutrient found in certain foods. It breaks down to become Vitamin A in your body. Not consuming enough beta-carotene may lead to a vitamin A deficiency. Too much vitamin A can lead to loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea, headaches, skin changes, and potential birth defects. 

Signs that you may be deficient in vitamin A include: 

• Bones or teeth that do not develop correctly
• Failure to produce enough tears, resulting in dry or inflamed eyes
• Feeling more irritable
• Hair loss
• Loss of appetite
• Recurring infections
• Drying, scaling, and follicular thickening of the skin
• Night vision problems or night blindness 

Vitamin A deficiency is more common in the following people: 

• Have liver disorders
• That don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables
• Have undergone gastrointestinal surgery
• Have digestive disorders such as chronic diarrhea, Crohn’s or celiac disease
• Have cystic fibrosis
• Have a bile duct obstruction or giardiasis
• Have cirrhosis of the liver