Category: vitamin
Aliases: β-Carotene, Provitamin A
Provitamin A: cleaved by BCMO1 in intestinal enterocytes into two retinal molecules, which are reduced to retinol. Conversion is regulated by vitamin A status — unlike preformed retinol, excess β-carotene does not accumulate as toxic retinoids. Also functions as a lipid-phase antioxidant and singlet-oxygen quencher.
PO: 888h