Nutritional supplement makers tout the health benefits of their products, but you should be able to obtain all the nutritional nutrients you require through your diet. Indeed, a study indicates that a popular dietary supplement may potentially increase your risk of lung and stomach cancer.

Although food should give all of the minerals and nutrients the body requires, some people prefer to take supplements. Taking nutritional supplements may appear harmless, but there are risks associated with them, not least because it is easy to take too much.

Beta-carotene is one nutritional supplement that comes with a health warning.

It gives yellow and orange fruit and vegetables their colour.

In the human body, it turns into vitamin A and does the same jobs as vitamin A.

While you should be able to obtain all of the beta-carotene you require through your daily diet, some people choose to supplement.

However, a review of studies on beta-carotene supplementation and health outcomes warns against its use.

According to the study, published in the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Educational Book, “large-scale, randomised cancer prevention trials have mainly been negative, with some notable adverse and beneficial effects”.

The study trials established that beta-carotene raises the chance of developing lung and stomach cancer.

Additionally, the analysis discovered that vitamin E raises the risk of prostate cancer and colorectal adenoma – a benign tumor formed of aberrant large intestinal glands.

Similarly, beta-carotene supplements have been shown to raise the risk of lung cancer in persons who smoke or have been exposed to high levels of asbestos at work.

“If you decide to take beta-carotene supplements, it’s important not to take too much as this could be harmful,” says the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

It continues: “Do not take more than 7mg of beta-carotene supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor.

“People who smoke or who have been exposed to asbestos are advised not to take any beta-carotene supplements.”

The main food sources of beta-carotene are:

• Yellow and green (leafy) vegetables – such as spinach, carrots and red peppers
• Yellow fruit – such as mango, papaya and apricots.

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